Liquid-Phase Partial Hydrogenation of Phenylacetylene at Ambient Conditions Catalyzed by Pd-Fe-O Nanoparticles Supported on Silica

Catalysts with no hazardous or toxic components are required for the selective hydrogenation of acetylenic bonds in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, vitamins, nutraceuticals, and fragrances. The present work demonstrates that a high selectivity to alkene can be reached over a Pd-Fe-O/SiO2 system prepared by the co-impregnation of a silica support with a solution of the metal precursors (NH4)3[Fe(C2O4)3] and [Pd(NH3)4]Cl2 followed by thermal treatment in hydrogen or in air at 400 °C. A DRIFT spectroscopic study of CO adsorption revealed large shifts in the position of the Pdn+-CO bands for this system, indicating the strong effect of Fen+ on the Pd electronic state, resulting in a decreased rate of double C=C bond hydrogenation and an increased selectivity of alkyne hydrogenation to alkene. The prepared catalysts consisted of mono- and bimetallic nanoparticles on an SiO2 carrier and exhibited a selectivity as high as that of the commonly used Lindlar catalyst (which contains such hazardous components as lead and barium), while the activity of the Fe-Pd-O/SiO2 catalyst was an order of magnitude higher. The hydrogenation of a triple bond over the proposed Pd-Fe catalyst opens the way to selective hydrogenation over nontoxic catalysts with a high yield and productivity. Taking into account a simple procedure of catalyst preparation, this direction provides a rationale for the large-scale implementation of these catalysts.

Rhodium-Based Catalysts: An Impact of the Support Nature on the Catalytic Cyclohexane Ring Opening

Because of the growing demand for high-quality fuels, the light cycle oil fraction improvement including cetane number improvement is important. The main way to reach this improvement is the ring opening of cyclic hydrocarbons, and a highly effective catalyst should be found. Cyclohexane ring openings are a possible option to investigate the catalyst activity. In this work, we investigated rhodium-loaded catalysts prepared using the commercially available industrial supports: single-component ones, SiO₂ and Al₂O₃; and mixed oxides CaO + MgO + Al₂O₃ and Na₂O + SiO₂ + Al₂O₃. The catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation and investigated by N₂ low-temperature adsorption-desorption, XRD, XPS, DRS UV-Vis and DRIFT spectroscopy, SEM, and TEM with EDX. The catalytic tests were performed in cyclohexane ring opening in the range of 275-325 °C. The best result was demonstrated by the sample 1Rh/CaMgAlO: the selectivity to n-hexane was about 75% while the cyclohexane conversion was about 25% at 275 °C. The space-time yield was up to 12 mmol_n-hexane g_cat^-1h^-1.

Hydroamination of Phenylacetylene with Aniline over Gold Nanoparticles Embedded in the Boron Imidazolate Framework BIF-66 and Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework ZIF-67

The hydroamination of alkynes is an atom-economy process in the organic synthesis for the C-N bond formation, thereby allowing the production of fine chemicals and intermediates. However, direct interaction between alkynes and amines is complicated due to the electron enrichment of both compounds. Therefore, efficient hydroamination catalysts, especially heterogeneous ones, are in great demand. This work aimed at the development of novel heterogeneous catalysts based on zeolite-like metal-organic frameworks for phenylacetylene hydroamination. The sodalite (SOD) type zeolitic imidazolate framework ZIF-67 (Co(meim)₂, meim = 2-methylimidazolate) and boron imidazolate framework BIF-66 ({Co[B(im)₄]₂}_n, im = imidazolate) were studied as the carriers for the gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs). Au-NPs were embedded in the ZIF-67 and BIF-66 matrices by incipient wetness impregnation. Au@ZIF-67 and Au@BIF-66 hybrids were studied for the first time in the liquid phase hydroamination of phenylacetylene with aniline in an air atmosphere and have shown high activity and selectivity in respect to imine in this process. The pronounced impact of the nature of the metal-organic carrier, Au source, and reducing agent on the catalytic performance of the synthesized nanomaterials was found. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first example of using the zeolitic imidazolate framework and boron-imidazolate framework as the components of the gold-containing catalytic systems for the alkyne hydroamination.

Ethanol to Acetaldehyde Conversion under Thermal and Microwave Heating of ZnO-CuO-SiO2 Modified with WC Nanoparticles

The nonoxidative conversion of ethanol to acetaldehyde under thermal and microwave heating was studied on mixed oxide ZnO-CuO-SiO₂ catalysts modified with additives of tungsten carbide nanoparticles. The results revealed that the WC-modified catalyst exhibited superior activity and selectivity under microwave heating conditions. It is assumed that when microwave heating is used, hot zones can appear at the contact points of WC nanoparticles and active centers of the mixed oxide ZnO-CuO-SiO₂ catalyst, which intensively absorb microwave energy, allowing the more efficient formation of acetaldehyde at moderate temperatures. Thermodynamic calculations of equilibrium concentrations of reagents and products allowed us to identify the optimal conditions for effective acetaldehyde production. The initial catalyst and the catalyst prepared by the coprecipitation of the oxides with the addition of WC were characterized by physicochemical methods (TPR-H₂, XRD, DRIFTS of adsorbed CO). The active centers of the oxide catalyst can be Cu⁺ cations.

Effect of ultra-low amount of gold in oxide-supported bimetallic Au–Fe and Au–Cu catalysts on liquid-phase aerobic glycerol oxidation in water

Low-loaded Au–Fe and Au–Cu supported bimetallic catalysts showed exceptional activity in liquid-phase glycerol oxidation. Strong synergetic effect of Au–Fe (Cu) interaction and Au content tuned the oxidation activity and selectivity of the catalysts.

Glucose Oxidase Immobilized on Magnetic Zirconia: Controlling Catalytic Performance and Stability

Here, we report the structures and properties of biocatalysts based on glucose oxidase (GOx) macromolecules immobilized on the mesoporous zirconia surface with or without magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) in zirconia pores. Properties of these biocatalysts were studied in oxidation of d-glucose to d-gluconic acid at a wide range of pH and temperatures. We demonstrate that the calcination temperature (300, 400, or 600 °C) of zirconia determines its structure, with crystalline materials obtained at 400 and 600 °C. This, in turn, influences the catalytic behavior of immobilized GOx, which was tentatively assigned to the preservation of GOx conformation on the crystalline support surface. IONPs significantly enhance the biocatalyst activity due to synergy with the enzyme. At the same time, neither support porosity nor acidity/basicity shows correlations with the properties of this biocatalyst. The highest relative activity of 98% (of native GOx) at a pH 6-7 and temperature of 40-45 °C was achieved for the biocatalyst based on ZrO₂ calcined at 600 °C and containing IONPs. This process is green as it is characterized by a high atom economy due to the formation of a single product with high selectivity and conversion and minimization of waste due to magnetic separation of the catalyst from an aqueous solution. These and an exceptional stability of this catalyst in 10 consecutive reactions (7% relative activity loss) make it favorable for practical applications.

Adsorption of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in an aqueous medium on nanoscale MIL-53(Al) type materials

MIL-53(Al) type materials were prepared using MW-activation. They show high adsorption capacities in the adsorption of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in an aqueous medium and demonstrate faster adsorption rates as compared to an activated carbon.

Immobilized glucose oxidase on magnetic silica and alumina: Beyond magnetic separation

Here we report immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOx) on magnetic silica (Fe₃O₄-SiO₂) and alumina (Fe₃O₄-Al₂O₃) functionalized with amino groups using glutaraldehyde as a linker. Magnetic support based biocatalysts demonstrate high catalytic activity in d-glucose oxidation to D-gluconic acid at pH 5-7.5 and temperature of 30-50 °C with the best activities of 95% and 91% for magnetic silica and alumina, respectively. A comparison of magnetic and non-magnetic alumina and silica shows a significant enhancement of the relative catalytic activity for magnetic supports, while the silica based biocatalysts show a higher activity than the biocatalysts based on alumina. A noticeably higher activity of GOx immobilized on magnetic supports is explained by synergy of the GOx inherent activity and enzyme-like activity of iron oxide nanoparticles, while the enhancement with silica based catalysts is most likely due to a larger pore size and stronger Brønsted acid sites. Excellent relative activity of Fe₃O₄-SiO₂-GOx (95% of native GOx) in a tolerant pH and temperature range as well as high stability in a repeated use (6% relative activity loss after five catalytic cycles) makes this catalyst promising for practical applications.

Metal-Ion Distribution and Oxygen Vacancies That Determine the Activity of Magnetically Recoverable Catalysts in Methanol Synthesis

Here, we report on the development of novel Zn-, Zn-Cr-, and Zn-Cu-containing catalysts using magnetic silica (Fe₃O₄-SiO₂) as the support. Transmission electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that the iron oxide nanoparticles are located in mesoporous silica pores and the magnetite (spinel) structure remains virtually unchanged despite the incorporation of Zn and Cr. According to XPS data, the Zn and Cr species are intermixed within the magnetite structure. In the case of the Zn-Cu-containing catalysts, a separate Cu₂O phase was also observed along with the spinel structure. The catalytic activity of these catalysts was tested in methanol synthesis from syngas (CO + H₂). The catalytic experiments showed an improved catalytic performance of Zn- and Zn-Cr-containing magnetic silicas compared to that of the ZnO-SiO₂ catalyst. The best catalytic activity was obtained for the Zn-Cr-containing magnetic catalyst prepared with 1 wt % Zn and Cr each. X-ray absorption spectroscopy demonstrated the presence of oxygen vacancies near Fe and Zn in Zn-containing, and even more in Zn-Cr-containing, magnetic silica (including oxygen vacancies near Cr ions), revealing a correlation between the catalytic properties and oxygen vacancies. The easy magnetic recovery, robust synthetic procedure, and high catalytic activity make these catalysts promising for practical applications.

Novel Fe-Pd/SiO2 catalytic materials for degradation of chlorinated organic compounds in water

Novel reactive materials for catalytic degradation of chlorinated organic compounds in water at ambient conditions have been prepared on the basis of silica-supported Pd-Fe nanoparticles. Nanoscale Fe-Pd particles were synthesized inside porous silica supports using (NH4)3[Fe(C2O4)3] and [Pd(NH3)4]Cl2 or Pd acetate as reaction precursors. According to temperature programmed reduction (TPR) studies, Pd introduction decreased the reduction temperature of the supported Fen+ species and nearly complete reduction with H2 was observed at 400 °C. The successful surface loading with Pd was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. Characterization of the samples by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray absorption near-edge structure + extended X-ray absorption fine structure (XANES + EXAFS) verified the presence of highly dispersed Pd0, Pdx Fe1–x and Fe0 phases. Reduction of the supported precursors in hydrogen resulted in materials that were highly active in perchloroethene (PCE) degradation and 2-chlorobiphenyl (2-ClBP) dechlorination. It was found that highly dispersed amorphous Fe-Pd bimetallic nanoparticles on silica support showed superior catalytic activity against PCE dechlorination in comparison to the free-standing Fe-Pd nanoparticles. For the samples with the same Fe content, the conversion of chlorinated organics as well as the stability increased with the Pd loading, e.g., the most effective degradation of PCEs and 2-ClBP was achieved at a Pd loading of 2.3–3.2 wt. %.

Lanthanum cobaltite perovskite supported onto mesoporous zirconium dioxide: nature of active sites of VOC oxidation

Novel catalytic nano-sized materials based on LaCoO(x) perovskite nanoparticles incapsulated in the mesoporous matrix of zirconia were prepared, characterized by physicochemical methods and tested in complete methanol oxidation. LaCoO(x) nanoparticles were prepared inside the mesopores of ZrO(2) by decomposition of bimetallic La-Co glycine precursor complexes. The catalysts have been studied by diffuse-reflectance FTIR-spectroscopy using such probe molecules as CO, CD(3)CN and CDCl(3) to test low-coordinated metal ions. At low temperatures of decomposition of complexes (up to 400°C), low-coordinated Co(3+) ions predominate in the LaCoO(x) nanoparticles, whereas basically Co(2+) ions are found upon increasing the decomposition temperature to 600°C. The novel nano-sized perovskite catalysts exhibit a very high catalytic activity in the abatement of volatile organic compounds present in air, like methanol and light hydrocarbons.

Pd-Fe nanoparticles stabilized by chitosan derivatives for perchloroethene dechlorination

A series of chitosan-stabilized Pd-NZVI (nano-zero-valent-iron) catalysts for dechlorination with variation in their composition and in the nature of the polymer has been prepared. The synthesis procedures and palladium and chitosan contents were optimized. It was demonstrated by the XPS method that Fe and Pd in Fe-Pd/chitosan samples exist in the metallic state. The positive shift of the binding energy as compared with the bulk metal shows that the iron metal in the surface layers exists as very small nanoparticles. The prepared materials were characterized also by the XAS method. The presence of O and N atoms in the first coordination shell of the central Fe atom in the Fe-Pd/chitosan samples certifies the binding of the Fe metal particles with the chitosan surface via OH and NH(2) groups. The samples are characterized by the high stability of the nanoparticles as compared to unstabilized Pd-NZVI. The materials were tested to evaluate their catalytic activity in the perchloroethene (PCE) dechlorination reaction. Some samples of chitosan-stabilized Pd-NZVI revealed a good performance in PCE degradation as compared to unstabilized Pd-NZVI.

The reduction of copper in porous matrices—the role of electrostatic stabilisation

The redox properties of Cu(II) species in FAU matrices have been studied by temperature programmed reduction (TPR) in hydrogen and by XAFS analysis of the products obtained after (stationary) reduction treatments at various temperatures. The influence of the matrix polarity was investigated by comparing aluminosilicate FAU (Y zeolite) with siliceous FAU. In addition, the influence of Zn ions on the reduction process was studied. It was found that both the matrix composition and the presence of zinc ions exert a significant influence on the course of the reduction. In Y zeolite, heat treatment which is known to transfer Cu(II) ions to remote sites (SI, SI', SII') affects the reduction process dramatically. Cu(II) is most easily reduced in siliceous FAU, but the reduction proceeds in two clearly separated steps. Between these steps, small Cu(0) nuclei coexist with Cu(I) species, apparently unable to activate hydrogen for the autocatalytic reduction of the remaining Cu ions. The polarity of the matrix causes an upshift of the Cu(II) reduction temperature (in TPR by ca. 80 K for sites in the large cavity, by ca. 105 K for the remote sites), but the reduction of Cu(I) depends strongly on the simultaneous presence of Cu(0) and on its ability to activate hydrogen and induce an autocatalytic reduction mechanism. While Cu(I) species in the large cavities are easily reduced to the metal, tending to segregate from the zeolite lattice, Cu(I) ions in remote sites are strongly stabilized towards further reduction and even traces of Cu metal form only at very high temperatures. In the presence of zinc ions, the Cu metal particles formed were found to be smaller than in zinc-free samples.

Reduction of Copper in Porous Matrixes. Stepwise and Autocatalytic Reduction Routes

The reduction of Cu(II) oxide species in siliceous matrixes of different porosity (MFI, FAU, MCM-48) and in alumosilicate MFI was studied by temperature-programmed reduction in hydrogen (TPR), by X-ray absorption fine structure (after stationary hydrogen treatments), and by transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the reduction may proceed in one or in two reduction steps. The two-step scheme known for zeolites was observed also for Cu(II) in siliceous microporous matrixes, with similar temperature of Cu(II) reduction onset as for the alumosilicate MFI. Therefore, the two-step scheme cannot be explained by the stabilization of Cu ions by intra-zeolite electrical fields. CuOx clusters in MCM-48 were reduced in a one-step scheme (similar to bulk CuO) at high Cu content (6 wt %) but in a two-step scheme at low Cu content (1 wt %). The two reduction steps observed with most samples cannot be identified with the transitions of all Cu(II) to Cu(I) and of Cu(I) to Cu(0). Instead, Cu(0) nuclei were observed already at low reduction temperatures and were found to coexist with Cu ions over temperature ranges of different extension. This coexistence range was narrow in materials that favor aggregation of the Cu nuclei into particles: Cu-MCM-48 of low Cu content and Cu-ZSM-5. In the latter, metal segregation from the pore system was found to be accompanied by an autocatalytic initiation of the second reduction step. In the siliceous microporous matrixes, the Cu(0) nuclei were observed to coexist with Cu ions over wide temperature ranges (100 K for MFI) at temperatures far above that of Cu reduction in the bulk oxide. These observations suggest that oligomeric Cu metal nuclei which may have been formed, e.g., at the intersections of the MFI channel system, may be unable to activate hydrogen, which would be required for rapid reduction of the coexisting Cu ions.