1
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Mason AH, Motta A, Kratish Y, Marks TJ. Demystifying group-4 polyolefin hydrogenolysis catalysis. Gaseous propane hydrogenolysis mechanism over the same catalysts. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2406133121. [PMID: 39008674 PMCID: PMC11287269 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2406133121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
A kinetic/mechanistic investigation of gaseous propane hydrogenolysis over the single-site heterogeneous polyolefin depolymerization catalysts AlS/ZrNp2 and AlS/HfNp2 (AlS = sulfated alumina, Np = neopentyl), is use to probe intrinsic catalyst properties without the complexities introduced by time- and viscosity-dependent polymer medium effects. In a polymer-free automated plug-flow catalytic reactor, propane hydrogenolysis turnover frequencies approach 3,000 h-1 at 150 °C. Both catalysts exhibit approximately linear relationships between rate and [H2] at substoichiometric [H2] with rate law orders of 0.66 ± 0.09 and 0.48 ± 0.07 for Hf and Zr, respectively; at higher [H2], the rates approach zero-order in [H2]. Reaction orders in [C3H8] and [catalyst] are essentially zero-order under all conditions, with the former implying rapid, irreversible alkane binding/activation. This rate law, activation parameter, and DFT energy span analysis support a scenario in which [H2] is pivotal in one of two plausible and competing rate-determining transition states-bimolecular metal-alkyl bond hydrogenolysis vs. unimolecular β-alkyl elimination. The Zr and Hf catalyst activation parameters, ΔH‡ = 16.8 ± 0.2 kcal mol-1 and 18.2 ± 0.6 kcal mol-1, respectively, track the relative turnover frequencies, while ΔS‡ = -19.1 ± 0.8 and -16.7 ± 1.4 cal mol-1 K-1, respectively, imply highly organized transition states. These catalysts maintain activity up to 200 °C, while time-on-stream data indicate multiday activities with an extrapolated turnover number ~92,000 at 150 °C for the Zr catalyst. This methodology is attractive for depolymerization catalyst discovery and process optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander H. Mason
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208 3113
- Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208 3113
| | - Alessandro Motta
- Department of Chemistry, Università di Roma “La Sapienza” and National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology, research unit of Roma, RomaI-00185, Italy
| | - Yosi Kratish
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208 3113
- Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208 3113
| | - Tobin J. Marks
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208 3113
- Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208 3113
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2
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Lu B, Takahashi K, Zhou J, Nakagawa S, Yamamoto Y, Katashima T, Yoshie N, Nozaki K. Mild Catalytic Degradation of Crystalline Polyethylene Units in a Solid State Assisted by Carboxylic Acid Groups. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:19599-19608. [PMID: 38952064 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c07458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
Crystalline polyethylenes bearing carboxylic acid groups in the main chain were successfully degraded with a Ce catalyst and visible light. The reaction proceeds in a crystalline solid state without swelling in acetonitrile or water at a reaction temperature as low as 60 or 80 °C, employing dioxygen in air as the only stoichiometric reactant with nearly quantitative recovery of carbon atoms. Heterogeneous features of the reaction allowed us to reveal a dynamic morphological change of polymer crystals during the degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Lu
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Kohei Takahashi
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Jian Zhou
- Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan
| | - Shintaro Nakagawa
- Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan
| | - Yuta Yamamoto
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Takuya Katashima
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Naoko Yoshie
- Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan
| | - Kyoko Nozaki
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
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3
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Shaw WJ, Kidder MK, Bare SR, Delferro M, Morris JR, Toma FM, Senanayake SD, Autrey T, Biddinger EJ, Boettcher S, Bowden ME, Britt PF, Brown RC, Bullock RM, Chen JG, Daniel C, Dorhout PK, Efroymson RA, Gaffney KJ, Gagliardi L, Harper AS, Heldebrant DJ, Luca OR, Lyubovsky M, Male JL, Miller DJ, Prozorov T, Rallo R, Rana R, Rioux RM, Sadow AD, Schaidle JA, Schulte LA, Tarpeh WA, Vlachos DG, Vogt BD, Weber RS, Yang JY, Arenholz E, Helms BA, Huang W, Jordahl JL, Karakaya C, Kian KC, Kothandaraman J, Lercher J, Liu P, Malhotra D, Mueller KT, O'Brien CP, Palomino RM, Qi L, Rodriguez JA, Rousseau R, Russell JC, Sarazen ML, Sholl DS, Smith EA, Stevens MB, Surendranath Y, Tassone CJ, Tran B, Tumas W, Walton KS. A US perspective on closing the carbon cycle to defossilize difficult-to-electrify segments of our economy. Nat Rev Chem 2024; 8:376-400. [PMID: 38693313 DOI: 10.1038/s41570-024-00587-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Electrification to reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions is essential to mitigate climate change. However, a substantial portion of our manufacturing and transportation infrastructure will be difficult to electrify and/or will continue to use carbon as a key component, including areas in aviation, heavy-duty and marine transportation, and the chemical industry. In this Roadmap, we explore how multidisciplinary approaches will enable us to close the carbon cycle and create a circular economy by defossilizing these difficult-to-electrify areas and those that will continue to need carbon. We discuss two approaches for this: developing carbon alternatives and improving our ability to reuse carbon, enabled by separations. Furthermore, we posit that co-design and use-driven fundamental science are essential to reach aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy J Shaw
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA.
| | | | - Simon R Bare
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA, USA.
| | | | | | - Francesca M Toma
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Institute of Functional Materials for Sustainability, Helmholtz Zentrum Hereon, Teltow, Brandenburg, Germany.
| | | | - Tom Autrey
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | | | - Shannon Boettcher
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering and Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Mark E Bowden
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | | | - Robert C Brown
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | | | - Jingguang G Chen
- Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Peter K Dorhout
- Vice President for Research, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | | | | | - Laura Gagliardi
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Aaron S Harper
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - David J Heldebrant
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
- Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Oana R Luca
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | - Jonathan L Male
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
- Biological Systems Engineering Department, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Robert Rallo
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Rachita Rana
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Robert M Rioux
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Aaron D Sadow
- Ames National Laboratory, Ames, IA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | | | - Lisa A Schulte
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - William A Tarpeh
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Dionisios G Vlachos
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Bryan D Vogt
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Robert S Weber
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Jenny Y Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Elke Arenholz
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Brett A Helms
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Wenyu Huang
- Ames National Laboratory, Ames, IA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - James L Jordahl
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | | | - Kourosh Cyrus Kian
- Independent consultant, Washington DC, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, USA
| | | | - Johannes Lercher
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ping Liu
- Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, USA
| | | | - Karl T Mueller
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Casey P O'Brien
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | | | - Long Qi
- Ames National Laboratory, Ames, IA, USA
| | | | | | - Jake C Russell
- Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy, Department of Energy, Washington DC, USA
| | - Michele L Sarazen
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | | | - Emily A Smith
- Ames National Laboratory, Ames, IA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | | | - Yogesh Surendranath
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Ba Tran
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - William Tumas
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, USA
| | - Krista S Walton
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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4
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Cleary SR, Starace AK, Curran-Velasco CC, Ruddy DA, McGuirk CM. The Overlooked Potential of Sulfated Zirconia: Reexamining Solid Superacidity Toward the Controlled Depolymerization of Polyolefins. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:6612-6653. [PMID: 38509763 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c03966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Closed-loop recycling via an efficient chemical process can help alleviate the global plastic waste crisis. However, conventional depolymerization methods for polyolefins, which compose more than 50% of plastics, demand high temperatures and pressures, employ precious noble metals, and/or yield complex mixtures of products limited to single-use fuels or oils. Superacidic forms of sulfated zirconia (SZrO) with Hammet Acidity Functions (H0) ≤ - 12 (i.e., stronger than 100% H2SO4) are industrially deployed heterogeneous catalysts capable of activating hydrocarbons under mild conditions and are shown to decompose polyolefins at temperatures near 200 °C and ambient pressure. Additionally, confinement of active sites in porous supports is known to radically increase selectivity, coking and sintering resistance, and acid site activity, presenting a possible approach to low-energy polyolefin depolymerization. However, a critical examination of the literature on SZrO led us to a surprising conclusion: despite 40 years of catalytic study, engineering, and industrial use, the surface chemistry of SZrO is poorly understood. Ostensibly spurred by SZrO's impressive catalytic activity, the application-driven study of SZrO has resulted in deleterious ambiguity in requisite synthetic conditions for superacidity and insufficient characterization of acidity, porosity, and active site structure. This ambiguity has produced significant knowledge gaps surrounding the synthesis, structure, and mechanisms of hydrocarbon activation for optimized SZrO, stunting the potential of this catalyst in olefin cracking and other industrially relevant reactions, such as isomerization, esterification, and alkylation. Toward mitigating these long extant issues, we herein identify and highlight these current shortcomings and knowledge gaps, propose explicit guidelines for characterization of and reporting on characterization of solid acidity, and discuss the potential of pore-confined superacids in the efficient and selective depolymerization of polyolefins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott R Cleary
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Anne K Starace
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Caleb C Curran-Velasco
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Daniel A Ruddy
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - C Michael McGuirk
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
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5
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Deng Y, Zhang Q, Feringa BL. Dynamic Chemistry Toolbox for Advanced Sustainable Materials. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2308666. [PMID: 38321810 PMCID: PMC11005721 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202308666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Developing dynamic chemistry for polymeric materials offers chemical solutions to solve key problems associated with current plastics. Mechanical performance and dynamic function are equally important in material design because the former determines the application scope and the latter enables chemical recycling and hence sustainability. However, it is a long-term challenge to balance the subtle trade-off between mechanical robustness and dynamic properties in a single material. The rise of dynamic chemistry, including supramolecular and dynamic covalent chemistry, provides many opportunities and versatile molecular tools for designing constitutionally dynamic materials that can adapt, repair, and recycle. Facing the growing social need for developing advanced sustainable materials without compromising properties, recent progress showing how the toolbox of dynamic chemistry can be explored to enable high-performance sustainable materials by molecular engineering strategies is discussed here. The state of the art and recent milestones are summarized and discussed, followed by an outlook toward future opportunities and challenges present in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanxin Deng
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research CenterSchool of Chemistry and Technology130 Meilong RoadShanghai200237China
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry and Zernike Institute for Advanced MaterialsFaculty of Science and EngineeringUniversity of GroningenNijenborgh 4Groningen9747 AGThe Netherlands
| | - Qi Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research CenterSchool of Chemistry and Technology130 Meilong RoadShanghai200237China
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry and Zernike Institute for Advanced MaterialsFaculty of Science and EngineeringUniversity of GroningenNijenborgh 4Groningen9747 AGThe Netherlands
| | - Ben L. Feringa
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research CenterSchool of Chemistry and Technology130 Meilong RoadShanghai200237China
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry and Zernike Institute for Advanced MaterialsFaculty of Science and EngineeringUniversity of GroningenNijenborgh 4Groningen9747 AGThe Netherlands
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6
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Xu S, Tang J, Fu L. Catalytic Strategies for the Upcycling of Polyolefin Plastic Waste. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:3984-4000. [PMID: 38364857 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c03195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Chemical upgrading of waste plastics is currently one of the most important methods for addressing plastic pollution. In comparison to the current methods of incineration or landfill, chemical upgrading enables the utilization of carbon and hydrogen elements in waste plastics as resources. This process strongly relies on efficient catalysts and reaction systems. Through catalyst design, waste plastics can be converted into fuels or chemicals under the optimized reaction conditions, extending their life cycles. In this review, we systematically discuss various chemical conversion methods for polyolefin waste plastics, which account for a large proportion of waste plastics. We further explore the remaining challenges and future development trends in this field, including improving product value through product engineering and shifting research perspectives to exploring the tolerance of catalysts toward impurities in practical waste plastic waste rather than using pure plastic feedstock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaodan Xu
- College of Materials & Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, People's Republic of China
| | - Junhong Tang
- College of Materials & Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Fu
- College of Materials & Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, People's Republic of China
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7
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Han XW, Zhang X, Zhou Y, Maimaitiming A, Sun XL, Gao Y, Li P, Zhu B, Chen EYX, Kuang X, Tang Y. Circular olefin copolymers made de novo from ethylene and α-olefins. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1462. [PMID: 38368405 PMCID: PMC10874424 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45219-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Ethylene/α-olefin copolymers are produced in huge scale and widely used, but their after-use disposal has caused plastic pollution problems. Their chemical inertness made chemical re/upcycling difficult. Ideally, PE materials should be made de novo to have a circular closed-loop lifecycle. However, synthesis of circular ethylene/α-olefin copolymers, including high-volume, linear low-density PE as well as high-value olefin elastomers and block copolymers, presents a particular challenge due to difficulties in introducing branches while simultaneously installing chemical recyclability and directly using industrial ethylene and α-olefin feedstocks. Here we show that coupling of industrial coordination copolymerization of ethylene and α-olefins with a designed functionalized chain-transfer agent, followed by modular assembly of the resulting AB telechelic polyolefin building blocks by polycondensation, affords a series of ester-linked PE-based copolymers. These new materials not only retain thermomechanical properties of PE-based materials but also exhibit full chemical circularity via simple transesterification and markedly enhanced adhesion to polar surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing-Wang Han
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Youyun Zhou
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Aizezi Maimaitiming
- State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiu-Li Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yanshan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Peizhi Li
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Boyu Zhu
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Eugene Y-X Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1872, USA.
| | - Xiaokang Kuang
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yong Tang
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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8
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Chauhan M, Antil N, Rana B, Akhtar N, Thadhani C, Begum W, Manna K. Isoreticular Metal-Organic Frameworks Confined Mononuclear Ru-Hydrides Enable Highly Efficient Shape-Selective Hydrogenolysis of Polyolefins. JACS AU 2023; 3:3473-3484. [PMID: 38155638 PMCID: PMC10751774 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.3c00633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Upcycling nonbiodegradable plastics such as polyolefins is paramount due to their ever-increasing demand and landfills after usage. Catalytic hydrogenolysis is highly appealing to convert polyolefins into targeted value-added products under mild reaction conditions compared with other methods, such as high-temperature incineration and pyrolysis. We have developed three isoreticular zirconium UiO-metal-organic frameworks (UiO-MOFs) node-supported ruthenium dihydrides (UiO-RuH2), which are efficient heterogeneous catalysts for hydrogenolysis of polyethylene at 200 °C, affording liquid hydrocarbons with a narrow distribution and excellent selectivity via shape-selective catalysis. UiO-66-RuH2 catalyzed hydrogenolysis of single-use low-density polyethylene (LDPE) produced a C12 centered narrow bell-shaped distribution of C8-C16 alkanes in >80% yield and 90% selectivity in the liquid phase. By tuning the pore sizes of the isoreticular UiO-RuH2 MOF catalysts, the distribution of the products could be systematically altered, affording different fuel-grade liquid hydrocarbons from LDPE in high yields. Our spectroscopic and theoretical studies and control experiments reveal that UiO-RuH2 catalysts enable highly efficient upcycling of plastic wastes under mild conditions owing to their unique combination of coordinatively unsaturated single-site Ru-active sites, uniform and tunable pores, well-defined porous structure, and superior stability. The kinetics and theoretical calculations also identify the C-C bond scission involving β-alkyl transfer as the turnover-limiting step.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manav Chauhan
- Department of Chemistry, Indian
Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Neha Antil
- Department of Chemistry, Indian
Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Bharti Rana
- Department of Chemistry, Indian
Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Naved Akhtar
- Department of Chemistry, Indian
Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Chhaya Thadhani
- Department of Chemistry, Indian
Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Wahida Begum
- Department of Chemistry, Indian
Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Kuntal Manna
- Department of Chemistry, Indian
Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
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9
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Lai Q, Mason AH, Agarwal A, Edenfield WC, Zhang X, Kobayashi T, Kratish Y, Marks TJ. Rapid Polyolefin Hydrogenolysis by a Single-Site Organo-Tantalum Catalyst on a Super-Acidic Support: Structure and Mechanism. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202312546. [PMID: 37948306 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202312546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The novel electrophilic organo-tantalum catalyst AlS/TaNpx (1) (Np=neopentyl) is prepared by chemisorption of the alkylidene Np3 Ta=CHt Bu onto highly Brønsted acidic sulfated alumina (AlS). The proposed catalyst structure is supported by EXAFS, XANES, ICP, DRIFTS, elemental analysis, and SSNMR measurements and is in good agreement with DFT analysis. Catalyst 1 is highly effective for the hydrogenolysis of diverse linear and branched hydrocarbons, ranging from C2 to polyolefins. To the best of our knowledge, 1 exhibits one of the highest polyolefin hydrogenolysis activities (9,800 (CH2 units) ⋅ mol(Ta)-1 ⋅ h-1 at 200 °C/17 atm H2 ) reported to date in the peer-reviewed literature. Unlike the AlS/ZrNp2 analog, the Ta catalyst is more thermally stable and offers multiple potential C-C bond activation pathways. For hydrogenolysis, AlS/TaNpx is effective for a wide variety of pre- and post-consumer polyolefin plastics and is not significantly deactivated by standard polyolefin additives at typical industrial concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingheng Lai
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL-60208-3113, USA
| | - Alexander H Mason
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL-60208-3113, USA
| | - Amol Agarwal
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Northwestern University, 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL-60208-3113, USA
| | - Wilson C Edenfield
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL-60208-3113, USA
| | - Xinrui Zhang
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Northwestern University, 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL-60208-3113, USA
| | - Takeshi Kobayashi
- U.S. DOE Ames National Laboratory, IOWA State University, Ames, IA50011-3020, USA
| | - Yosi Kratish
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL-60208-3113, USA
| | - Tobin J Marks
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL-60208-3113, USA
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10
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Samudrala K, Conley MP. A Supported Ziegler-Type Organohafnium Site Metabolizes Polypropylene. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145. [PMID: 37921588 PMCID: PMC10655186 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c05940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Cp2Hf(CH3)2 reacts with silica containing strong aluminum Lewis sites to form Cp2Hf-13CH3+ paired with aluminate anions. Solid-state NMR studies show that this reaction also forms neutral organohafnium and hafnium sites lacking methyl groups. Cp2Hf-13CH3+ reacts with isotatic polypropylene (iPP, Mn = 13.3 kDa; Đ = 2.4; mmmm = 94%; ∼110 C3H6/Hf) and H2 to form oils with moderate molecular weights (Mn = 290-1200 Da) in good yields. The aliphatic oils show characteristic 13C{1H} NMR properties consistent with complete loss of diastereoselectivity and formation of regioirregular errors under 1 atm H2. These results show that a Ziegler-Natta-type active site is compatible in a common reaction used to digest waste plastic into smaller aliphatic fragments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew P. Conley
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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11
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Zhao Y, Rettner EM, Harry KL, Hu Z, Miscall J, Rorrer NA, Miyake GM. Chemically recyclable polyolefin-like multiblock polymers. Science 2023; 382:310-314. [PMID: 37856598 DOI: 10.1126/science.adh3353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Polyolefins are the most important and largest volume plastics produced. Unfortunately, the enormous use of plastics and lack of effective disposal or recycling options have created a plastic waste catastrophe. In this work, we report an approach to create chemically recyclable polyolefin-like materials with diverse mechanical properties through the construction of multiblock polymers from hard and soft oligomeric building blocks synthesized with ruthenium-mediated ring-opening metathesis polymerization of cyclooctenes. The multiblock polymers exhibit broad mechanical properties, spanning elastomers to plastomers to thermoplastics, while integrating a high melting transition temperature (Tm) and low glass transition temperature (Tg), making them suitable for use across diverse applications (Tm as high as 128°C and Tg as low as -60°C). After use, the different plastics can be combined and efficiently deconstructed back to the fundamental hard and soft building blocks for separation and repolymerization to realize a closed-loop recycling process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yucheng Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Emma M Rettner
- School of Advanced Materials Discovery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Katherine L Harry
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Zhitao Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Joel Miscall
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- BOTTLE Consortium, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Nicholas A Rorrer
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- BOTTLE Consortium, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Garret M Miyake
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
- School of Advanced Materials Discovery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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12
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Fernando-López O, Trujillo-Hernández K, Moreno-Martínez VA, Martínez-Otero D, Bernabé-Pablo E, Huerta-Lavorie R, Jancik V. Molecular Alumo- and Gallosilicate Hydrides Functionalized with Terminal M(NR 2) 3 and Bridging M(NR 2) 2 (M = Ti, Zr, Hf; R = Me, Et) Moieties. Inorg Chem 2023; 62:14533-14545. [PMID: 37642323 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c01413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
A general synthetic strategy for the systematic synthesis of group 4 MIV heterometallic complexes LMIII(H)(μ-O)Si(μ-O)(OtBu)2}nMIV(NR2)4-n (L = {[HC{C(Me)N(2,6-iPr2C6H3)}2; MIII = Al or Ga; n = 1 or 2; MIV = Ti, Zr, Hf; R = Me, Et), based on alumo- or gallosilicate hydride ligands bearing a Si-OH moiety, is presented. The challenging isolation of these metalloligands involved two strategies. On the one hand, the acid-base reaction of LAlH2 with (HO)2Si(OtBu)2 yielded LAlH(μ-O)Si(OH)(OtBu)2 (1), while on the other hand, the oxidative addition of (HO)2Si(OtBu)2 to LGa produced the gallium analog (2). These metalloligands successfully stabilized two hydrogen atoms with different acid-base properties (MIII-H and SiO-H) in the same molecule. Reactivity studies between 1 and 2 and group 4 amides MIV(NR2)4 (MIV = Ti, Zr, Hf; R = Me, Et) and tuning the reactions conditions and stoichiometry led to isolation and structural characterization of heterometallic complexes 3-11 with a 1:1 or 2:1 metalloligand/MIV ratio. Notably, some of these molecular heterometallic silicate complexes stabilize for the first time terminal (O3Si-O-)MIV(NR2)3 moieties known from single-site silica-grafted species. Furthermore, the aluminum-containing heterometallic complexes possess Al-H vibrational energies similar to those reported for modified alumina surfaces, which makes them potentially suitable models for the proposed MIV species grafted onto silica/alumina surfaces with hydride and dihydride architectures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Fernando-López
- Centro Conjunto de Investigación en Química Sustentable UAEM-UNAM, Carr. Toluca-Atlacomulco km. 14.5, Toluca, Estado de México 50200, México
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Química, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México 04510, México
| | - Karla Trujillo-Hernández
- Centro Conjunto de Investigación en Química Sustentable UAEM-UNAM, Carr. Toluca-Atlacomulco km. 14.5, Toluca, Estado de México 50200, México
| | - Víctor Augusto Moreno-Martínez
- Centro Conjunto de Investigación en Química Sustentable UAEM-UNAM, Carr. Toluca-Atlacomulco km. 14.5, Toluca, Estado de México 50200, México
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Química, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México 04510, México
| | - Diego Martínez-Otero
- Centro Conjunto de Investigación en Química Sustentable UAEM-UNAM, Carr. Toluca-Atlacomulco km. 14.5, Toluca, Estado de México 50200, México
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Química, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México 04510, México
| | - Erandi Bernabé-Pablo
- Centro Conjunto de Investigación en Química Sustentable UAEM-UNAM, Carr. Toluca-Atlacomulco km. 14.5, Toluca, Estado de México 50200, México
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Química, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México 04510, México
| | - Raúl Huerta-Lavorie
- Centro Conjunto de Investigación en Química Sustentable UAEM-UNAM, Carr. Toluca-Atlacomulco km. 14.5, Toluca, Estado de México 50200, México
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Química, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México 04510, México
| | - Vojtech Jancik
- Centro Conjunto de Investigación en Química Sustentable UAEM-UNAM, Carr. Toluca-Atlacomulco km. 14.5, Toluca, Estado de México 50200, México
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Química, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México 04510, México
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13
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Vance B, Najmi S, Kots PA, Wang C, Jeon S, Stach EA, Zakharov DN, Marinkovic N, Ehrlich SN, Ma L, Vlachos DG. Structure-Property Relationships for Nickel Aluminate Catalysts in Polyethylene Hydrogenolysis with Low Methane Selectivity. JACS AU 2023; 3:2156-2165. [PMID: 37654574 PMCID: PMC10466342 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.3c00232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Earth-abundant metals have recently been demonstrated as cheap catalyst alternatives to scarce noble metals for polyethylene hydrogenolysis. However, high methane selectivities hinder industrial feasibility. Herein, we demonstrate that low-temperature ex-situ reduction (350 °C) of coprecipitated nickel aluminate catalysts yields a methane selectivity of <5% at moderate polymer deconstruction (25-45%). A reduction temperature up to 550 °C increases the methane selectivity nearly sevenfold. Catalyst characterization (XRD, XAS, 27Al MAS NMR, H2 TPR, XPS, and CO-IR) elucidates the complex process of Ni nanoparticle formation, and air-free XPS directly after reaction reveals tetrahedrally coordinated Ni2+ cations promote methane production. Metallic and the specific cationic Ni appear responsible for hydrogenolysis of internal and terminal C-C scissions, respectively. A structure-methane selectivity relationship is discovered to guide the design of Ni-based catalysts with low methane generation. It paves the way for discovering other structure-property relations in plastics hydrogenolysis. These catalysts are also effective for polypropylene hydrogenolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon
C. Vance
- Center
for Plastics Innovation, University of Delaware, 221 Academy Street, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, 150 Academy Street, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
| | - Sean Najmi
- Center
for Plastics Innovation, University of Delaware, 221 Academy Street, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
| | - Pavel A. Kots
- Center
for Plastics Innovation, University of Delaware, 221 Academy Street, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
| | - Cong Wang
- Center
for Plastics Innovation, University of Delaware, 221 Academy Street, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
| | - Sungho Jeon
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, University
of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Eric A. Stach
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, University
of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Dmitri N. Zakharov
- Center
for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven
National Laboratory, 735 Brookhaven Avenue, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Nebojsa Marinkovic
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, 500W 120th Street, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Steven N. Ehrlich
- National
Synchrotron Light Source, Brookhaven National
Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Lu Ma
- National
Synchrotron Light Source, Brookhaven National
Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Dionisios G. Vlachos
- Center
for Plastics Innovation, University of Delaware, 221 Academy Street, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, 150 Academy Street, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
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14
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Nifant’ev IE, Komarov PD, Kostomarova OD, Kolosov NA, Ivchenko PV. MAO- and Borate-Free Activating Supports for Group 4 Metallocene and Post-Metallocene Catalysts of α-Olefin Polymerization and Oligomerization. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:3095. [PMID: 37514483 PMCID: PMC10384419 DOI: 10.3390/polym15143095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Modern industry of advanced polyolefins extensively uses Group 4 metallocene and post-metallocene catalysts. High-throughput polyolefin technologies demand the use of heterogeneous catalysts with a given particle size and morphology, high thermal stability, and controlled productivity. Conventional Group 4 metal single-site heterogeneous catalysts require the use of high-cost methylalumoxane (MAO) or perfluoroaryl borate activators. However, a number of inorganic phases, containing highly acidic Lewis and Brønsted sites, are able to activate Group 4 metal pre-catalysts using low-cost and affordable alkylaluminums. In the present review, we gathered comprehensive information on MAO- and borate-free activating supports of different types and discussed the surface nature and chemistry of these phases, examples of their use in the polymerization of ethylene and α-olefins, and prospects of the further development for applications in the polyolefin industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilya E. Nifant’ev
- A.V. Topchiev Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Av. 29, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (I.E.N.); (P.D.K.)
- Chemistry Department, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1-3, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Pavel D. Komarov
- A.V. Topchiev Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Av. 29, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (I.E.N.); (P.D.K.)
| | | | - Nikolay A. Kolosov
- NIOST LLC, Kuzovlevsky Tr. 2-270, 634067 Tomsk, Russia; (O.D.K.); (N.A.K.)
| | - Pavel V. Ivchenko
- A.V. Topchiev Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Av. 29, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (I.E.N.); (P.D.K.)
- Chemistry Department, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1-3, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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15
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Gao J, Zhu L, Conley MP. Cationic Tantalum Hydrides Catalyze Hydrogenolysis and Alkane Metathesis Reactions of Paraffins and Polyethylene. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:4964-4968. [PMID: 36827508 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c13610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
Sulfated aluminum oxide (SAO), a high surface area material containing sulfate anions that behave like weakly coordinating anions, reacts with Ta(═CHtBu)(CH2tBu)3 to form [Ta(CH2tBu)2(O-)2][SAO] (1). Subsequent treatment with H2 forms Ta-H+ sites supported on SAO that are active in hydrogenolysis and alkane metathesis reactions. In both reactions Ta-H+ is more active than related neutral Ta-H sites supported on silica. This reaction chemistry extends to melts of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), where Ta-H+ converts 30% of a low molecular weight HDPE (Mn = 2.5 kg mol-1; Đ = 3.6) to low molecular weight paraffins under hydrogenolysis conditions. Under alkane metathesis conditions Ta-H+ converts this HDPE to a high MW fraction (Mn = 6.2 kDa; Đ = 2.3) and low molecular weight alkane products (C13-C32). These results show that incorporating charge as a design element in supported d0 metal hydrides is a viable strategy to increase the reaction rate in challenging reactions involving reorganization of C-C bonds in alkanes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Gao
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Lingchao Zhu
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Matthew P Conley
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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