Characterizations and Catalytic Properties of Transition Metal Ions Incorporated in Mesoporous Materials

Mesoporous materials typified by MCM-41 possess well-ordered mesoporous channels with controllable pore sizes from 2-30 nm, and are expected as desirable materials for catalysis.However, silicious mesoporous materials generally do not have sufficient intrinsic catalytic activities.Thus many studies have focused on introducing catalytically active sites. It is expected that different synthetic methods would result in different coordination structures of metal cations introduced in MCM-41, and thus different catalytic properties in catalytic reactions. The author's group has used two methods, i.e., direct hydrothermal synthesis (DHT) and template-ion exchange (TIE), for the syntheses of V-, Fe-, and Cr-MCM-41 and applied them as catalysts to selective oxidations of hydrocarbons. This paper highlights the characterizations of the coordination structures of these metal cations introduced into MCM-41 by the DHT and the TIE methods, and the structural-property relationships of these metal ion-containing MCM-41 materials in selective oxidation reactions.MCM-41 was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis using hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide and sodium silicate as the sources of template and silicon, respectively. In the DHT method, metal cations were directly added into the synthesis gel before hydrothermal synthesis, while the exchanging of metal ions in ethanolic solutions with the template cations contained in the uncalcined MCM-41 was performed in the TIE method. XRD and N2-adsorption measurements showed that the mesoporous regularity was not destroyed with both synthetic methods for all the metal ion-containing MCM-41 with appropriate contents of metal cations.For V-MCM-41, the characterizations with mainly EXAFS suggested that V5+ cations were in tetrahedral coordination and mainly incorporated inside the framework of MCM-41 to substitute Si4+in the samples by the DHT method. Tetrahedrally coordinated Vanadyl species were also obtained by the TIE method, but the VO4 was dispersed on the wall surface of MCM-41. The V-MCM-41-DHT showed higher selectivity in the partial oxidations of C3H8 and i-C4H10 to alkenes and acrolein and methacrolein, but the V-MCM-41-TIE exhibited better catalytic activities in the partial oxidation of CH4 to HCHO and the oxidative dehydrogenation of C2H6.For Fe-MCM-41, EXAFS studies indicated that the DHT method also resulted in Fe3+ cations incorporated inside the framework of MCM-41 if iron content was lower than ca. 1 wt%. However,aggregated iron oxides with iron in octahedral coordination were mainly observed in the calcined Fe-MCM-41 by the TIE method. In the partial oxidation of CH4 to HCHO with O2 and the epoxidation of styrene with H2O2, the Fe-MCM-41 by the DHT method exhibits remarkably higher catalytic performances than that by the TIE method.Chromium could not be incorporated inside the framework of MCM-41 to substitute Si4+, and both synthetic methods led to surface chromate species. However, the DHT method resulted in only monochromate species on the wall surface of MCM-41 while polychromate species existed over the sample by the TIE method as indicated by the UV-Raman spectroscopic studies. The two types of Cr-MCM-41 exhibited distinctly different catalytic behaviors in the partial oxidation of CH4 with O2.The Cr-MCM-41-DHT was remarkably more selective towards HCHO formation.     

Boron(II) Cations: Interplay between Lewis‐Pair‐Acceptor and Electron‐Donor Properties

Boron(III) cations are widely used as highly Lewis acidic reagents in synthetic chemistry. In contrast, boron(II) cations are extremely rare and their chemistry almost completely unknown. They are both Lewis acids and electron donors, properties that are commonly associated with catalytically active late‐transition‐metal complexes. This double reactivity pattern ensures a rich and diverse chemistry. Herein we report the facile synthesis of several new boron(II) cations starting with a special diborane with two easily exchangeable triflate substituents. By increasing the π‐acceptor character of the neutral σ‐donor reaction partners, first reactions were developed in which the combined Lewis acidity and electron‐donor properties of boron(II) cations are applied for the reduction of organic molecules. The results of our study pave the way for applications of these unusual compounds in synthetic chemistry.     

Developments in inorganic crystal engineering

The design and synthesis of crystalline materials through the self-assembly of molecular building blocks and the pursuit of functional materials based upon this approach are usually classified under the banner Crystal Engineering. The field is interdisciplinary in nature involving synthetic, materials, structural and theoretical chemists. There are strong ties to modern crystallography which can offer rapid and accurate structure determination and, in particular, insight into molecular and intermolecular geometries. Illustrative examples that chart the development field and provide an assessment of the current state of the art will be reviewed with an emphasis on inorganic chemistry. Broadly speaking, two classes of compounds will be discussed: those based upon molecules or ions linked into networks via noncovalent interactions and those (coordination polymers) in which metal centres are linked using coordination bonds through bridging ligands into extended networks.     

Template Syntheses

Although the principle of template synthesis has been known since the sixties, surprising discoveries and new applications in the field of supramolecular chemistry over the last decade have provoked a boom in the subject. The synthesis of supramolecular species has been made much more efficient, or even in some cases possible, by the introduction of template ions or molecules. It is not just metal ions that can act as templates. Neutral molecules, electrostatic interactions, and hydrogen bonds also support the formation of binary and tertiary complexes. Energetically favorable conformations then lead to the formation of a specific desired product in high yield. In addition to the discussion of metal ions and neutral molecules as templates, covalent, positive, and negative templates are differentiated. Kinetic and thermodynamic aspects will also be considered in this review, together with the influence of templates on the phenomenon of self-organization. Further developments and applications include the synthesis of oligonucleotides, peptide blocks capable of forming secondary structure, and template polymers. Template synthesis of defined molecular cavities ultimately leads to “inclusion chemistry on a nanometer scale.”     

Aqueous-solution growth of GaP and InP nanowires: a general route to phosphide, oxide, sulfide, and tungstate nanowires

A general synthetic route has been developed for the growth of metal phosphide, oxide, sulfide, and tungstate nanowires in aqueous solution. In detail, cetyltrimethylammonium cations (CTA(+)) can be combined with anionic inorganic species along a co-condensation mechanism to form lamellar inorganic-surfactant intercalated mesostructures, which serve as both microreactors and reactants for the growth of nanowires. For example, GaP, InP, gamma-MnO(2), ZnO, SnS(2), ZnS, CdWO(4), and ZnWO(4) nanowires have been grown by this route. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the synthesis of GaP and InP nanowires in aqueous solution has been achieved. This strategy is expected to extend to grow nanowires of other materials in solution or by vapor transport routes, since the nanowire growth of any inorganic materials can be realized by selecting an appropriate reaction and its corresponding lamellar inorganic-surfactant precursors.     

Recent Development on Controlled Synthesis of Metal Sulfides Hollow Nanostructures via Hard Template Engaged Strategy: A Mini‐Review

In this mini‐review, we highlighted the recent progresses in the controlled synthesis of metal sulfides hollow nanostructures via hard template technique. After a brief introduction about the formation mechanism of the inorganic hollow nanostructures via hard template technique, the discussions primarily focused on the emerging development of metal sulfides hollow nanostructures. Various synthetic strategies were summarized concerning the use of the hard template engaged strategies to fabricate various metal sulfides hollow nanostructures, such as hydrothermal method, solvothermal method, ion‐exchange, sulfidation or calcination etc. Finally, the perspectives and summaries have been presented to demonstrate that a facile synthetic technique would be widely used to fabricate metal sulfides hollow nanostructures with multi‐shells and components.     

Metallization of a genetically engineered polypeptide

Recently, well-ordered biological materials have been exploited to pattern inorganic nanoparticles into linear arrays that are of particular interest for nanoelectronic applications. In this work, a de novo designed E. coli-expressed polypeptide (previously shown to form highly rectilinear, β-sheet-containing structures) operates as a template for divalent metal cations. EDX and TEM analysis verify the attachment of platinum ions to the histidine-rich fibril surface, which was designed specifically to facilitate attachment of chemical moieties. Following chemical reduction, TEM further confirms the formation of localized zero-valent metal aggregates with sub-nanometer interparticle spacing.     

Controlled Reactivity Tuning of Metal‐Functionalized Vanadium Oxide Clusters

Controlling the assembly and functionalization of molecular metal oxides [M_xO_y]^n? (M=Mo, W, V) allows the targeted design of functional molecular materials. While general methods exist that enable the predetermined functionalization of tungstates and molybdates, no such routes are available for molecular vanadium oxides. Controlled design of polyoxovanadates, however, would provide highly active materials for energy conversion, (photo‐) catalysis, molecular magnetism, and materials science. To this end, a new approach has been developed that allows the reactivity tuning of vanadium oxide clusters by selective metal functionalization. Organic, hydrogen‐bonding cations, for example, dimethylammonium are used as molecular placeholders to block metal binding sites within vanadate cluster shells. Stepwise replacement of the placeholder cations with reactive metal cations gives mono‐ and difunctionalized clusters. Initial reactivity studies illustrate the tunability of the magnetic, redox, and catalytic activity.     

Recent advances in iron(III) chloride catalyzed synthesis of heterocycles

Heterocyclic compounds particularly five, six and seven membered ring containing heterocycles are the most abundant which constitute a staggeringly diverse and important class of molecules that occur ubiquitously in a variety of synthetic drugs, bioactive natural products, pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Owing to the glorious past and impressive present of the biologically active heterocyclic scaffolds, these skeletons have long been a subject of immense interest. Hence, substantial efforts have been made to the development of new and innovative synthetic strategies for the synthesis of these heterocycles involving use of different metal catalysts, organic and inorganic reagents etc. Among the different types of metal catalysts used, iron catalysts are one of the cheap and easily available. In recent time, several new and innovative iron(III) chloride catalyzed synthesis of heterocycles with structural diversity are coming in the forefront of the literature by the scientific community. This review highlights the advancements made so far by iron(III) chloride for the synthesis of different assemblies of small heterocycles covering the year 2014–2018.     

Molecular Recognition Based on Membrane Potential Changes Induced by Host–Guest Complexation with Inorganic and Organic Guests

Guest-induced changes in membrane potentials are one of the representative modes of electrochemical signal transduction by molecular recognition at the interface of an organic membrane and an aqueous solution. Recent approaches based on synthetic hosts capable of effecting membrane potential changes by host–guest complexation with inorganic and organic guests are described. Although the studies in this area have mainly been aimed at inorganic cations as the target guests, recent approaches for recognition of inorganic anions and further organic guests are also documented. Highly selective changes in membrane potentials can be achieved for inorganic cations by sophisticated design of crown ethers and related compounds. Hosts with complementary charge(s) or multiple hydrogen bonding sites are effective for the recognition of inorganic anions and also of the polar moieties of organic ions. On the other hand, the recognition of nonpolar moieties of organic guests can be achieved by inclusion into well-defined cavities of host molecules. Quaternary onium and protonated amine salts are recently found to be capable of effecting membrane potential changes by complexation with neutral phenolic guests.     

Cation-controlled assembly of Na+-linked lacunary alpha-Keggin tungstosilicates

Two novel salts of lacunary tungstosilicates with guanidinium and alkali metal cations, (CH6N3)7Na[SiW11O39].(CH3)2CO.8H2O (1) and (CH6N3)K6Na[SiW11O39].11.5H2O (2), have been synthesized and their crystal structures have been determined by synchrotron X-ray diffraction. In both crystals, the Na+ cations link the lacunary Keggin-type tungstosilicate anions into linear structures. The neighboring [SiW11O39]8- anions are related by two-fold screw and translational operations in compounds 1 and 2, respectively. Second harmonic generation was observed for compound 1.     

A Rational Repeating Template Method for Synthesis of 2 D Hexagonally Ordered Mesoporous Precious Metals

A repeating template method is presented for the synthesis of mesoporous metals with 2D hexagonal mesostructures. First, a silica replica (i.e., silica nanorods arranged periodically) is prepared by using 2D hexagonally ordered mesoporous carbon as the template. After that, the obtained silica replica is used as the second template for the preparation of mesoporous ruthenium. After the ruthenium species are introduced into the silica replica, the ruthenium species are then reduced by a vapor‐infiltration method by using the reducing agent dimethylamine borane. After the ruthenium deposition, the silica is chemically removed. Analysis by transmission and scanning electron microscopies, a nitrogen‐adsorption–desorption isotherm, and small‐angle X‐ray scattering revealed that the mesoporous ruthenium had a 2D hexagonal mesostructure, although the mesostructural ordering is decreased compared to that of the original mesoporous carbon template. This method is widely applicable to other metal systems. By changing the metal species introduced into the silica replica, several mesoporous metals (palladium and platinum) can be synthesized. Ordered mesoporous ruthenium and palladium, which are not easily attainable by the soft‐templating methods, can be prepared. This study has overcome the composition variation limitations of the soft‐templating method.     

有机-无机纳米复合材料光谱与电子性质研究进展

有机-无机纳米复合材料的研究在当前纳米科学技术的发展中占有重要地位，开创了材料与催化科学研究的新纪元。自从10年前首次合成纳米孔无机材料MCM-41至今，该领域研究不断深入，已展现出广阔的应用前景。当客体有机分子分散于纳米孔道内部时，其分子性质将产生明显变化。本文结合作者近期研究成果，力图从实验与理论两方面阐明在纳米复合体系中客体分子性质变化的原因。     

Isolation and characterization of stable iron(i) sulfide complexes

The first examples of iron(I) sulfide complexes are presented, in contrast with the +2 and +3 oxidation states that are well-known in synthetic and biological systems. Spectroscopic and computational studies show a high-spin d(7) configuration at the metal. Alkali metal cations play a key role in supporting the unusually low oxidation state.     

Tetravalent metal complexation by Keggin and lacunary phosphomolybdate anions

We report the synthesis, spectroscopic and structural characterization, and computational analysis of a series of phosphomolybdate complexes with tetravalent metal cations. The reaction between Ce (IV) and Th (IV) with phosphomolybdate at the optimum pH for the stabilization of the lacunary heteropolyoxometalate anion, [PMo 11O 39] (7-), results in the formation of compounds containing the anions [Ce(PMo 11O 39) 2] (10-) and [Th(PMo 11O 39) 2] (10-), respectively. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis was performed on salts of both species, Cs 10[Ce(PMo 11O 39) 2].20H 2O and (NH 4) 10[Th(PMo 11O 39) 2].22H 2O. In both anionic complexes the f-block metal cation is coordinated to the four unsaturated terminal lacunary site oxygens of each [PMo 11O 39] (7-) anion, yielding 8 coordinate sandwich complexes, analogous to previously prepared related complexes. Spectroscopic characterization points to the stability of these complexes in solution over a reasonably wide pH range. Density functional analysis suggests that the Ce-O bond strength in [Ce(PMo 11O 39) 2] (10-) is greater than the Th-O bond strength in [Th(PMo 11O 39) 2] (10-), with the dominant bonding interaction being ionic in both cases. In contrast, under similar reaction conditions, the dominant solid state Zr (IV) and Hf (IV) complexes formed contain the anions [Zr(PMo 12O 40)(PMo 11O 39)] (6-) and [Hf(PMo 12O 40)(PMo 11O 39)] (6-), respectively. In these complexes the central Group 4 d-block metal cations are coordinated to the four unsaturated terminal lacunary site oxygens of the [PMo 11O 39] (7-) ligand and to four bridging oxygens of a plenary Keggin anion, [PMo 12O 40] (3-). In addition, (NH 4) 5{Hf[PMo 12O 40][(NH 4)PMo 11O 39]}.23.5H 2O can be crystallized as a minor product. The structure of the anion, {Hf[PMo 12O 40][(NH 4)PMo 11O 39]} (5-), reveals coordination of the central Hf (IV) cation via four bridging oxygens on both the coordinated [PMo 11O 39] (7-) and [PMo 12O 40] (3-) anions. Unusually, the highly charged lacunary site remains uncoordinated to the Hf metal center but instead interacts with an ammonium cation. (31)P NMR indicates that complexation of the Keggin anion, [PMo 12O 40] (3-), to Hf (IV) and Zr (IV) will stabilize the Keggin anion to a much higher pH than usually observed.     

Knotting and threading of molecules: chemistry and chirality of molecular knots and their assemblies

How and why do molecules tangle or thread? Investigations of molecular knots (knotanes) may shed some light on the mechanisms of (supra)molecular templation and the folding of molecules that result in intertwining. The topological chirality of these fascinating molecules leads to new types of isomerism and paves the way to nanosized molecular motors. Their preparation and derivatization makes high demands on modern synthetic methods and analytical separation since molecular knots are formed in a more or less planned design based on metal coordination or hydrogen‐bonding patterns. This Review describes the development of templation techniques for the synthesis of knotanes and their chiral resolution as well as their selective functionalization and use as building blocks in the synthesis of higher knotane assemblies. Such assemblies can possess linear, branched, or even macrocyclic structures which, on the one hand, introduce unprecedented isomeric compositions that arise from multiple topological stereogenic units and, on the other, define new types of artificial macromolecules beyond polymers and dendritic species.     

一种新型纺锤状α-Fe_2O_3纳米晶的合成、表征及其表面性能(英文)

合成了一种新型的具有单晶结构的α-Fe2O3纳米晶(NFO-1).在我们的合成方法中,样品的形貌和结构在低反应浓度体系中运用无机盐和有机模板进行双重调控,同时用溶剂挥发诱导自组装(EISA)来加速反应和在不改变形貌结构的前提下获得高产率样品.所得α-Fe2O3纳米晶的形貌和结构对其表面修饰功能有明显的影响,NFO-1因其特殊的纺锤状形貌而与表面功能试剂(多巴胺)之间的化学作用有明显的增强.并且,本文所描述的合成方法同样适用于其他过渡金属氧化物纳米单晶的合成.我们预期,这种方法可为新型纳米材料的合成提供新的途径.     

Element speciation analysis by capillary electrophoresis

An overview of recent developments in the application of capillary electrophoresis to simultaneous separation and determination of different chemical forms of an inorganic element is presented, with particular emphasis placed on metal speciation analysis. Examples of species analysis are addressed, covering metal ions in different oxidation states, metal complexes with inorganic and organic ligands, metalloid oxoanions, organometallic compounds, ionic non-metal species, etc. The speciation performance of capillary electrophoresis is illustrated by a number of practically relevant applications. The method's strengths and current limitations with regard to chemical speciation studies are critically discussed.     

Cyclic molecular materials based on [M2O2S2]2+ cores (M = Mo or W)

The purpose of this article is to illustrate how conventional precursors can serve, when used with a drop of imagination, to the synthesis of sophisticated inorganic rings and wheels. The self-condensation of the [M2O2S2]2+ fragments under acido-basic process produces, in the presence or absence of guest species, linear enchainment restricted to discrete cyclic entities. This approach was revealed to be a highly fruitful strategy for developing an extended family of compounds, differing in their nuclearity, size and shape, and the nature of the encapsulated guest molecule. Indeed, the resulting cycles delimit a cationic open cavity, which can be filled by neutral polar molecules such as aquo ligands or anionic molecules such as phosphates, polycarboxylates and even metalates. The flexibility of the rings is at the origin of interesting host-guest properties: the deformation (symmetry) and the adaptation (nuclearity) of the inorganic cycle are directly related to the size and the coordination requirements of the encapsulated substrate. The versatility of the metal coordination, octahedral or square pyramidal, confers dynamic properties to the ring. In the solid state, molecular rings assemble in striking 3-D networks based on direct cation-anion connections. Alkali cations are arranged in pillars or layers for anchoring the anionic rings.