Effects of adsorbate molecules on the quadrupolar interaction of framework aluminum atoms in dehydrated zeolite H,Na-Y

The effect of adsorbate molecules on the quadrupolar interaction of framework aluminum atoms with the electric field gradient in dehydrated zeolite H,Na-Y has been studied by (27)Al MAS NMR and (27)Al MQMAS NMR spectroscopy at magnetic fields of 9.4 and 17.6 T. Upon adsorption of molecules interacting with bridging OH groups by hydrogen bonds (acetonitrile and acetone), the quadrupole coupling constant of framework aluminum atoms was found to decrease from 16.0 MHz (unloaded zeolite) to 9.4 MHz. Adsorption of molecules, which cause a proton transfer from the zeolite framework to the adsorbates (ammonia and pyridine), reduces the quadrupole coupling constant to 3.8 MHz for coverages of 0.5-2 molecules per bridging OH group. The experiments indicate that the quadrupole coupling constant of framework aluminum atoms in dehydrated zeolite H,Na-Y reflects the chemical state of adsorbate complexes formed at bridging OH groups. In agreement with earlier investigations it was found that a proton affinity of the adsorbate molecules of PA = 812-854 kJ/mol is necessary to induce a proton transfer from the zeolite framework to the adsorbed compounds. This proton transfer is accompanied by a strong improvement of the tetrahedral symmetry of zeolitic framework AlO(4) tetrahedra and a decrease of the electric field gradient.     

铝在MCM-22分子筛骨架上分布的27Al MQ MAS NMR研究

利用二维多量子魔角旋转（2D MQ MAS）技术并结合量子化学计算，研究了铝在MCM-22分子筛骨架上的分布，并对铝的不等价四面体位进行了归属.在27Al 2D 5Q MAS NMR谱中骨架四配位铝的范围内观察到3个信号，证明MCM-22分子筛有3种骨架铝.经计算这3种骨架四配位铝的各向同性化学位移和四极作用常数分别为：δ 50.5、δ 57.3、δ 62.4和1.74、1.68、1.92 MHz. MCM-22分子筛结构中有8种结晶学不等价四面体（T）位.我们通过模拟MCM-22分子筛的27Al 2D 5Q MAS NMR谱，认为8种不等价T位分为3组. T2、T6位上的铝分别与δ 61、δ 49处的信号相关， T1、T3、T4、T5、T7、T8位上的铝对δ 56处的共振峰有贡献.当硅铝原子数比(Si/Al)在10～15之间变化时，铝在MCM-22分子筛的骨架上是无规占据的.     

Characterization of framework and extra-framework aluminum species in non-hydrated zeolites Y by 27Al spin-echo, high-speed MAS, and MQMAS NMR spectroscopy at B0 = 9.4 to 17.6 T

27Al spin-echo, high-speed MAS (nu(rot) = 30 kHz), and MQMAS NMR spectroscopy in magnetic fields of B0 = 9.4, 14.1, and 17.6 T were applied for the study of aluminum species at framework and extra-framework positions in non-hydrated zeolites Y. Non-hydrated gamma-Al2O3 and non-hydrated aluminum-exchanged zeolite Y (Al,Na-Y) and zeolite H,Na-Y were utilized as reference materials. The solid-state 27Al NMR spectra of steamed zeolite deH,Na-Y/81.5 were found to consist of four signals. The broad low-field signal is caused by a superposition of the signals of framework aluminum atoms in the vicinity of bridging hydroxyl protons and framework aluminum atoms compensated in their negative charge by aluminum cations (delta(iso) = 70 +/- 10 ppm, C(QCC) = 15.0 +/- 1.0 MHz). The second signal is due to a superposition of the signals of framework aluminum atoms compensated by sodium cations and tetrahedrally coordinated aluminum atoms in neutral extra-framework aluminum oxide clusters (delta(iso) = 65 +/- 5 ppm, C(QCC) = 8.0 +/- 0.5 MHz). The residual two signals were attributed to aluminum cations (delta(iso) = 35 +/- 5 ppm, C(QCC) = 7.5 +/- 0.5 MHz) and octahedrally coordinated aluminum atoms in neutral extra-framework aluminum oxide clusters (delta(iso) = 10 +/- 5 ppm, C(QCC) = 5.0 +/- 0.5 MHz). By chemical analysis and evaluating the relative solid-state 27Al NMR intensities of the different signals of aluminum species occurring in zeolite deH,Na-Y/81.5 in the non-hydrated state, the aluminum distribution in this material was determined.     

Dynamics on the microsecond timescale in microporous aluminophosphate AlPO-14 as evidenced by 27Al MQMAS and STMAS NMR spectroscopy

Multiple-quantum magic angle spinning (MQMAS) and satellite-transition magic angle spinning (STMAS) are two well-known techniques for obtaining high-resolution, or "isotropic", NMR spectra of quadrupolar nuclei. It has recently been shown that dynamics-driven modulation of the quadrupolar interaction on the microsecond timescale results in linewidths in isotropic STMAS spectra that are strongly broadened, while, in contrast, the isotropic MQMAS linewidths remain narrow. Here, we use this novel methodology in an 27Al (I = 5/2) NMR study of the calcined-dehydrated aluminophosphate AlPO-14 and two forms of as-synthesized AlPO-14, one prepared with isopropylamine (C3H7NH2) as the template molecule and one with piperidine (C5H10NH). For completeness, the 31P and 13C (both I = 1/2) MAS NMR spectra are also presented. A comparison of the 27Al MQMAS and STMAS NMR results show that, although calcined AlPO-14 appears to have a rigid framework structure, the extent of motion in the two as-synthesized forms is significant, with clear evidence for dynamics on the microsecond timescale in the immediate environments of all four Al sites in each material. Variable-temperature 27Al STMAS NMR studies of the two as-synthesized AlPO forms reveal the dynamics to be complex, with the motions of both the guest water molecules and organic template molecules shown to be contributing. The sensitivity of the STMAS NMR experiment to the presence of microsecond timescale dynamics is such that it seems likely that this methodology will prove useful in NMR studies of host-guest interactions in a wide variety of framework materials.     

Theoretical and experimental investigation of the effect of proton transfer on the (27)al MAS NMR line shapes of zeolite-adsorbate complexes: an independent measure of solid Acid strength

Assessing the degree of proton transfer from a Br?nsted acid site to one or more adsorbed bases is central to arguments regarding the strength of zeolites and other solid acids. In this regard certain solid-state NMR measurements have been fruitful; for example, some (13)C, (15)N, or (31)P resonances of adsorbed bases are sensitive to protonation, and the (1)H chemical shift of the Br?nsted site itself reflects hydrogen bonding. We modeled theoretically the structures of adsorption complexes of several bases on zeolite HZSM-5, calculated the quadrupole coupling constants (Q(cc)) and asymmetry parameters (eta) for aluminum in these complexes and then in turn simulated the central transitions of their (27)Al MAS NMR spectra. The theoretical line width decreased monotonically with the degree of proton transfer, reflecting structural relaxation around aluminum as the proton was transferred to a base. We verified this experimentally for a series of adsorbed bases by way of single-pulse MAS and triple quantum MQMAS (27)Al NMR. The combined theoretical and experimental approach described here provides a strategy by which (27)Al data can be applied to resolve disputed interpretations of proton transfer based on other evidence.     

Hydrogen bonds and local symmetry in the crystal structure of gibbsite

First‐principles quantum mechanical calculations of NMR chemical shifts and quadrupolar parameters have been carried out to assign the ²⁷Al MAS NMR resonances in gibbsite. The ²⁷Al NMR spectrum shows two signals for octahedral aluminum revealing two aluminum sites coordinated by six hydroxyl groups each, although the crystallographic positions of the two Al sites show little difference. The presence of two distinguished ²⁷Al NMR resonances characterized by rather similar chemical shifts but quadrupolar coupling constants differing by roughly a factor of two is explained by different character of the hydrogen bonds, in which the hydroxyls forming the corresponding octahedron around each aluminum site, are involved. The Al‐I site characterized by a C_Q = 4.6 MHz is surrounded by OH? groups participating in four intralayer and two interlayer hydrogen bonds, while the Al‐II site with the smaller quadrupolar constant (2.2 MHz) is coordinated by hydroxides, of which two point toward the intralayer cavities and four OH‐bonds are aligned toward the interlayer gallery. In high‐resolution solid‐state ¹H CRAMPS (combination of rotation and multiple‐pulse spectroscopy) four signals with an intensity ratio of 1:2:2:1 are resolved which allow to distinguish six nonequivalent hydrogen sites reported in the gibbsite crystal structure and to ascribe them to two types of structural OH groups associated with intralayer and interlayer hydrogen bonds. This study can be applied to characterize the gibbsite‐like layer—intergallery interactions associated with hydrogen bonding in the more complex systems, such as synthetic aluminum layered double hydroxides. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterization of a new hexasodium diphosphopentamolybdate hydrate, Na6[P2Mo5O23]x7H2O, by 23Na MQMAS NMR spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction

A novel hexasodium disphosphopentamolybdate hydrate, Na6[P2Mo5O23]x7H2O, has been identified using X-ray powder diffraction, 1H, 23Na, and 31P magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR, and 23Na multiple-quantum (MQ) MAS NMR. Powder XRD reveals that the hydrate belongs to the triclinic spacegroup P1 with cell dimensions a = 10.090(3) A, b = 15.448(5) A, c = 8.460(4) A, alpha = 101.45(6) degrees, beta = 104.09(2) degrees, gamma = 90.71(5) degrees, and Z = 2. The number of water molecules of crystallization has been determined on the basis of a quantitative evaluation of the 1H MAS NMR spectrum, the crystallographic unit cell volume, and a hydrogen content analysis. The 23Na MQMAS NMR spectra of Na6[P2Mo5O23]x7H2O, obtained at three different magnetic fields, clearly resolve resonances from six different sodium sites and allow a determination of the second-order quadrupolar effect parameters and isotropic chemical shifts for the individual resonances. These data are used to determine the quadrupole coupling parameters (CQ and eta Q) from simulations of the complex line shapes of the central transitions, observed in 23Na MAS NMR spectra at the three magnetic fields. This analysis illustrates the advantages of combining MQMAS and MAS NMR at moderate and high magnetic fields for a precise determination of quadrupole coupling parameters and isotropic chemical shifts for multiple sodium sites in inorganic systems. 31P MAS NMR demonstrates the presence of two distinct P sites in the asymmetric unit of Na6[P2Mo5O23].7H2O while the 31P chemical shielding anisotropy parameters, determined for this hydrate and for Na6[P2Mo5O23]x13H2O, show that these two hydrates can easily be distinguished using 31P MAS NMR.     

HZSM-5分子筛焙烧脱铝的27Al MQMAS NMR研究

用29Si、27Al魔角旋转固体核磁共振(MAS NMR)结合二维多量子魔角旋转(2D MQMAS)技术对焙烧脱铝的HZSM-5分子筛中铝的配位状态进行了研究.结果表明,HZSM-5分子筛经焙烧后,在化学位移(δ)45处出现一宽峰信号,其主要来自扭曲四配位铝.通过二维三量子铝谱计算出扭曲四配位铝的四极作用常数约为5.2 MHz.对700和750 ℃焙烧样品的铝谱进行分峰拟合,发现在δ 30处又出现一个小峰,归属为非骨架五配位铝.同时,在750 ℃焙烧样品的二维多量子铝谱中直接观察到非骨架五配位铝的信号.焙烧温度低于700 ℃,脱铝不明显；高于700 ℃,引起分子筛骨架的显著脱铝.焙烧还造成部分骨架铝的信号变得“不可观测”.     

95Mo magic angle spinning NMR at high field: improved measurements and structural analysis of the quadrupole interaction in monomolybdates and isopolymolybdates

In this study, 95Mo quadrupole couplings in various molydbates were measured easily and accurately with magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR under a directing field of 19.6 T. The resonance frequency of 54 MHz was sufficiently high to remove acoustic ringing artifacts, and the spectra could be analyzed in the usual terms of chemical shift and quadrupolar line shapes. For monomolybdates and molybdite, the quadrupole coupling dominated the NMR response, and the quadrupole parameters could be measured with better accuracy than in previous lower field studies. Moreover, despite the low symmetry of the molybdenum coordination, the usefulness of such measurements to probe molybdenum environments was established by ab initio density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the electric field gradient from known structures. The experimental NMR data correlated perfectly with the refined structures. In isopolymolybdates, the resonances were shapeless and DFT calculations were impossible because of the large and low symmetry unit cells. Nevertheless, empirical but clear NMR signatures were obtained from the spinning sidebands analysis or the MQMAS spectra. This was possible for the first time thanks to the improved baseline and sensitivity at high fields. With the generalization of NMR spectrometers operating above 17 T, it was predicted that 95Mo MAS NMR could evolve as a routine characterization tool for ill-defined structures such as supported molybdates in catalysis.     

Incorporation of aluminum in the calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) of hydrated portland cements: a high-field 27Al and 29Si MAS NMR investigation

The calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) phase resulting from hydration of a white Portland cement (wPc) in water and in a 0.3 M NaAlO(2) solution has been investigated at 14 and 11 hydration times, respectively, ranging from 6 h to 1 year by (27)Al and (29)Si MAS NMR spectroscopy. (27)Al MAS NMR spectra recorded at 7.05, 9.39, 14.09, and 21.15 T have allowed a determination of the (27)Al isotropic chemical shift (delta(iso)) and quadrupolar product parameter (P(Q) = C(Q)) for tetrahedrally coordinated Al incorporated in the C-S-H phase and for a pentacoordinated Al site. The latter site may originate from Al(3+) substituting for Ca(2+) ions situated in the interlayers of the C-S-H structure. The spectral region for octahedrally coordinated Al displays resonances from ettringite, monosulfate, and a third aluminate hydrate phase (delta(iso) = 5.0 ppm and P(Q) = 1.20 MHz). The latter phase is tentatively ascribed to a less-crystalline aluminate gel or calcium aluminate hydrate. The tetrahedral Al incorporated in the C-S-H phase has been quantitatively determined from (27)Al MAS spectra at 14.09 T and indirectly observed quantitatively in (29)Si MAS NMR spectra by the Q(2)(1Al) resonance at -81.0 ppm. A linear correlation is observed between the (29)Si MAS NMR intensity for the Q(2)(1Al) resonance and the quantity of Al incorporated in the C-S-H phase from (27)Al MAS NMR for the different samples of hydrated wPc. This correlation supports the assignment of the resonance at delta(iso)((29)Si) = -81.0 ppm to a Q(2)(1Al) site in the C-S-H phase and the assignment of the (27)Al resonance at delta(iso)((27)Al) = 74.6 ppm, characterized by P(Q)((27)Al) = 4.5 MHz, to tetrahedrally coordinated Al in the C-S-H. Finally, it is shown that hydration of wPc in a NaAlO(2) solution results in a C-S-H phase with a longer mean chain length of SiO(4) tetrahedra and an increased quantity of Al incorporated in the chain structure as compared to the C-S-H phase resulting from hydration of wPc in water.     

Zeolite nanoclusters coated onto the mesopore walls of SBA-15

Ultrahigh-field 27Al MAS and MQMAS NMR and 129Xe NMR were used to characterize the zeolite-coated SBA-15 materials. This study shows evidence that zeolite nanoclusters are coated on the mesopore surface of SBA-15. These techniques are useful for the detection of zeolite nanoclusters and different aluminum environments in zeolite/aluminosilicate composites, which are difficult or even impossible to detect by conventional techniques.     

Multinuclear solid-state high-resolution and 13C -{27Al} double-resonance magic-angle spinning NMR studies on aluminum alkoxides

A combination of 27Al magic-angle spinning (MAS)/multiple quantum (MQ)-MAS, 13C-1H CPMAS, and 13C-{27Al} transfer of population in double-resonance (TRAPDOR) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were used for the structural elucidation of the aluminum alkoxides aluminum ethoxide, aluminum isopropoxide, and aluminum tertiarybutoxide. Aluminum alkoxides exist as oligomers with aluminum in different coordinations. High-resolution 27Al MAS NMR experiments with high-spinning speed distinguished the aluminum atoms in different environments. The 27Al MAS NMR spectrum gave well-resolved powder patterns with different coordinations. Z-filter MQ-MAS was performed to obtain the number and types of aluminum environments in the oligomeric structure. 13C-1H CPMAS chemical shifts resolved the different carbon species (-CH3, =CH2, =CH-, and =C=) in the structures. 13C-{27Al} TRAPDOR experiments were employed to obtain relative Al-C dipolar interactions and to distinguish between terminal and bridging alkoxides in the crystallographic structures. The complete characterization of selected aluminum alkoxides using advanced NMR methods has evidenced the tetrameric structure for aluminum isopropoxide and the dimeric structure for aluminum tertiary-butoxide, as reported in the literature, and proposed a polymeric structure for aluminum ethoxide.     

Topotactic transformations of sodalite cages: synthesis and NMR study of mixed salt-free and salt-bearing sodalites

A series of mixed sodalite samples, Na(8)[Al(6)Si(6)O(24)]Br(x).(H(3)O(2))(2-x), with the unit cell stoichiometries varying in the 0 < x <2 region, was made by hydrothermal synthesis and subsequently transformed into Na(6+x)[Al(6)Si(6)O(24)]Br(x).(4H(2)O)(2-x) and Na(6+x)[Al(6)Si(6)O(24)]Br(x).circle(2-x) sodalites. Here, circle refers to an empty sodalite cage. The three series, referred hereafter to as the Br/basic, Br/hydro, and Br/dry series, were characterized by powder diffraction X-ray and by (23)Na, (27)Al, and (81)Br magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR and high-resolution triple quantum (TQ) MAS NMR spectroscopy. We determined that incorporation of Br(-) anions is 130 times more preferred than incorporation of H(3)O(2)(-) anions during the formation of sodalite cages, which permitted precise control of the halide content in the solid. Monotonic trends in chemical shifts were observed as a function of cage occupancy, reflecting continuous changes in structural parameters. A linear correlation between (81)Br chemical shift and lattice constant with a slope of -86 ppm/A was observed for all three series. Likewise, (23)Na chemical shifts for Na(+) cations in salt-bearing sodalite cages correlate linearly with the lattice constant. Both results indicate a universal dependence of the (23)Na and (81)Br chemical shifts on the Na-Br distance. The (27)Al chemical shifts of Br/basic and Br/hydro sodalites obey an established relation between delta(cs) and the average T-O-T bond angle of 0.72 ppm/degrees. Br/dry sodalites show two aluminum resonances, characterized by significantly different chemical shifts and quadrupolar interaction parameters. In that series, local symmetry distortions are evident from strong quadrupolar perturbations in the NMR spectra. P(Q) values for (27)Al vary between 0.8 MHz in Br/basic sodalites and 4.4 MHz in the Br/dry series caused by deviations from the tetrahedral symmetry of the salt-free sodalite cages. For (23)Na, P(Q) values of 0.8, 0.8, 2.0, and 5.7 MHz were found for sodium in bromo, basic, hydro, and dry cages, respectively. In addition, both (23)Na and (81)Br spectra offer some evidence that the Br(-) anions in the Br/dry sodalite are displaced from the center of the expanded sodalite cage. For all three series, the spectral deconvolution of the (23)Na NMR line shapes permits an accurate determination of the mixed sodalite stoichiometry.     

Solid‐state NMR characterization of oxygen sites in organically modified aluminosilicate xerogels

Solid‐state NMR characterization of hybrid aluminosilicate xerogels, by ¹⁷O magic angle spinning (MAS) and triple quantum magic angle spinning (MQMAS) techniques, evidences Si—O—Si and Si—O—Al oxygen sites, spectrally separated in MQMAS experiments. Inversion of the MQMAS spectra allows the measurement of quadrupolar parameters, isotropic chemical shifts, distribution of chemical shift and discussion of the mobility of the structural units. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic effects in MAS and MQMAS NMR spectra of half-integer quadrupolar nuclei: calculations and an application to the double perovskite cryolite

Dynamic processes such as chemical exchange or rotations between inequivalent orientations can affect the magic-angle spinning (MAS) and the multiple-quantum (MQ) MAS NMR spectra of half-integer quadrupolar nuclei. The present paper discusses such dynamic multisite MAS and MQMAS effects and applies them to study the dynamic processes that occur in the double perovskite cryolite, Na3AlF6. Dynamic line shape simulations invoking a second-order broadening of the central transition and relying on the semiclassical Bloch-McConnell formalism for chemical exchange were performed for a variety of exchange models possessing different symmetries. Fitting experimental variable-temperature cryolite 23Na NMR data with this formalism revealed that the two inequivalent sodium sites in this mineral undergo an exchange characterized by a broad distribution of rates. To further assess this dynamic process a variety of 27Al and 19F MAS NMR studies were also undertaken; quantitative 27Al-19F dipolar coupling measurements then revealed a dynamic motion of the AlF6 octahedra that were qualitatively consistent with predictions stemming from molecular dynamic simulations on this double perovskite.     

Multinuclear high-resolution NMR study of compounds from the ternary system NaF-CaF2-AlF3: from determination to modeling of NMR parameters

27Al and 23Na NMR satellite transition spectroscopy and 3Q magic-angle-spinning spectra are recorded for three compounds from the ternary NaF-CaF2-AlF3 system. The quadrupolar frequency nuQ, asymmetry parameter etaQ, and isotropic chemical shift deltaiso are extracted from the spectrum reconstructions for five aluminum and four sodium sites. The quadrupolar parameters are calculated using the LAPW-based ab initio code WIEN2k. It is necessary to perform a structure optimization of all compounds to ensure a fine agreement between experimental and calculated parameters. By a comparison of experimental and calculated values, an attribution of all of the 27Al and 23Na NMR lines to the crystallographic sites is achieved. High-speed 19F NMR MAS spectra are recorded and reconstructed for the same compounds, leading to the determination of 18 isotropic chemical shifts. The superposition model developed by Bureau et al. is used, allowing a bijective assignment of the 19F NMR lines to the crystallographic sites.     

A solid-state 53Cr NMR study of chromate and dichromate salts

Solid-state (53)Cr NMR spectra of a series of chromate (CrO4(2-)) and dichromate (Cr2O7(2-)) salts have been examined by employing the stepped-frequency quadrupolar Carr-Purcell Meiboom-Gill (QCPMG) experiment and high applied magnetic field strengths, 11.75 and 18.8 T. Cr-53 nuclear quadrupolar coupling constants, CQ(53Cr), ranging from 1.23 to 5.01 MHz for the Cr(4(2-) salts and 7.25 to 8.14 MHz for the Cr2O7(2-) salts have been measured. For the dichromate salts, this corresponds to central transition 53Cr NMR lineshapes of 200-250 kHz at 18.8 T. The use of hyperbolic secant (HS) pulses in combination with the Hahn-echo (HE) or QCPMG experiment results in significant sensitivity enhancements when acquiring 53Cr NMR spectra of magic-angle spinning (MAS) samples, provided the MAS rate is fast with respect to the second-order quadrupolar interaction. For the CrO4(2-) and Cr2O7(2-) salts, the anisotropic chromium magnetic shielding interaction is generally negligible compared to the second-order 53Cr nuclear quadrupolar interaction. No simple correlation between the structure of the CrO4(2-) and Cr2O7(2-) anions and the observed CQ(53Cr) values has been found.     

High-resolution NMR spectroscopy of quadrupolar nuclei in solids: satellite-transition MAS with self-compensation for magic-angle misset

Several methods are available for obtaining high-resolution NMR spectra of half-integer spin quadrupolar nuclei, such as (11)B, (23)Na (I = (3)/(2)) and (17)O, (27)Al (I = (5)/(2)), in powdered solids. Satellite-transition magic-angle spinning (STMAS) uses only conventional magic-angle spinning (MAS) hardware and, it has been claimed, improves significantly upon the signal-to-noise ratio obtained with the widely adopted multiple-quantum MAS (MQMAS) experiment. The STMAS technique, however, requires that the sample rotation axis be set to the magic angle (cos(-1)(1/ radical 3) = 54.736 degrees ) with respect to the magnetic field B(0) with an accuracy of better than +/-0.004 degrees, and this stringent requirement has severely limited the use of the method. Here, we propose a novel version of STMAS that self-compensates for magic-angle missets of up to +/-1.0 degrees and yet retains a sensitivity comparable with MQMAS. This SCAM-STMAS experiment is demonstrated on RbNO(3) using (87)Rb (I = (3)/(2)) NMR and on kyanite (Al(2)SiO(5)) using (27)Al (I = (5)/(2)) NMR.     

Synthesis of the hydroxide cluster [Al13(μ3-OH)6(μ-OH)18(H2O)24]15+ from an aqueous solution

A scalable synthesis of the "flat" tridecameric inorganic cluster [Al(13)(μ(3)-OH)(6)(μ-OH)(18)(H(2)O)(24)](15+) has been realized by treating an aqueous aluminum nitrate solution with a zinc-metal powder at room temperature. Single crystals and polycrystalline samples are readily obtained in yields exceeding 55% relative to the starting reagent Al(NO(3))(3). Products have been characterized by X-ray diffraction and solid-state (27)Al MAS and MQMAS NMR.     

Structural characterization of MAO and related aluminum complexes. 1. Solid-state (27)Al NMR with comparison to EFG tensors from ab initio molecular orbital calculations.

Experimental and ab initio molecular orbital techniques are developed for study of aluminum species with large quadrupole coupling constants to test structural models for methylaluminoxanes (MAO). The techniques are applied to nitrogen- and oxygen-containing complexes of aluminum and to solid MAO isolated from active commercial MAO preparations. (Aminato)- and (propanolato)aluminum clusters with 3-, 4-, and 6-coordinate aluminum sites are studied with three (27)Al NMR techniques optimized for large (27)Al quadrupole coupling constants: field-swept, frequency-stepped, and high-field MAS NMR. Four-membered (aminato)aluminum complexes with AlN(4) coordination yield slightly smaller C(q) values than similar AlN(2)C(2) sites: 12.2 vs 15.8 MHz. Planar 3-coordinate AlN(2)C sites have the largest C(q) values, 37 MHz. In all cases, molecular orbital calculations of the electric field gradient tensors yields C(q) and eta values that match with experiment, even for a large hexameric (aminato)aluminum cage. A D(3d) symmetry hexaaluminum oxane cluster, postulated as a model for MAO, yields a calculated C(q) of -23.7 MHz, eta = 0.7474, and predicts a spectrum that is too broad to match the field-swept NMR of methylaluminoxane, which shows at least three sites, all with C(q) values greater than 15 MHz but less than 21 MHz. Thus, the proposed hexaaluminum cluster, with its strained four-membered rings, is not a major component of MAO. However, calculations for dimers of the cage complex, either edge-bridged or face-bridged, show a much closer match to experiment. Also, MAO preparations differ, with a gel form of MAO having significantly larger (27)Al C(q) values than a nongel form, a conclusion reached on the basis of (27)Al NMR line widths in field-swept NMR spectra acquired from 13 to 24 T.