Tuning Pt and Cu sites population inside functionalized UiO-67 MOF by controlling activation conditions

The exceptional thermal and chemical stability of the UiO-66, -67 and -68 classes of isostructural MOFs [J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2008, 130, 13850] makes them ideal materials for functionalization purposes aimed at introducing active centres for potential application in heterogeneous catalysis. We previously demonstrated that a small fraction (up to 10%) of the linkers in the UiO-67 MOF can be replaced by bipyridine-dicarboxylate (bpydc) moieties exhibiting metal-chelating ability and enabling the grafting of Pt(ii) and Pt(iv) ions in the MOF framework [Chem. Mater., 2015, 27, 1042] upon interaction with PtCl₂ or PtCl₄ precursors. Herein we extend this functionalization approach in two directions. First, we show that by controlling the activation of the UiO-67-Pt we can move from a material hosting isolated Pt(ii) sites anchored to the MOF framework with Pt(ii) exhibiting two coordination vacancies (potentially interesting for C-H bond activation) to the formation of very small Pt nanoparticles hosted inside the MOF cavities (potentially interesting for hydrogenation reactions). The second direction consists of the extension of the approach to the insertion of Cu(ii), obtained via interaction with CuCl₂, and exhibiting interesting redox properties. All materials have been characterized by in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Pt L₃- and Cu K-edges.

Conversion of methanol to hydrocarbons over zeolite ZSM-23 (MTT): exceptional effects of particle size on catalyst lifetime

A variety of synthetic procedures have been used to obtain zeolite ZSM-23 (MTT) catalysts with crystallite sizes ranging from the micrometer to nanometer scale.

The duality of UiO-67-Pt MOFs: connecting treatment conditions and encapsulated Pt species by operando XAS

XAS study of Pt-functionalized UiO-67 MOFs shows that 2 types of catalytically active sites can be formed in MOF cavities isolated Pt-complexes and Pt nanoparticles.

The formation and degradation of active species during methanol conversion over protonated zeotype catalysts

The methanol to hydrocarbon (MTH) process provides an efficient route for the conversion of carbon-based feedstocks into olefins, aromatics and gasoline. Still, there is room for improvements in product selectivity and catalytic stability. This task calls for a fundamental understanding of the formation, catalytic mechanism and degradation of active sites. The autocatalytic feature of the MTH process implies that hydrocarbons are active species on the one hand and deactivating species on the other hand. The steady-state performance of such species has been thoroughly studied and reviewed. However, the mechanism of formation of the initial hydrocarbon species (i.e.; the first C-C bond) and the evolution of active species into deactivating coke species have received less attention. Therefore, this review focuses on the significant progress recently achieved in these two stages by a combination of theoretical calculations, model studies, operando spectroscopy and catalytic tests.