Non-solvated aluminum hydride. Crystallization from diethyl ether-benzene solutions

Crystallization of non-solvated aluminum hydride from a diethyl ether-benzene mixed solvent was studied. The desolvation of AlH₃·(Et₂O)_x etherate in solution and the crystallization of α-AlH₃ during polythermal heating of the solution occur only in the presence of ≥10 wt.% LiAlH₄. The process is multistage, and the crystallization begins with the formation of the AlH₃·0.25Et₂O solvate, which recrystallizes in the solid phase into γ-AlH₃ and then α-AlH₃. Four crystalline modifications of aluminum hydride were characterized by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1259–1265, July, 2007.     

A theoretical study of MgH2 ambient and high-pressure phases using NQCC parameters

Quadrupolar parameters of nuclei can be used as a tool to understand the electronic structure of the compounds. Magnesium hydride (MgH₂) is a potential hydrogen storage material due to its outstanding hydrogen capacity, however, its high thermodynamic stability is unfavorable for dehydrogenation processes. Understanding the bonding nature of Mg and H is essential for improving its dehydrogenation performance. In this work the charge density distribution in MgH₂ is studied. For this purpose, using calculated NQCCs of hydrogen atoms, the electronic structure of α-MgH₂ with several high pressure forms of MgH₂ were compared. The results show that in the high pressure phases (β, γ, and δ) some hydrogens have very small NQCC and therefore these hydrogens form weaker bond with Mg. In other words, easier condition for dehydrogenation in pressure-induced forms is expected. The electric field gradient (EFG) at the site of quadrupolar nuclei were calculated to obtain NQCC parameters using Gaussian 03 at B3LYP/6-31G level of theory. The selected level and basis set give the rather acceptable qualitative NQCCs of hydrogen atoms.     

Investigation of hydrogen desorption from CaSiH by means of calorimetric method

The present work deals with the study of the reaction of hydrogen desorption from the CaSiH_X hydride by means of the calorimetric method. The dehydrogenation of the CaSiH_X hydride was carried out at 548 K. For a calorimetric study, the installation composed of the differential heat-conducting Tian–Calvet type calorimeter connected with a conventional Sieverts-type apparatus was employed. Such installation permitted us to obtain simultaneously the P-X isotherms (P—equilibrium hydrogen pressure, X = H/CaSi) and variation of the partial molar enthalpies of the reaction of hydrogen desorption from CaSiH_X with the hydrogen concentration in the metallic matrix. It was ascertained that in the CaSi-H₂ system there was one region where values of the partial molar enthalpy of the reaction of hydrogen desorption from the CaSiH_X hydride remained constant. This means that formation of one hydride phase in the CaSi-H₂ system took place. The enthalpy and entropy values for the reaction of hydrogen desorption from the CaSiH_X in the plateau range are ΔH _des = 53.8 ± 1.2 kJ mol^?1 H₂ and ΔS _des = 94.2 ± 2.7 J mol^?1 H₂ K^?1 (ΔH _des and ΔS _des—the differential molar enthalpy and entropy desorption, respectively).     

Use of composites based on boron nitride in combined photocatalytic process for generation of hydrogen and degradation of soluble organic substances

Possibility of using composites based on boron nitride in combined photocatalytic processes for degradation of soluble organic substances and generation of hydrogen was examined. The hydrogen evolution rate and output capacity of the composites under study in release of hydrogen from aqueous solutions of formic and oxalic acids and hydrazine under irradiation with visible and UV light were evaluated. It is shown that the highest efficiency of generation of molecular hydrogen is achieved in photodecomposition of hydrazine and oxalic acid with a composite whose phase composition includes iron and a set of semiconductor carbides (Fe₃C, MgC₂, Al₄C₃, SiC).     

Computational mechanistic studies of acceptorless dehydrogenation reactions catalyzed by transition metal complexes

Acceptorless dehydrogenation (AD) that uses non-toxic reagents and produces no waste is a type of catalytic reactions toward green chemistry. Acceptorless alcohol dehydrogenation (AAD) can serve as a key step in constructing new bonds such as C-C and C-N bonds in which alcohols need to be activated into more reactive ketones or aldehydes. AD reactions also can be utilized for hydrogen production from biomass or its fermentation products (mainly alcohols). Reversible hydrogenation/ dehy-drogenation with hydrogen uptake/release is crucial to realization of the potential organic hydride hydrogen storage. In this article, we review the recent computational mechanistic studies of the AD reactions catalyzed by various transition metal complexes as well as the experimental developments. These reactions include acceptorless alcohol dehydrogenations, reversible dehydrogenation/hydrogenation of nitrogen heterocycles, dehydrogenative coupling reactions of alcohols and amines to construct C-N bonds, and dehydrogenative coupling reactions of alcohols and unsaturated substrates to form C-C bonds. For the catalysts possessing metal-ligand bifunctional active sites (such as 28, 45, 86, 87, and 106 in the paper), the dehydrogenations prefer the "bifunctional double hydrogen transfer" mechanism rather than the generally accepted-H elimination mechanism. However, methanol dehydrogenation involved in the C-C coupling reaction of methanol and allene, catalyzed by the iridium complex 121, takes place via the-H elimination mechanism, because the Lewis basicity of either the-allyl moiety or the carboxyl group of the ligand is too weak to exert high Lewis basic reactivity. Unveiling the catalytic mechanisms of AD reactions could help to develop new catalysts.     

Thermolysis and photolysis of (η-C5Me5)Os(CO)2CH2OH: A retro Fischer-Tropsch step

The new hydroxymethylosmium complex (η-C₅Me₅)Os(CO)₂CH₂OH has been prepared and its conversion to (η-C₅Me₅)Os(CO)₂H, CO, and H₂ either thermally (half life 3 h at 174°C) or by UV irradiation has been studied. Deuterium labelling experiments established that a methylene hydrogen of the hydroxymethyl ligand becomes the hydride hydrogen of the product, and a mechanism is proposed for this process.     

Renewed Insight into the Promoting Mechanism of Magnesium Hydride on Ammonia Borane

Our previous study found that mechanically milling with magnesium hydride (MgH₂) could dramatically improve the dehydrogenation property of ammonia borane (AB). Meanwhile, it appears that the MgH₂ additive maintains its phase stability in the milling and subsequent heating process. In an effort to further the mechanistic understanding of the AB/MgH₂ system, we reinvestigated the property and structure evolution in the hydrogen release process of the AB/0.5MgH₂ sample. Property examination using volumetric method and synchronous thermal analyses showed that the AB/0.5 MgH₂ sample releases ～13.8 wt % hydrogen after being heated at 300 °C. This hydrogen amount is in excess of that available from AB, indicative of the participation of a faction of MgH₂ in the dehydrogenation process of AB. Structural and chemical state analyses using Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy and solid‐state ¹¹B nuclear magnetic resonance techniques further showed that part of MgH₂ participates in the dehydrogenation process of AB from the first step, resulting in the formation of Mg? B? N? H intermediate species. The incorporation of Mg in AB is believed to be a crucial event leading to dehydrogenation property improvements, particularly for the release of the last equivalent of H₂ in AB at relatively moderate temperature. These findings have provided renewed insight into the promoting mechanism of MgH₂ on the hydrogen release from AB.     

Transformations of cyclohexa-1,4-diene under the action of biphenyl—alkali metal systems in THF. Synergistic acceleration by mixtures of lithium and sodium

In the interaction of cyclohexa-1,4-diene (1,4-CHD) with a mixture of biphenyl and metallic lithium or sodium in THF at 20 °C, three processes occur, viz., disproportionation of 1,4-CHD to form benzene and cyclohexene, dehydrogenation of 1,4-CHD to form benzene and molecular hydrogen, and dehydrogenation of 1,4-CHD to form benzene and lithium or sodium hydride. In the case of lithium on the use of an equimolar amount of biphenyl, the isomerization of 1,4-CHD to cyclohexa-1,3-diene is also observed. When the molar ratio Li(Na): Ph₂ increases from 1 : 1 to 2 : 1, i.e., when the reaction is carried out in the presence of an alkali metal solid phase, the overall conversion of 1,4-CHD into benzene and cyclohexene increases. The use of mixtures of lithium and sodium leads to acceleration of the processes of the formation of benzene and cyclohexene. The possible mechanism of the synergistic effect found is discussed.     

A theoretical study of high-pressure-induced phases of LiAlH<Subscript>4</Subscript> using calculated NQCC parameters

Quadrupolar parameters of nuclei can be used as a tool to understand the electronic structure of compounds. Lithium alanate (LiAlH₄) is a potential hydrogen storage material because of its high capacity of 10.5 wt % H₂. However, the drawbacks of its dehydrogenation process are the relatively high temperatures and the slow dehydrogenation kinetics; furthermore, its reversibility is rather poor. Understanding the bonding nature of Al and H is essential for improving its dehydrogenation performance. In this work the charge density distribution in LiAlH₄ is studied. Thus using calculated nuclear quadrupole coupling constants of hydrogens (²H-NQCCs), the electronic structure of α-LiAlH₄ with high pressure forms of LiAlH₄, (β- and γ-LiAlH₄) were compared. The results show that easier condition for dehydrogenation is expected in β-LiAlH₄. Comparison of calculated dehydrogenation enthalpies of LiAlH₄ phases verifies this prediction. The electric field gradient (EFG) of quadrupolar nuclei were calculated to obtain NQCC parameters. All calculations performed using Gaussian 03 at B3LYP/6-31G* level of theory.     

“Direct” synthesis of unsolvated aluminum hydride involving Lewis and Bronsted acids

Unsolvated aluminum hydride has been synthesized by the “direct” reaction of aluminum bromide or sulfuric acid with an alkali metal tetrahydroaluminate at 90–102°C in pure toluene or in toluene containing 5–10 wt % diethyl ether. The reaction involving aluminum bromide yields a mixture of unsolvated aluminum hydride phases of poor quality. The reaction with sulfuric acid affords a single-phase product as α-AlH₃ at ≤90°C.     

Hydrogenation of nanostructured alloys and composites based on magnesium

The capability of sorbing hydrogen was studied for the magnesium alloys and related composites. The microstructures of the Mg-Ni binary eutectic alloys and Mg-La-Ni and Mg-Mm-Ni ternary eutectic alloys were studied. Both the initial alloys and alloys modified by the method of equal channel angular pressing were used as objects of the study. Features of interaction of the alloys with hydrogen were revealed. Sorption of hydrogen by the metal hydride composites based on alloys and ??pseudoalloys,?? viz., alloys obtained by sintering of mechanochemically treated highly dispersed powders formed by the hydride dispersion of metallic phases, was studied. Metal??carbon composites based on highly dispersed magnesium alloys or pseudoalloys and carbon nanostructures were formed, and the absorption of hydrogen by these composites was examined.     

The Ti3AlC2 MAX Phase as an Efficient Catalyst for Oxidative Dehydrogenation of n‐Butane

Dehydrogenation or oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of alkanes to produce alkenes directly from natural gas/shale gas is gaining in importance. Ti₃AlC₂, a MAX phase, which hitherto had not been used in catalysis, efficiently catalyzes the ODH of n‐butane to butenes and butadiene, which are important intermediates for the synthesis of polymers and other compounds. The catalyst, which combines both metallic and ceramic properties, is stable for at least 30 h on stream, even at low O₂:butane ratios, without suffering from coking. This material has neither lattice oxygens nor noble metals, yet a unique combination of numerous defects and a thin surface Ti_1?yAl_yO_2?y/2 layer that is rich in oxygen vacancies makes it an active catalyst. Given the large number of compositions available, MAX phases may find applications in several heterogeneously catalyzed reactions.     

Role of ionic defects in photolysis of lithium hydride

Kinetic parameters of photoconductivity and dark conductivity of lithium hydride under uv irradiation have been investigated. A kinetic scheme of lithium hydride photolysis is suggested. Kinetic features of hydrogen evolution under uv irradiation of lithium hydride are explained. The contributions of radiation induced defects and equilibrium cation vacancies to processes leading to gas evolution under photolysis are determined.     

Defect Engineering of MoS2 and Its Impacts on Electrocatalytic and Photocatalytic Behavior in Hydrogen Evolution Reactions

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) has been regarded as a favorable photocatalytic co‐catalyst and efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalyst alternative to expensive noble‐metals catalysts, owing to earth‐abundance, proper band gap, high surface area, and fast electron transfer ability. In order to achieve a higher catalytic efficiency, defects strategies such as phase engineering and vacancy introduction are considered as promising methods for natural 2H‐MoS₂ to increase its active sites and promote electron transfer rate. In this study, we report a new two‐step defect engineering process to generate vacancies‐rich hybrid‐phase MoS₂ and to introduce Ru particles at the same time, which includes hydrothermal reaction and a subsequent hydrogen reduction. Compositional and structural properties of the synthesized defects‐rich MoS₂ are investigated by XRD, XPS, XAFS and Raman measurements, and the electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction performance, as well as photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance in the ammonia borane dehydrogenation are evaluated. Both catalytic activities are boosted with the increase of defects concentrations in MoS₂, which ascertains that the defects engineering is a promising route to promote catalytic performance of MoS₂.     

A prospect for LiBH<Subscript>4</Subscript> as on-board hydrogen storage

In contrast to the traditional metal hydrides, in which hydrogen storage involves the reversible hydrogen entering/exiting of the host hydride lattice, LiBH₄ releases hydrogen via decomposition that produces segregated LiH and amorphous B phases. This is obviously the reason why lithium borohydride applications in fuel cells so far meet only one requirement — high hydrogen storage capacity. Nevertheless, its thermodynamics and kinetics studies are very active today and efficient ways to meet fuel cell requirements might be done through lowering the temperature for hydrogenation/dehydrogenation and suitable catalyst. Some improvements are expected to enable LiBH₄ to be used in on-board hydrogen storage.     

PdAg2 nanoparticles in aqueous solution: Preparation, characterization, and catalytic properties

The reduction of a heterobimetallic complex, Pd(OOCMe)₄Ag₂(HOOCMe)₄, with hydrogen or sodium borohydride in an aqueous solution produces PdAg₂ nanoparticles of an alloy or intermetallic type. It is shown that the catalytic activity of the particles in the reduction of methyl viologen with hydrogen is lower than that of palladium nanoparticles of the same size. Therewith, ??borohydride?? nanoparticles manifest a higher catalytic activity than do ??hydrogen?? ones. Unlike silver nanoparticles, PdAg₂ nanoparticles do not catalyze the decomposition of hydrazine.     

Towards the design of novel boron‐ and nitrogen‐substituted ammonia‐borane and bifunctional arene ruthenium catalysts for hydrogen storage

Electronic‐structure density functional theory calculations have been performed to construct the potential energy surface for H₂ release from ammonia‐borane, with a novel bifunctional cationic ruthenium catalyst based on the sterically bulky β‐diketiminato ligand (Schreiber et al., ACS Catal. 2012, 2, 2505). The focus is on identifying both a suitable substitution pattern for ammonia‐borane optimized for chemical hydrogen storage and allowing for low‐energy dehydrogenation. The interaction of ammonia‐borane, and related substituted ammonia‐boranes, with a bifunctional η⁶‐arene ruthenium catalyst and associated variants is investigated for dehydrogenation. Interestingly, in a number of cases, hydride‐proton transfer from the substituted ammonia‐borane to the catalyst undergoes a barrier‐less process in the gas phase, with rapid formation of hydrogenated catalyst in the gas phase. Amongst the catalysts considered, N,N‐difluoro ammonia‐borane and N‐phenyl ammonia‐borane systems resulted in negative activation energy barriers. However, these types of ammonia‐boranes are inherently thermodynamically unstable and undergo barrierless decay in the gas phase. Apart from N,N‐difluoro ammonia‐borane, the interaction between different types of catalyst and ammonia borane was modeled in the solvent phase, revealing free‐energy barriers slightly higher than those in the gas phase. Amongst the various potential candidate Ru‐complexes screened, few are found to differ in terms of efficiency for the dehydrogenation (rate‐limiting) step. To model dehydrogenation more accurately, a selection of explicit protic solvent molecules was considered, with the goal of lowering energy barriers for H‐H recombination. It was found that primary (1°), 2°, and 3° alcohols are the most suitable to enhance reaction rate. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Preparation and hydrogen storage properties of an Li-Mg-N-H system

An Li-Mg-N-H system has been synthesized from Mg(NH₂)₂ and LiH in the ratio 3:8 by a ball-milling process and its dehydrogenation/rehydrogenation properties at around 190°C were investigated. XRD, FTIR and TG results showed that the system was composed of an LiH phase and an amorphous Mg(NH₂)₂ phase with a purity of 90%. A reversible hydrogen storage capacity of 4.7% was observed during the first cycle and more than 90% of the stored hydrogen was desorbed within 100 min for each cycle. However, only 4.2% and 2.9%, respectively, of hydrogen was observed during two subsequent dehydrogenation cycles. In situ GC results showed that no NH3 could be observed during the dehydrogenation process. On the basis of the SEM and XRD results, the loss in hydrogen storage capacity can be mainly attributed to agglomeration, oxidation and crystallization of the materials.     

Influence of rhodium additive on hydrogen electrosorption in palladium-rich Pd�CRh alloys

Hydrogen electrosorption into Pd-rich (>80?at.% Pd in the bulk) Pd?CRh alloys has been studied in acidic solutions (0.5?M H₂SO₄) using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The influence of temperature (in the range between 283 and 328?K), electrode potential and alloy bulk composition on hydrogen electrosorption properties of Pd?CRh alloys is presented. It has been found that the additive of Rh to Pd?CRh alloys increases the maximum hydrogen solubility (for Rh bulk content below 10?at.%), decreases the potential of absorbed hydrogen oxidation peak and decreases the potential of the ???????? phase transition. Increasing temperature decreases the potential of absorbed hydrogen oxidation peak, the maximum hydrogen solubility, and the potential of the ???????? phase transition. The amounts of electrosorbed hydrogen for ??- and ??-phase boundaries, i.e., ??_max and ??_min, have been determined from the integration of the initial parts of current?Ctime responses in hydrogen absorption and desorption processes. The H/M ratio corresponding to ??_max increases with increasing Rh content, while for ??_min a maximum of H/M ratio is observed for the alloys containing ca. 95% Rh.     

Placement of H atoms in the crystal lattice of cubic titanium oxyhydride: Simulation and diffraction experiment

Possible models for the arrangement of hydrogen atoms in the sites of the cubic lattice of titanium oxyhydride TiO_yH_p with vacancies in the metallic and nonmetallic sublattices are considered for the first time. It has been established that interstitial H atoms in oxyhydrides occupy vacant octahedral sites 4(b) of the oxygen sublattice. No displacement of H atoms in tetrahedral sites 8(c) is observed.