Surface characterization of chromia for chlorine/fluorine exchange reactions

The dismutation of CCl(2)F(2) was used to probe the effect of halogenation of chromia by Cl/F exchange reactions to find out the difference between the halogenated inactive and active catalysts. The heterogeneous reactions were performed in a continuous flow Ni reactor and also under simulated reaction conditions in a reactor where after the reaction X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray excited Auger electron spectroscopy (XAES) analyses are possible without air exposure of the catalyst, i.e., under so-called "in situ" conditions. The Cr(III) 2p XP spectra, which revealed multiplet splitting features and satellite emission, were used for chemical analysis by using a simple evaluation procedure which neglects this inherent complexity. Chemical analysis was also applied by using chemical state plots for Cr 3s in order to cross-check Cr 2p related results. Both ex and in situ XPS show that as soon as Cr(2)O(3) is exposed to CCl(2)F(2) at 390 degrees C fluorination as well as chlorination takes place at the catalyst surface. When the XPS surface composition reaches approximately 4 at. % fluorination and 6 at. % chlorination, maximum catalytic activity was obtained. Application of longer reaction times did not change significantly the obtained surface composition of the activated chromia. The fluorination and chlorination of chromia was further investigated by various HF and HCl treatments. The activated chromia samples and the Cr(2)O(3), Cr(OH)(3), CrF(2)OH, CrF(3) x H(2)O, alpha-CrF(3), beta-CrF(3), and CrCl(3) reference samples with well-known chemical structures were also characterized by X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (TOF-SIMS), pyridine-FTIR, wet chemical (F and Cl) analysis, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and surface area (BET) analysis. The results suggest that the formation of chromium oxide chloride fluoride species, e.g., chromium oxide halides, at the surface is sufficient to provide catalytic activity. The presence of any CrF(3) and/or CrCl(3) phases on the activated chromia samples was not found.     

Gas-phase reactions of chromium and chromium fluoride cations CrFn+ (n = 0-4) with phosphane

The reactions of chromium and chromium fluoride monocations CrFn+ (n = 0-4) with phosphane are investigated by Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Besides condensing slowly with phosphane, Cr+ is unreactive. The ionic products of the chromium fluoride cations are as follows: (i) CrF+ yields CrPH2+ and subsequently CrPH3+; (ii) from CrF2+, the ions PH3+, Cr+, and CrF2H+ are generated; and (iii) both CrF3+ and CrF4+ yield PH3+. The structure and formation of [Cr,P,H3]+ are investigated by collision-induced dissociation and isotopic labeling experiments. For the neutral species [P,H3,F2] formed by reaction of CrF2+ with phosphane, the structures are interrogated by quantum-mechanical calculations at the MP2/6-31++G** level of theory.     

Analysis of chromium(III)-fluoride-complexes by ion chromatography

A method for the ion chromatographic separation of cationic CrF(x)-species in aqueous acidic solutions with photometric detection is described. CrF(3)-, CrF(+)(2)- and CrF(2+)-species can be separated on a commercial cation-exchange column using HCl/2,3-diaminopropionic acid (DAP) as eluent. The chromium(III)-complexes are converted with 2,6- pyridinedicarboxylic acid (PDCA) into the violet [Cr(PDCA)(2)](-)-complex at temperatures >90 degrees C by post-column derivatisation for the subsequent spectrophotometric detection at lambda=335 nm. Iron- and nickel-ions do not disturb the determination even in concentrations higher than those of the chromium (III)-ions.     

A Density Functional Study of the Structure and Stability of CrF(4), CrF(5), and CrF(6)

The structure and stability of VF(5) and the higher chromium fluorides CrF(4), CrF(5), and CrF(6) have been investigated using density functional theory. The local density approximation (LDA) was used to obtain geometries and vibrational frequencies, while nonlocal corrections were added in order to obtain more accurate binding energies. The results obtained for CrF(4) and VF(5) are in good agreement with the available experimental data, indicating the quality of the method used. Both CrF(5) and CrF(6) are found to be stable with respect to Cr-F dissociation. The calculated binding energies are 49.7 and 40.7 kcal/mol, respectively. In agreement with recent ab initio work, the octahedral isomer is found to be the most stable for CrF(6). An activation barries of 16.9 kcal/mol is calculated for pseudorotation to a trigonal prism transition structure. CrF(5) is found to be dynamically Jahn-Teller distorted from D(3h) to C(2v) symmetry.     

Theoretical studies of alkyl radicals in the NaY and HY zeolites

Interplay of quantum mechanical calculations and experimental data on hyperfine coupling constants of ethyl radical in zeolites at several temperatures was engaged to study the geometries and binding energies and to predict the temperature dependence of hyperfine splitting of a series of alkyl radicals in zeolites for the first time. The main focus is on the hyperfine interaction of alkyl radicals in the NaY and HY zeolites. The hyperfine splitting for neutral free radicals and free radical cations is predicted for different zeolite environments. This information can be used to establish the nature of the muoniated alkyl radicals in the NaY and HY zeolites via muSR experiments. The muon hyperfine coupling constants of the ethane radical cation in these zeolites are very large with relatively little dependence on temperature. It was found that the intramolecular dynamics of alkyl free radicals are only weakly affected by their strong binding to zeolites. In contrast, the substrate binding has a significant effect on their intermolecular dynamics.     

Density functional theory study of the beta-carotene radical cation and deprotonated radicals

The beta-carotene radical cation and deprotonated neutral radicals were studied at the density functional theory (DFT) level using different density functionals and basis sets: B3LYP/3-21G, SVWN5/6-31G*, BPW91/DGDZVP2, and B3LYP/6-31G**. The geometries, total energies, spin distributions, and isotropic and anisotropic hyperfine coupling constants of these species were calculated. Deprotonation of the methyl group at the double bond of the cyclohexene ring of the carotenoid radical cation at 5 or 5' produces the most stable neutral radical because of retention of the pi-conjugated system while less stable deprotonation at 9 or 9' and 13 or 13' of the chain methyl groups causes significant distortion of the conjugation. The predicted methyl hyperfine coupling constants of 13-16 MHz of the neutral radicals are in good agreement with the previous electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) spectrum of photolyzed beta-carotene on a solid support. DFT calculations on the beta-carotene radical cation in a polar water environment showed that the polar environment does not cause significant changes in the proton hyperfine constants from those in the isolated gas-phase molecule. DFT calculated methyl proton hyperfine coupling constants of less than 7.2 MHz are in agreement with those reported for the radical cation in photosystem II (PS II) and those found in the absence of UV light for the radical cation on a silica alumina matrix.     

Simplification of complex EPR spectra by cepstral analysis

As the Fourier transform of time-series data is known as the spectrum, the Fourier transform of the logarithm of the time-series data is called the cepstrum of the data. When cepstral analysis is applied to free induction decay signals of free radicals showing first-order EPR spectra, the identification of nuclear hyperfine coupling constants becomes simple. In a systematic manner, we have examined how the technique of cepstral analysis is affected by the presence of aliasing, noise, uncertainty in the time origin of the free induction decay, the presence of second-order hyperfine couplings, and the applications of various apodization methods. This technique was then applied to analyze the EPR spectrum of anthraquinone anion radical, and anion radicals of porphycene and tetrapropyl-porphycene, and the hyperfine coupling constants thus obtained were compared with published data. A good agreement was always found. We make a case for the usefulness of cepstral analysis in determining the hyperfine coupling constants of complex EPR spectra of organic free radicals.     

Chromium(II) and chromium(III) complexes supported by tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine: synthesis, structures, and reactivity

This report describes the synthesis, structural characterization, and polymerization behavior of a series of chromium(II) and chromium(III) complexes ligated by tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA), including chromium(III) organometallic derivatives. For instance, the combination of TPA with CrCl(2) yields monomeric (TPA)CrCl(2) (1). A similar reaction of CrCl(2) with TPA, followed by chloride abstraction with NaBPh(4) or NaBAr(F)(4) (Ar(F) = 3,5-(CF(3))(2)C(6)H(3)), provides the weakly associated cationic dimers [(TPA)CrCl](2)[BPh(4)](2) (2A) and [(TPA)CrCl](2)[BAr(F)(4)](2) (2B), respectively. X-ray crystallographic analysis reveals that each chromium(II) center in 1, 2A, and 2B is a tetragonally elongated octahedron; such Jahn-Teller distortions are consistent with the observed high spin (S = 2) electronic configurations for these chromium(II) complexes. Likewise, reaction of CrCl(3)(THF)(3) with TPA, followed by anion metathesis with NaBPh(4) or NaBAr(F)(4), yields the monomeric, cationic chromium(III) complexes [(TPA)CrCl(2)][BPh(4)] (4A) and [(TPA)CrCl(2)][BAr(F)(4)] (4B), respectively. Treatment of 4A with methyl and phenyl Grignard reagents produces the cationic chromium(III) organometallic derivatives [(TPA)Cr(CH(3))(2)][BPh(4)] (5) and [(TPA)CrPh(2)][BPh(4)] (6), respectively. Similar reactions of 4A with organolithium reagents leads to intractable solids, presumably due to overreduction of the chromium(III) center. X-ray crystallographic analysis of 4A, 5, and 6 confirms that each possesses a largely undistorted octahedral chromium center, consistent with the observed S = (3)/(2) electronic ground states. Compounds 1, 2A, 2B, 4A, 4B, 5, and 6 are all active polymerization catalysts in the presence of methylalumoxane, producing low to moderate molecular weight high-density polyethylene.     

All electron calculations of open-shell polyatomic molecules. III. Perturbation treatment of the spin polarization in vinyl and methyl radicals

A first order perturbation treatment starting with SCF-MO 'S in canonical or equivalent quasi-localized form is presented for the hyperfine coupling constants of vinyl and methyl radicals. The spin-polarisation contribution to hyperfine splittings is found to be large, negative for the proton of the radical center in both radicals and positive for the β protons of vinyl.     

Esr of pterin and lumazine radicals in solution

Cationic tetrahydrolumazine radicals and cationic tetrahydropterin radicals were detected by electron spin resonance when 5-alkyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrolumazines and 5-alkyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterins were oxidized with hydrogen peroxide in formic acid. The hyperfine interactions of both types of radicals are essentially the same.Two consecutive radical species were observed during the oxidation of 3,5,8-trialkyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrolumazines in formic acid. They were identified as cationic tetrahydrolumazine radicals and cationic dihydrolumazine radicals.The ESR spectra of neutral trihydro- and monohydro-lumazine radicals, which have not been obtained before, were recorded during the oxidation of 5-alkyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrolumazines in chloroform. Starting from 5-butyl-1,3-dimethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrolumazine three different radicals were observed.The spectra were interpreted in terms of hyperfine coupling constants and nuclear spins of the atoms involved.     

Organic free radicals in superheated water studied by muon spin spectroscopy

There is a pressing need to identify and monitor reaction intermediates in water at high temperatures and pressures, but conventional techniques have limited capability for studying transient free radicals under such challenging conditions. Apparatus has now been developed to permit muon avoided-level crossing spectroscopy (muLCR) of organic free radicals in superheated water. The combination of muLCR with transverse-field muon spin rotation (TF-muSR) provides the means to identify and characterize free radicals via their nuclear hyperfine coupling constants. Because the radicals are derived from the addition of muonium (Mu = mu+ e-) to unsaturated compounds, the ensuing muoniated free radicals correspond to conventional organic free radicals but with a muon spin label substituted for one of the protons. Muon spin spectroscopy is the only technique presently being used to characterize transient free radicals under hydrothermal conditions in an unambiguous manner, free from interference from other reaction intermediates. This paper demonstrates how muoniated radicals can be used to monitor the species present in hydrothermal systems, and examples are presented from two classes of reaction: dehydration of alcohols and enolization of ketones. Spectra are displayed and hyperfine constants reported for muoniated forms of the following free radicals in superheated water (typically 350 degrees C at 250 bar): 2-propyl, 2-methyl-2-propyl (tert-butyl), and 2-hydroxy-2-propyl. The latter radical is the product of muonium addition to both the keto and the enol forms of acetone, but different isotopomers are produced according to which reaction channel is dominant. This should prove invaluable in future studies of the role of enols in combustion.     

Mechanistic studies of the ethylene trimerization reaction with chromium-diphosphine catalysts: experimental evidence for a mechanism involving metallacyclic intermediates

A system for catalytic trimerization of ethylene utilizing CrCl3(THF)3 and a diphosphine ligand PNPOMe [= (o-MeO-C6H4)2PN(Me)P(o-MeO-C6H4)2] has been investigated. The coordination chemistry of chromium with PNPOMe has been explored, and (PNPOMe)CrCl3 and (PNPOMe)CrPh3 (3) have been synthesized by ether displacement from chromium(III) precursors. Salt metathesis of (PNPOMe)CrCl3 with o,o'-biphenyldiyl Grignard affords (PNPOMe)Cr(o,o'-biphenyldiyl)Br (4). Activation of 3 with H(Et2O)2B[C6H3(CF3)2]4 or 4 with NaB[C6H3(CF3)2]4 generates a catalytic system and trimerizes a 1:1 mixture of C2D4 and C2H4 to give isotopomers of 1-hexene without H/D scrambling (C6D12, C6D8H4, C6D4H8, and C6H12 in a 1:3:3:1 ratio). The lack of crossover supports a mechanism involving metallacyclic intermediates. The mechanism of the ethylene trimerization reaction has also been studied by the reaction of trans-, cis-, and gem-ethylene-d2 with 4 upon activation with NaB[C6H3(CF3)2]4.     

Rotational spectra of the carbon-chain radicals HC5O, HC6O, and HC7O

Three new free carbon-chain radicals, HC5O, HC6O, and HC7O, and their deuterated isotopic species have been observed by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy of a supersonic molecular beam. In contrast to the shorter HCnO radicals, these all have linear heavy-atom backbones and 2Pi electronic ground states. Like the isovalent HCnS radicals, the ground states of the HCnO radicals alternate with odd and even numbers of carbon atoms: those of HC5O and HC7O are 2Pi1/2 and that of HC6O is 2Pi3/2. From frequency measurements between 6 and 26 GHz, the rotational constant B, the centrifugal distortion constant D, and the lambda-type doubling and magnetic hyperfine constants have been determined to high precision for each chain. Predicted properties from coupled-cluster calculations are also reported for chains up to HC9O. The production of HCnO radicals for n even was highly favored when O2 was used as the source of oxygen, but those with n odd were best produced with CO.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of hydrazyl radicals

A study of the nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of six hydrazyl radicals in solution, including α,α′-diphenyl-β-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), has been carried out. From the values of the paramagnetic shifts the constants (α_H) of hyperfine coupling with the protons were found. For DPPH these have the following values: On the basis of the analysis of the hyperfine constants a conclusion is drawn concerning the substantial role of σ-electron spin density delocalization in aromatic rings. The geometric structure of radicals investigated is also discussed in the paper.     

Comments on the indo calculation of hyperfine coupling in the σ phenyl radical

The relative magnitudes and signs of the hyperfine coupling constants in the phenyl radical, calculated by INDO, are explained by a combination of delocalization of electron spin density into the sigma framwork and a modification of the exchange polarization effects commonly observed for π-type radicals.     

An analysis of the through-bond interaction using the localized molecular orbitals—II : Long-range proton hyperfine coupling in bridgehead alkyl radicals: bicyclo[1.1.1]pent-1-yl,bicyclo[2.1.1]hex-1-yl and bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-1-yl radicals

The INDO calculations were performed on three bridgehead alkyl radicals; bicyclo[1.1.1]pent-1-yl, bicyclo[2.1.1]hex-l-yl and bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-1-yl radicals. We have transformed the canonical molecular orbitals obtained by the INDO method into the localized molecular orbitals. With the use of the obtained localized molecular orbitals, the variation in the hyperfine coupling constant at the bridgehead proton in these radicals was pursued in terms of the through-bond (and/or the through-space) interaction according to the method by which we selectively can pick up a particular interaction between the specified localized molecular orbitals in a radical. As a result of this analysis, it was found that the hyperfine coupling constants in these radicals can be expressed by the summation of several terms; through-virtuals, through-space, through-bond, and some other coupling terms.     

Observation of the pure rotational spectra of trans- and cis-HOCO

Pure rotational spectra of trans- and cis-HOCO have been observed by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy and the millimeter-wave double resonance technique, where gas phase spectra of the cis-conformer were observed for the first time. These radicals were produced in a supersonic jet by discharging a mixture gas of CO and H(2)O diluted in Ar. The molecular constants including the fine and hyperfine constants have been precisely determined for both conformers. Deuterated analogs have also been observed. The determined r(0) structures agree with these of ab initio calculations. The Fermi contact constants show a difference of the unpaired electron densities on the protons between the two conformers. Intensity of the spectrum for cis-HOCO was compared with that of trans-HOCO, leading to a conclusion that both conformers were produced nearly equally in abundance under the present experimental conditions.     

π-Electronic structure of the nitrofuran system

Anion radicals of 2-vinylene derivatives of 5-nitrofuran were obtained by electrochemical generation. The hyperfine structure (hfs) of the ESR spectra of these anion radicals indicates delocalization of the unpaired electron over their entire π-electron system. The effect of the vinylene grouping on the distribution of the unpaired electron in the anion radicals and on the distribution of the unpaired electron in the vinylene grouping itself was examined on the basis of the hfs constants. It was found that the vinylene grouping by localizing more than 10% of the density of the unpaired electron on itself reduces, by a factor of 1.4, the effect of substituents in the 2 position of 5-nitrofuran on the distribution of the spin of the unpaired electron in the nitrofuran framework.