压缩CO2中Co-N-C催化3-硝基苯乙烯选择性加氢反应动力学及相行为

对于苯环上含有各种可还原基团(如–C=C,–CN,–C≡C)的硝基芳烃,通过选择性加氢来制备芳香胺类化合物依然充满挑战.负载型纳米催化剂通常存在过度加氢的缺陷,虽然通过覆盖部分金属位点等方法可改善其选择性,但多是以牺牲催化活性为代价.得益于较高的原子利用率以及孤立的活性位结构,单原子催化剂在硝基芳烃选择性加氢反应中崭露头角.例如Pt1/FeOx单原子催化剂在3-硝基苯乙烯加氢反应中对目标产物的选择性高于99％,且转化频率(TOF)是Pt纳米催化剂的20倍以上.然而,已报道的单原子催化体系中,活性组分多为Pt族贵金属,且以有机溶剂为反应介质,不符合绿色化学理念.本文以环境友好型溶剂——压缩CO2为反应介质,以氮掺杂碳负载非贵金属Co单原子(Co-N-C)为催化剂,实现了3-硝基苯乙烯的选择性加氢,且反应体系中无任何有机溶剂和助剂.在温和(60 oC,3 MPa H2(RT),总压8.1 MPa)的反应条件下,3-硝基苯乙烯可完全转化,目标产物3-乙烯基苯胺的选择性达到>99％,且产物可通过简单卸压直接分离.Co-N-C单原子催化剂表现出较高的稳定性,循环使用4次以后活性并无明显降低.HAADF-STEM表征发现反应后的催化剂中,Co仍然呈单原子分散.研究发现,通过改变CO2压力(即CO2相行为)可调变H2在其中的溶解度以及在加氢反应中的反应级数,进而调变反应速率.通常认为,催化活性会随CO2压力增大呈线性增加,而本文中转化率却随CO2压力增加呈现"倒V型"曲线关系,即当体系总压为8.1 MPa(PCO2=5.0 MPa)时,转化率达到最大值(100％),而升高或降低CO2压力均会显著降低催化活性.为解释"倒V型"曲线的成因,通过含可视窗的高压釜研究了3-硝基苯乙烯/CO2/H2三元体系的相行为.发现当总压为13.4 MPa时,体系为均匀的一相(即3-硝基苯乙烯完全溶解在CO2中);而当总压为8.1 MPa时,却形成了气-液两相.用激光笔照射高压釜上部的气相时,出现了明显的丁达尔现象,说明其中溶解有少量的3-硝基苯乙烯,呈胶体分散;底部为CO2膨胀的3-硝基苯乙烯液相,且该膨胀行为通过硝基苯-CO2二元相行为研究得到证实(即在一定CO2压力下,6 mL硝基苯可被CO2膨胀至充满整个高压釜(容积为29.3 mL)).动力学研究发现,在不含CO2以及总压为11.2 MPa时,H2的反应级数为～0.5;而当总压为8.1 MPa(CO2压力为5.0 MPa)时,H2的级数降为0,说明该压力下H2的溶解度显著增加.通过Peng-Robinson方程计算了不同CO2压力下H2的溶解度,发现H2溶解度与CO2压力也呈"倒V型"曲线关系,且最高点对应的CO2压力与上述转化率-PCO2曲线一致.因此,当总压为8.1 MPa,CO2分压为5.0 MPa时形成了CO2膨胀的3-硝基苯乙烯液体,溶解入该膨胀液体的CO2促进了H2的溶解,进而使H2的反应级数降为0,从而促进了加氢反应的进行.综上,本文以压缩CO2为溶剂,以非贵金属基Co-N-C为催化剂,发展了一种3-硝基苯乙烯绿色选择性加氢途径.同时发现,改变CO2压力可调变反应体系的相行为及反应动力学行为,进而调变催化性能.该研究结果可为调变压缩CO2介质中进行的其它催化转化反应性能提供借鉴.

Reaction kinetics and phase behavior in the chemoselective hydrogenation of 3‐nitrostyrene over Co‐N‐C single‐atom catalyst in compressed CO2

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have demonstrated excellent performances in chemoselective hydro-genation reactions. However, the employment of precious metals and/or organic solvents compro-mises their sustainability. Herein, we for the first time report the chemoselective hydrogenation of 3-nitrostyrene over noble-metal-free Co-N-C SAC in green solvent — compressed CO2. An interest-ing inverted V-curve relation is observed between the catalytic activity and CO2 pressure, where the conversion of 3-nitrostyrene reaches the maximum of 100％ at 5.0 MPa CO2 (total pressure of 8.1 MPa). Meanwhile, the selectivities to 3-vinylaniline at all pressures remain high (> 99％). Phase behavior studies reveal that, in sharp contrast with the single phase which is formed at total pres-sure above 10.8 MPa, bi-phase composed of CO2/H2 gas-rich phase and CO2-expanded substrate liquid phase forms at total pressure of 8.1 MPa, which dramatically changes the reaction kinetics of the catalytic system. The reaction order with respect to H2 pressure decreases from ～0.5 to zero at total pressure of 8.1 MPa, suggesting the dissolved CO2 in 3-nitrostyrene greatly promotes the dis-solution of H2 in the substrate, which is responsible for the high catalytic activity at the peak of the inverted V-curve.