Unifying thermochemistry concepts in computational heterogeneous catalysis

Thermophysical properties of adsorbates and gas-phase species define the free energy landscape of heterogeneously catalyzed processes and are pivotal for an atomistic understanding of the catalyst performance. These thermophysical properties, such as the free energy or the enthalpy, are typically derived from density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Enthalpies are species-interdependent properties that are only meaningful when referenced to other species. The widespread use of DFT has led to a proliferation of new energetic data in the literature and databases. However, there is a lack of consistency in how DFT data is referenced and how the associated enthalpies or free energies are stored and reported, leading to challenges in reproducing or utilizing the results of prior work. Additionally, DFT suffers from exchange-correlation errors that often require corrections to align the data with other global thermochemical networks, which are not always clearly documented or explained. In this review, we introduce a set of consistent terminology and definitions, review existing approaches, and unify the techniques using the framework of linear algebra. This set of terminology and tools facilitates the correction and alignment of energies between different data formats and sources, promoting the sharing and reuse of ab initio data. Standardization of thermochemistry concepts in computational heterogeneous catalysis reduces computational cost and enhances fundamental understanding of catalytic processes, which will accelerate the computational design of optimally performing catalysts.

Unprecedented Mo3S4 cluster-catalyzed radical C-C cross-coupling reactions of aryl alkynes and acrylates

A new method for the generation of benzyl radicals from terminal aromatic alkynes has been developed, which allows the direct cross coupling with acrylate derivatives. Our additive-free protocol employs air-stable diamino Mo3S4 cubane-type cluster catalysts in the presence of hydrogen. A sulfur-centered cluster catalysis mechanism for benzyl radical formation is proposed based on catalytic and stoichiometric experiments. The process starts with the cluster hydrogen activation to form a bis(hydrosulfido) [Mo3(μ3-S)(μ-S)(μ-SH)2Cl3(dmen)3]+ intermediate. The reaction of various aromatic terminal alkynes containing different functionalities with a series of acrylates affords the corresponding Giese-type radical addition products.

PtOx Cly (OH)z (H2 O)n Complexes under Oxidative and Reductive Conditions: Impact of the Level of Theory on Thermodynamic Stabilities

Platinum-based catalysts with Cl^- , OH^- , O^2- and H₂ O ligands, are involved in many industrial processes. Their final chemical properties are impacted by calcination and reduction applied during the preparation and activation steps. We investigate their stability under these reactive conditions with density functional theory (DFT). We benchmark various functionals (PBE-dDsC, optPBE, B3LYP, HSE06, PBE0, TPSS, RTPSS and SCAN) against ACFDT-RPA. PBE-dDsC is well adapted, although hybrid functionals are more accurate for redox reactions. Thermodynamic phase diagrams are determined by computing the chemical potential of the species as a function of temperature and partial pressures of H₂ O, HCl, O₂ and H₂ . The stability and nature of the Pt species are highly sensitive to the activation conditions. Under O₂ , high temperatures favour PtO₂ while under H₂ , platinum is easily reduced to Pt(0). Chlorine modifies the coordination sphere of platinum during calcination by stabilizing PtCl₄ and shifts the reduction of platinum to higher temperatures under H₂ .

Gas phase vs. liquid phase: monitoring H2 and CO adsorption phenomena on Pt/Al2O3 by IR spectroscopy

The adsorption of H2 and CO over Pt/Al2O3 was studied in gas and in liquid phase by FT-IR and ATR-IR spectroscopies under otherwise similar conditions. The solvent competes with hydrogen and CO for terrace and kink metal sites.

Revealing Brønsted Acidic Bridging SiOHAl Groups on Amorphous Silica-Alumina by Ultrahigh Field Solid-State NMR

Amorphous silica-aluminas (ASAs) are important acidic catalysts and supports for many industrially essential and sustainable processes. The identification of surface acid sites with their local structures on ASAs is of critical importance for tuning their catalytic properties but still remains a great challenge and is under debate. Here, ultrahigh magnetic field (35.2 T) 27Al-{1H} D-HMQC (dipolar-mediated heteronuclear multiple-quantum correlation) two-dimensional NMR experiments demonstrate two types of Brønsted acid sites in ASA catalysts. In addition to the known pseudobridging silanol acid sites, the use of ultrahigh field NMR provides the first direct experimental evidence for the existence of bridging silanol (BS: SiOHAl) acid sites in ASAs, which has been hotly debated in the past few decades. This discovery provides new opportunities for scientists and engineers to develop and apply ASAs in various reaction processes due to the significance of BS in chemical and fuel productions based on its strong Brønsted acidity.

Strong response of Pt clusters to the environment and conditions, formation of metastable states, and simple methods to trace the reversible changes

Subnanometric metal particles, the so-called "clusters", are known to be responsive to their surroundings, but the detection of occurring changes, understanding the causes, and predicting the consequences are still extremely difficult for such small particles. Our study was aimed at estimating the potential of adsorption-based methods for these purposes. Using carbon monoxide as a probing molecule, which readily adsorbs on both bare and H-covered Pt surface, we have probed the adsorption properties of highly dispersed Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ samples after treatments under different atmospheres and temperatures (H₂ or inert gas, 25-500 °C). The combined results of CO-chemisorption measurements, CO TPD, CO TPO, H₂-by-CO displacement, and H₂ TPD suggest that the system shuttles between two states: one with oxygen vacancies in the support and the other one with redox-active oxygen near the Pt clusters. These extreme states can be reversibly created and deleted, giving rise to innumerable intermediate structures that differ in the amount, binding strength, and/or reactivity of adsorbed species. Two adsorbates could act cooperatively, resulting in hydrogen spillover onto the support and making the adsorbate-metal-support interactions even more complex. Implications for better understanding the dynamic behavior of oxide-supported clusters and nanoparticles are discussed.

Alumina-Mediated π-Activation of Alkynes

The ability to induce powerful atom-economic transformation of alkynes is the key feature of carbophilic π-Lewis acids such as gold- and platinum-based catalysts. The unique catalytic activity of these compounds in electrophilic activations of alkynes is explained through relativistic effects, enabling efficient orbital overlapping with π-systems. For this reason, it is believed that noble metals are indispensable components in the catalysis of such reactions. In this study, we report that thermally activated γ-Al₂O₃ activates enynes, diynes, and arene-ynes in a manner enabling reactions that were typically assigned to the softest π-Lewis acids, while some were known to be triggered exclusively by gold catalysts. We demonstrate the scope of these transformations and suggest a qualitative explanation of this phenomenon based on the Dewar-Chatt-Duncanson model confirmed by density functional theory calculations.

Role of atomicity in the oxygen reduction reaction activity of platinum sub nanometer clusters: A global optimization study

Metal nanoclusters are an important class of materials for catalytic applications. Sub nanometer clusters are relatively less explored for their catalytic activity on account of undercoordinated surface structure. Taking this into account, we studied platinum-based sub nanometer clusters for their catalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). A comprehensive analysis with global optimization is carried out for structural prediction of the platinum clusters. The energetic and electronic properties of interactions of clusters with reaction intermediates are investigated. The role of structural sensitivity in the dynamics of clusters is unraveled, and unique intermediate specific interactions are identified. ORR energetics is examined, and exceptional activity for sub nanometer clusters are observed. An inverse size versus activity relationship is identified, challenging the conventional trends followed by larger nanoclusters. The principal role of atomicity in governing the catalytic activity of nanoclusters is illustrated. The structural norms governing the sub nanometer cluster activity are shown to be markedly different from larger nanoclusters.

Density Functional Theory (DFT) Calculations and Catalysis

Catalysis plays a fundamental role in the establishment of sustainable chemical technologies that are efficient in terms of energy and atoms [...]

Spherical core-shell alumina support particles for model platinum catalysts

γ- and δ-alumina are popular catalyst support materials. Using a hydrothermal synthesis method starting from aluminum nitrate and urea in diluted solution, spherical core-shell particles with a uniform particle size of about 1 μm were synthesized. Upon calcination at 1000 °C, the particles adopted a core-shell structure with a γ-alumina core and δ-alumina shell as evidenced by 2D and 3D electron microscopy and 27Al magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The spherical alumina particles were loaded with Pt nanoparticles with an average size below 1 nm using the strong electrostatic adsorption method. Electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed a homogeneous platinum dispersion over the alumina surface. These platinum loaded alumina spheres were used as a model catalyst for bifunctional catalysis. Physical mixtures of Pt/alumina spheres and spherical zeolite particles are equivalent to catalysts with platinum deposited on the zeolite itself facilitating the investigation of the catalyst components individually. The spherical alumina particles are very convenient supports for obtaining a homogeneous distribution of highly dispersed platinum nanoparticles. Obtaining such a small Pt particle size is challenging on other support materials such as zeolites. The here reported and well-characterized Pt/alumina spheres can be combined with any zeolite and used as a bifunctional model catalyst. This is an interesting strategy for the examination of the acid catalytic function without the interference of the supported platinum metal on the investigated acid material.

A Practical Review of NMR Lineshapes for Spin-1/2 and Quadrupolar Nuclei in Disordered Materials

NMR is a powerful spectroscopic method that can provide information on the structural disorder in solids, complementing scattering and diffraction techniques. The structural disorder in solids can generate a dispersion of local magnetic and electric fields, resulting in a distribution of isotropic chemical shift δ_iso and quadrupolar coupling C_Q. For spin-1/2 nuclei, the NMR linewidth and shape under high-resolution magic-angle spinning (MAS) reflects the distributions of isotropic chemical shift, providing a rich source of disorder information. For quadrupolar nuclei, the second-order quadrupolar broadening remains present even under MAS. In addition to isotropic chemical shift, structural disorder can impact the electric field gradient (EFG) and consequently the quadrupolar NMR parameters. The distributions of quadrupolar coupling and isotropic chemical shift are superimposed with the second-order quadrupolar broadening, but can be potentially characterized by MQMAS (multiple-quantum magic-angle spinning) spectroscopy. We review analyses of NMR lineshapes in 2D DQ–SQ (double-quantum single-quantum) and MQMAS spectroscopies, to provide a guide for more general lineshape analysis. In addition, methods to enhance the spectral resolution and sensitivity for quadrupolar nuclei are discussed, including NMR pulse techniques and the application of high magnetic fields. The role of magnetic field strength and its impact on the strategy of determining optimum NMR methods for disorder characterization are also discussed.

Pt8 cluster on alumina under a pressure of hydrogen: Support-dependent reconstruction from first-principles global optimization

Alumina supported Pt nanoclusters under a hydrogen environment play a crucial role in many heterogeneous catalysis applications. We conducted grand canonical genetic algorithm simulations for supported Pt₈ clusters in a hydrogen gas environment to study the intracluster, cluster-support, and cluster-adsorbate interactions. Two alumina surfaces, α-Al₂O₃(0001) and γ-Al₂O₃(100), and two conditions, T = 600 °C, p_H2 = 0.1 bar and T = 25 °C, p_H2 = 1.0 bar, were considered corresponding to low and high hydrogen chemical potential μ_H, respectively. The low free energy ensemble of Pt₈ is decorated by a medium (2-12 H), respectively, high (20-30 H), number of hydrogen atoms under equilibrium at low μ_H, respectively, high μ_H, and undergoes different morphological transformations on the two surfaces. On α-Al₂O₃(0001), Pt₈ is mostly 3D but very fluxional in structure at low μ_H and converts to open one-layer 2D structures with minimal fluxionality at high μ_H, whereas on γ-Al₂O₃(100), the exact opposite occurs: Pt₈ clusters present one-layer 2D shapes at low μ_H and switch to compact 3D shapes under high μ_H, during which the Pt₈ cluster preserves moderate fluxionality. Further analysis reveals a similar Pt-Pt bond length increase when switching from low μ_H to high μ_H on both surfaces although morphological transformations are different. Electronic structure analysis shows the existence of bonding interactions between Pt and Lewis acidic Al³⁺ sites along with the Pt-O interaction, which implies the necessity to include Al neighbors to discuss the electronic structure of small Pt clusters.

On the origin of high-temperature phenomena in Pt/Al2O3

Treatments of Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ with H₂ under harsh conditions have long been known to strongly influence the properties of this important catalytic system, but the true causes of the high-temperature effects still remain unclear. We have performed a more detailed study of this issue, having used H₂-TPD as a sensitive probe of metal-support interactions. The experimental results are in accordance with previous studies and demonstrate strong changes in adsorption and catalytic properties of Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ after high-temperature H₂ treatments, as well as the possibility to reverse the changes, completely or in part, through O₂ and H₂O treatments. Thorough examination has shown that such behaviour is an intrinsic property of Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ and cannot be attributed to impurities or experimental artifacts. Moreover, there is no abrupt transition to a high-temperature state, but the system undergoes smooth and gradual changes upon increasing the H₂-treatment temperature (T_TR), with the changes being already apparent at a T_TR of ∼ 300 °C. The results suggest that hydrogen can generate oxygen vacancies on the surface of the support in close vicinity to the Pt particles, and the system appears under equilibrium to be kinetically driven by temperature and thermodynamically driven by the P_H2/P_H2O ratio or local concentration of surface hydroxyls near Pt particles. The generated vacancies change the properties of contacting particles, and the changes are most pronounced for sub-nanometric Pt clusters and single atoms. Implications of the phenomena for the synthesis, study, and use of Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ and its related nanosystems are discussed.

An Active Alkali-Exchanged Faujasite Catalyst for p-Xylene Production via the One-Pot Diels-Alder Cycloaddition/Dehydration Reaction of 2,5-Dimethylfuran with Ethylene

The one-pot Diels-Alder cycloaddition (DAC)/dehydration (D) tandem reaction between 2,5-dimethylfuran and ethylene is a potent pathway toward biomass-derived p-xylene. In this work, we present a cheap and active low-silica potassium-exchanged faujasite (KY, Si/Al = 2.6) catalyst. Catalyst optimization was guided by a computational study of the DAC/D reaction mechanism over different alkali-exchanged faujasites using periodic density functional theory calculations complemented by microkinetic modeling. Two types of faujasite models were compared, i.e., a high-silica alkali-exchanged faujasite model representing isolated active cation sites and a low-silica alkali-exchanged faujasite in which the reaction involves several cations in the proximity. The mechanistic study points to a significant synergetic cooperative effect of the ensemble of cations in the faujasite supercage on the DAC/D reaction. Alignment of the reactants by their interactions with the cationic sites and stabilization of reaction intermediates contribute to the high catalytic performance. Experiments confirmed the prediction that KY is the most active catalyst among low-silica alkali-exchanged faujasites. This work is an example of how the catalytic reactivity of zeolites depends on multiple interactions between the zeolite and reagents.

Synthesis and characterisation of ruthenium–nitrosyl complexes in oxygen-rich ligand environments

A new class of ruthenium–nitrosyl complexes in oxygen-rich ligand environments has been prepared and its redox chemistry examined.

Probing the H2-Induced Restructuring of Pt Nanoclusters by H2-TPD

Metal clusters with sizes below 1 nm attract great scientific interest, but the main information on their properties still comes from quantum mechanics modeling and costly physical methods of limited availability. We have studied ultradispersed Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ samples with temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and complementary adsorption/desorption techniques and observed that the H₂-TPD profile of Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ is strongly dependent on the pretreatment conditions (0 < P_H2 ≤ 1 bar; 200 K ≤ T ≤ 470 K). The results corroborate recent theoretical and spectroscopic studies predicting alterations in the structure of Pt nanoclusters under H₂-treatment conditions but reveal that the restructuring needs to overcome continuous activation barriers and leads both to an increase in surface coverage and strengthening of the Pt-H bonds. This was interpreted as being a consequence of the strong interaction of Pt clusters with the support. The results extend insights into the behavior of supported metal particles and expand the potential of existing experimental techniques.

Theoretical Heterogeneous Catalysis: Scaling Relationships and Computational Catalyst Design

Scaling relationships are theoretical constructs that relate the binding energies of a wide variety of catalytic intermediates across a range of catalyst surfaces. Such relationships are ultimately derived from bond order conservation principles that were first introduced several decades ago. Through the growing power of computational surface science and catalysis, these concepts and their applications have recently begun to have a major impact in studies of catalytic reactivity and heterogeneous catalyst design. In this review, the detailed theory behind scaling relationships is discussed, and the existence of these relationships for catalytic materials ranging from pure metal to oxide surfaces, for numerous classes of molecules, and for a variety of catalytic surface structures is described. The use of the relationships to understand and elucidate reactivity trends across wide classes of catalytic surfaces and, in some cases, to predict optimal catalysts for certain chemical reactions, is explored. Finally, the observation that, in spite of the tremendous power of scaling relationships, their very existence places limits on the maximum rates that may be obtained for the catalyst classes in question is discussed, and promising strategies are explored to overcome these limitations to usher in a new era of theory-driven catalyst design.