Advantageous Interfacial Effects of AgPd/g-C3N4 for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution: Electronic Structure and H2O Dissociation

Bimetallic AgPd nanoparticles have been synthesized before, but the interfacial electronic effects of AgPd on the photocatalytic performance have been investigated less. In this work, the results of hydrogen evolution suggest that the bimetallic AgPd/g-C₃N₄ sample has superior activity to Ag/g-C₃N₄ and Pd/g-C₃N₄ photocatalysts. The UV/Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, CO adsorption diffuse reflectance FTIR spectroscopy, and FTIR results demonstrate that in the AgPd/g-C₃N₄, the surface electronic structures of Pd and Ag are changed, which is beneficial for faster photogenerated electron transfer and greater H₂O molecule adsorption. In situ ESR spectra suggest that, under visible light irradiation, there is more H₂O dissociation to radical species on the AgPd/g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst. Furthermore, DFT calculations confirm the interfacial electronic effects of AgPd/g-C₃N₄, that is, Pd^δ−⋅⋅⋅Ag^δ+, and the activation energy of H₂O molecule dissociation on AgPd/g-C₃N₄ is the lowest, which is the main contributor to the enhanced photocatalytic H₂ evolution.     

Stereodivergent Desymmetrization of Simple Dicarboxylates via Branch-Selective Pd/Cu Catalyzed Allylic Substitution

Asymmetric desymmetrization has been demonstrated to be a powerful strategy for building stereocenters in asymmetric synthesis. Herein, a Pd/Cu catalyzed asymmetric desymmetrization reaction with a simple geminal dicarboxylate is reported. A wide scope of imino esters bearing an aryl or heteroaromatic group were compatible with this bimetallic catalytic system. The reactions proceeded smoothly, giving the desired products in good yields with high to excellent regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivity (up to 20 : 1 branched:linear, >20 : 1 dr, >99 % ee). Notably, the reaction favored branched selectivity, which is unusual for the Pd-catalyzed allylic alkylation reaction. In addition, the standard product could be easily transformed to other valuable molecules such as chiral allylic alcohols, carbamates, and organic boron compounds. Furthermore, DFT calculations were conducted to explain the origin of the branched selectivity.     

In Situ Generation of ArCu from CuF2 Makes Coupling of Bulky Aryl Silanes Feasible and Highly Efficient

A bimetallic system of Pd/CuF₂, catalytic in Pd and stoichiometric in Cu, is very efficient and selective for the coupling of fairly hindered aryl silanes with aryl, anisyl, phenylaldehyde, p‐cyanophenyl, p‐nitrophenyl, or pyridyl iodides of conventional size. The reaction involves the activation of the silane by Cu^II, followed by disproportionation and transmetalation from the Cu^I(aryl) to Pd^II, upon which coupling takes place. Cu^III formed during disproportionation is reduced to Cu^I(aryl) by excess aryl silane, so that the CuF₂ system is fully converted into Cu^I(aryl) and used in the coupling. Moreover, no extra source of fluoride is needed. Interesting size selectivity towards coupling is found in competitive reactions of hindered aryl silanes. Easily accessible [PdCl₂(IDM)(AsPh₃)] (IDM = 1,3‐dimethylimidazol‐2‐ylidene) is by far the best catalyst, and the isolated products are essentially free from As or Pd (<1 ppm). The mechanistic aspects of the process have been experimentally examined and discussed.     

Insight into Oxide‐Bridged Heterobimetallic Al/Zr Olefin Polymerization Catalysts

Reaction of (TBBP)AlMe ? THF with [Cp*₂Zr(Me)OH] gave [(TBBP)Al(THF)?O?Zr(Me)Cp*₂] (TBBP=3,3’,5,5’‐tetra‐tBu‐2,2'‐biphenolato). Reaction of [DIPPnacnacAl(Me)?O?Zr(Me)Cp₂] with [PhMe₂NH]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]^? gave a cationic Al/Zr complex that could be structurally characterized as its THF adduct [(DIPPnacnac)Al(Me)?O?Zr(THF)Cp₂]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]^? (DIPPnacnac=HC[(Me)C=N(2,6‐iPr₂?C₆H₃)]₂). The first complex polymerizes ethene in the presence of an alkylaluminum scavenger but in the absence of methylalumoxane (MAO). The adduct cation is inactive under these conditions. Theoretical calculations show very high energy barriers (ΔG=40–47 kcal mol^?1) for ethene insertion with a bridged AlOZr catalyst. This is due to an unfavorable six‐membered‐ring transition state, in which the methyl group bridges the metal and ethene with an obtuse metal‐Me‐C angle that prevents synchronized bond‐breaking and making. A more‐likely pathway is dissociation of the Al‐O‐Zr complex into an aluminate and the active polymerization catalyst [Cp*₂ZrMe]⁺.     

Formation and Reactivity of Organo‐Functionalized Tin Selenide Clusters

Reactions of R¹SnCl₃ (R¹=CMe₂CH₂C(O)Me) with (SiMe₃)₂Se yield a series of organo‐functionalized tin selenide clusters, [(SnR¹)₂SeCl₄] ( 1 ), [(SnR¹)₂Se₂Cl₂] ( 2 ), [(SnR¹)₃Se₄Cl] ( 3 ), and [(SnR¹)₄Se₆] ( 4 ), depending on the solvent and ratio of the reactants used. NMR experiments clearly suggest a stepwise formation of 1 through 4 by subsequent condensation steps with the concomitant release of Me₃SiCl. Furthermore, addition of hydrazines to the keto‐functionalized clusters leads to the formation of hydrazone derivatives, [(Sn₂(μ‐R³)(μ‐Se)Cl₄] ( 5 , R³=[CMe₂CH₂CMe(NH)]₂), [(SnR²)₃Se₄Cl] ( 6 , R²=CMe₂CH₂C(NNH₂)Me), [(SnR⁴)₃Se₄][SnCl₃] ( 7 , R⁴=CMe₂CH₂C(NNHPh)Me), [(SnR²)₄Se₆] ( 8 ), and [(SnR⁴)₄Se₆] ( 9 ). Upon treatment of 4 with [Cu(PPh₃)₃Cl] and excess (SiMe₃)₂Se, the cluster fragments to form [(R¹Sn)₂Se₂(CuPPh₃)₂Se₂] ( 10 ), the first discrete Sn/Se/Cu cluster compound reported in the literature. The derivatization reactions indicate fundamental differences between organotin sulfide and organotin selenide chemistry.     

[Nb@Ge13/14]3−: New Family Members of Ge-Based Intermetalloid Clusters

During the past two decades, single-atom-centered medium-sized germanium clusters [M@Ge_n] (M=transition metals, n>12) have been extensively explored, both from theoretical perspectives and experimental gas-phase syntheses. However, the actual structural arrangements of the Ge₁₃ and Ge₁₄ endohedral cages are still ambiguous and have long remained an unresolved problem for experimental implementation. In this work, we successfully synthesize 13-/14-vertex Ge clusters [Nb@Ge₁₃]³⁻ ( 1 ) and [Nb@Ge₁₄]³⁻ ( 2 ), which are structurally characterized and exhibit unprecedented topologies, neither classical deltahedra nor 3-connected polyhedral structures. Theoretical analysis indicates that the major stabilization of the Ge backbones arises due to the substantial interaction of Ge 4p-AOs with the endohedral Nb 4d-AOs through three/four-center two-electron bonds with an enhanced electron density accumulated over the shortest Nb−Ge13 contact in 1 . Low occupancies of the direct two-center two-electron (2c–2e) Nb−Ge and Ge−Ge σ bonds point to a considerable degree of electron delocalization over the Ge cages revealing their electron deficiency.     

Modified layered bimetallic compound used as a novel adsorbent for the solid-phase extraction of monoaromatic hydrocarbons from water samples prior to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

This study reports a promising method of solid-phase extraction for determining the toluene, ethylbenzene, p-xylene, m-xylene, o-xylene, 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene in water samples by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Prior to this procedure, the magnesium–aluminum bimetallic hydroxides modified with sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (Mg/Al-SDBS-LDH) were prepared and served as the novel solid-phase extractant. The Mg/Al-SDBS-LDH has advantage of good hydrophobicity and larger spacing which facilitates the monoaromatic hydrocarbons (MAHCs) into the interlayer for adsorption. As a result, the seven MAHCs in 500 mL water samples were enriched greatly, and the theoretical enrichment factor reached to 125 times. Under the optimized conditions of solid-phase extraction (SPE) and GC–MS, the mass concentration of each MAHC (0.005–10, 0.01–10, or 0.05–10 ng/mL) had a fine linear relationship with peak area. The correlation coefficients were more than 0.995. The detection limits were between 0.001 and 0.01 ng/mL, and the RSD were between 3.1% and 6.6%. The method had been applied to determine the seven MAHCs in the Dongfengqu river water and laboratory wastewater of Chengdu University of Technology successfully.