Identifying the nature of the active sites in methanol synthesis over Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalysts

The heterogeneously catalysed reaction of hydrogen with carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide (syngas) to methanol is nearly 100 years old, and the standard methanol catalyst Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 has been applied for more than 50 years. Still, the nature of the Zn species on the metallic Cu0 particles (interface sites) is heavily debated. Here, we show that these Zn species are not metallic, but have a positively charged nature under industrial methanol synthesis conditions. Our kinetic results are based on a self-built high-pressure pulse unit, which allows us to inject selective reversible poisons into the syngas feed passing through a fixed-bed reactor containing an industrial Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst under high-pressure conditions. This method allows us to perform surface-sensitive operando investigations as a function of the reaction conditions, demonstrating that the rate of methanol formation is only decreased in CO2-containing syngas mixtures when pulsing NH3 or methylamines as basic probe molecules.

Knowledge-based development of a nitrate-free synthesis route for Cu/ZnO methanol synthesis catalysts via formate precursors

High-performance Cu/ZnO/(Al(2)O(3)) methanol synthesis catalysts are conventionally prepared by co-precipitation from nitrate solutions and subsequent thermal treatment. A new synthesis route is presented, which is based on similar preparation steps and leads to active catalysts, but avoids nitrate contaminated waste water.

Metal–support interactions in surface-modified Cu–Co catalysts applied in higher alcohol synthesis

Cu–Co-based model catalysts were prepared by a sophisticated alkali-free synthesis method and tested in the conversion of synthesis gas to higher alcohols. MoO₃-coated alumina was used as the support, providing both high specific surface area and strongly interacting sites for the deposition of the active metals.

Elucidation of artefacts in proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometers

We present an effective procedure to differentiate instrumental artefacts, such as parasitic ions, memory effects, and real trace impurities contained in inert gases. Three different proton transfer reaction mass spectrometers were used in order to identify instrument-specific parasitic ions. The methodology reveals new nitrogen- and metal-containing ions that up to date have not been reported. The parasitic ion signal was dominated by [N₂ ]H⁺ and [NH₃ ]H⁺ rather than by the common ions NO⁺ and O₂ ⁺ . Under dry conditions in a proton transfer reaction quadrupole interface time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-QiTOF), the ion abundances of [N₂ ]H⁺ were elevated compared with the signals in the presence of humidity. In contrast, the [NH₃ ]H⁺ ion did not show a clear humidity dependency. On the other hand, two PTR-TOF1000 instruments showed no significant contribution of the [N₂ ]H⁺ ion, which supports the idea of [N₂ ]H⁺ formation in the quadrupole interface of the PTR-QiTOF. Many new nitrogen-containing ions were identified, and three different reaction sequences showing a similar reaction mechanism were established. Additionally, several metal-containing ions, their oxides, and hydroxides were formed in the three PTR instruments. However, their relative ion abundancies were below 0.03% in all cases. Within the series of metal-containing ions, the highest contribution under dry conditions was assigned to the [Fe(OH)₂ ]H⁺ ion. Only in one PTR-TOF1000 the Fe⁺ ion appeared as dominant species compared with the [Fe(OH)₂ ]H⁺ ion. The present analysis and the resulting database can be used as a tool for the elucidation of artefacts in mass spectra and, especially in cases, where dilution with inert gases play a significant role, preventing misinterpretations.

The First Si-H Stretching Overtone of H3SiD: Emergence of Local Mode Effects

The FTIR spectrum of H3SiD in the 4100-4500-cm-1 region was recorded at Doppler-limited resolution, and four bands were studied. At lower wavenumbers, two strong bands, which in the local mode picture can be assigned to (200, E) (nu0 = 4308.5667 cm-1) and (200, A1) (nu0 = 4307.8441 cm-1), were analyzed, and at higher wavenumbers, two weaker bands, namely (110, E) at 4378.1950 cm-1 and (110, A1) at 4375.9763 cm-1, were analyzed. A total number of approximately 1900 lines in the strong dyad and 1000 lines in the weak one were assigned and fitted with standard deviations of the residuals approximately 0.0008 cm-1. The strong system (200) is close to local mode behavior, with no x, y Coriolis term needed and only a small z Coriolis term, and simple arithmetic relations between vibration-rotation parameters are fulfilled as expected. The local mode behavior of the weak system (110) is less pronounced, but z and x, y Coriolis effects are smaller than in the Si-H stretching fundamentals. Comparison of computed and observed spectra provided a good estimate for the ratios of transition moments of the different bands: they are, in absolute value, proportional to 3.5:1.75:1:1 for (200, E), (200, A1), (110, E), and (110, A1), respectively. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

High Resolution FTIR Study of the nu5 Bands of HSiD3 and H120SnD3

High resolution Fourier Transform spectra of HSiD3 and monoisotopic H120SnD3 have been recorded in the region of the nu5 fundamental at 850.68 and 646.90 cm-1 with a resolution of 3.3 and 2.8 x 10(-3) cm-1, respectively. About 2000 rovibrational transitions of each species have been assigned and fitted to two different reductions of the effective Hamiltonian, with sigma(Fit) = 1.2 x 10(-4) (HSiD3) and 1.4 x 10(-4) cm-1 (H120SnD3). The two sets of parameters were shown to be equivalent, and relations between parameters belonging to different reductions are perfectly fulfilled. Furthermore the ground state constants C0 and DK0 have been determined for the first time. For consistency the previously measured data belonging to the nu5 band of H70GeD3 have been refitted, sigma(Fit) = 1.6 x 10(-4) cm-1, on the basis of improved ground state parameters including the h'3 term accounting for the splitting of the K = 3 level. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Centrifugal Distortion Analysis of a Near-Spherical Top, SO(2)F(2): The First Determination of All Six Quartic Centrifugal Distortion Constants for an Asymmetric Top

The rotational spectrum of the near-spherical top molecule SO(2)F(2) (sulfuryl fluoride) has been investigated by microwave Fourier transform spectroscopy and by millimeter-wave spectroscopy. The ground state spectrum has been measured from 10 to 472 GHz. One of the reasons for studying this molecule is that it is a nearly spherical top and we wanted to verify our theoretical prediction that for such a molecule all six quartic centrifugal distortion constants (and nine sextic distortion constants) should be determinable, while for a standard asymmetric rotor, Watson has shown that only five quartic and seven sextic distortion constants are determinable. The analysis of the spectra confirmed our predictions, because all six quartic constants were well determinable. The results have been confirmed independently by ab initio calculations of the force field and quartic distortion constants. Because the molecule is relatively heavy, contributions of some sextic constants are too small and we have not been able to determine all nine sextic constants predicted by theory. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Microwave, Submillimeter-Wave, and High-Resolution FTIR Study of SO(2)F(2) in the nu(8) State

The high-resolution infrared spectrum of the nu(8) band of SO(2)F(2) (nu(as) SF(2)) centered at 887.2 cm(-1) has been recorded with a resolution of 2.4 x 10(-3) cm(-1). More than 8000 transitions of the C-type band with DeltaK(a) = +/-1 (and in addition some DeltaK(a) = +/-3 transitions) have been assigned. Microwave and millimeter-wave spectra of the v(8) = 1 state up to 450 GHz have been recorded, and 177 pure rotational transitions have been measured. Rotational and rovibrational data have been combined, and excited state parameters up to sextic centrifugal distortion constants have been determined using a Watson-type Hamiltonian in S-reduction. No perturbation was indicated. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.