Highly Dispersed Ruthenium Hydroxide Supported on Titanium Oxide Effective for Liquid‐Phase Hydrogen‐Transfer Reactions

Supported ruthenium hydroxide catalysts (Ru(OH)_x/support) were prepared with three different TiO₂ supports (anatase TiO₂ (TiO₂(A), BET surface area: 316 m² g^?1), anatase TiO₂ (TiO₂(B), 73 m² g^?1), and rutile TiO₂ (TiO₂(C), 3.2 m² g^?1)), as well as an Al₂O₃ support (160 m² g^?1). Characterizations with X‐ray diffraction (XRD), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron spin resonance (ESR), and X‐ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) showed the presence of monomeric ruthenium(III) hydroxide and polymeric ruthenium(III) hydroxide species. Judging from the coordination numbers of the nearest‐neighbor Ru atoms and the intensities of the ESR signals, the amount of monomeric hydroxide species increased in the order of Ru(OH)_x<Ru(OH)_x/TiO₂(C)<Ru(OH)_x/Al₂O₃<Ru(OH)_x/TiO₂(B)<Ru(OH)_x/TiO₂(A). These supported ruthenium hydroxide catalysts, especially Ru(OH)_x/TiO₂(A), showed high catalytic activities and selectivities for liquid‐phase hydrogen‐transfer reactions, such as racemization of chiral secondary alcohols and the reduction of carbonyl compounds and allylic alcohols. The catalytic activities of Ru(OH)_x/TiO₂(A) for these hydrogen‐transfer reactions were at least one order of magnitude higher than those of previously reported heterogeneous catalysts, such as Ru(OH)_x/Al₂O₃. These catalyses were truly heterogeneous, and the catalysts recovered after the reactions could be reused several times without loss of catalytic performance. The reaction rates monotonically increased with an increase in the amount of monomeric ruthenium hydroxide species, which suggests that the monomeric species are effective for these hydrogen‐transfer reactions.     

SO42-改性后的TiO2(锐钛和/或金红石)表面上MoO3的分散性质研究

采用红外(IR)、拉曼(Raman)、X-射线衍射(XRD)、程序升温还原(TPR)等方法考察了经硫酸根改性后的金红石(SR)与锐钛矿(SA)的混合比例变化时的负载型催化剂，MoO₃ / TiO₂(SR+SA)，的一些物理化学性质(如活性组分MoO₃的分散行为、表面酸碱性、氧化还原性)的变化规律。结果表明：对于MoO₃ / TiO₂(SR+SA)样品，低含量MoO₃表面分散时倾向于优先与混合载体中的改性金红石(SR)发生作用；TiO₂载体表面SO₄^2-的存在，使得载体表面产生了新的酸性位，导致样品中表面分散的钼物种主要以聚合八面体状态存在。     

Activity of Rh-containing catalysts in naphthalene hydrogenation under pressure

Sol-gel method was used for the preparation of titania. A series of sulfated titania catalysts with different sulfate loadings were prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction, FTIR, UV-VIS DRS, TGA, BET surface area and pore volume. The acidity of these systems was determined by TPD of ammonia. Sulfate ion impregnation decreases the crystallite size and stabilizes the anatase phase of TiO₂. Surface area was found to increase with the sulfate loading. FTIR results show strong bidentate bridge of sulfate species. The catalytic performance of TiO₂/SO₄ ^2- for liquid phase benzylation of toluene was studied. It was found that the conversion increases with sulfate loading. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Cluster Models of the VOx/TiO2 Supported Catalyst

Molecular structures of the active vanadium phase of the VO _x /TiO₂ supported catalyst are calculated in the framework of the cluster approximation of density functional theory (DFT). It is shown that vanadium can be stabilized on the anatase (001) surface both in the tetrahedral and octahedral coordinations with the formation of monoxo- and dioxovanadyl structures. The energy of the dioxovanadyl structure binding to the support surface is 600–800 kJ/mol. The formation of dioxovanadyl structures from monoxovanadyl ones with the formation of water molecules is energetically favorable. The effect of support on the electronic state and acidic properties of the supported vanadium phase is discussed.     

Defect-induced anisotropic surface reactivity and ion transfer processes of anatase nanoparticles

Surface reactivity and ion transfer processes of anatase TiO₂ nanocrystals were studied using lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfone)imide (LiTFSI) as a probing molecule. Analysis of synthesized anatase TiO₂ by electron microscopy reveals aggregated nanoparticles (average size ~8 nm) with significant defects (holes and cracks). With the introduction of LiTFSI salt, the Li⁺-adsorption propensity towards the surface along the anatase (100) step edge plane is evident in both x-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analysis. Ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) analysis corroborates the site-preferential interaction of Li⁺ cations with oxygen vacancies and the thermodynamically favorable transport through the (100) step edge plane. Using ⁷Li nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shift and relaxometry measurements, the presence of Li⁺ cations near the interface between TiO₂ and the bulk LiTFSI phase was identified, and subsequent diffusion properties were analyzed. The lower activation energy derived from NMR analysis reveals enhanced mobility of Li⁺ cations along the surface, in good agreement with AIMD calculations. On the other hand, the TFSI^– anion interaction with defect sites leads to CF₃ bond dissociation and subsequent generation of carbonyl fluoride-type species. The multimodal spectroscopic analysis including NMR, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirms the decomposition of TFSI^– anions near the anatase surface. The reaction mechanism and electronic structure of interfacial constituents were simulated using AIMD calculations. Overall, this work demonstrates the role of defects at the anatase nanoparticle surface on charge transfer and interfacial reaction processes.     

Mechanism by which Tungsten Oxide Promotes the Activity of Supported V2O5/TiO2 Catalysts for NOX Abatement: Structural Effects Revealed by 51V MAS NMR Spectroscopy

The selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO_x with NH₃ to N₂ with supported V₂O₅(‐WO₃)/TiO₂ catalysts is an industrial technology used to mitigate toxic emissions. Long‐standing uncertainties in the molecular structures of surface vanadia are clarified, whereby progressive addition of vanadia to TiO₂ forms oligomeric vanadia structures and reveals a proportional relationship of SCR reaction rate to [surface VO_x concentration]², implying a 2‐site mechanism. Unreactive surface tungsta (WO₃) also promote the formation of oligomeric vanadia (V₂O₅) sites, showing that promoter incorporation enhances the SCR reaction by a structural effect generating adjacent surface sites and not from electronic effects as previously proposed. The findings outline a method to assess structural effects of promoter incorporation on catalysts and reveal both the dual‐site requirement for the SCR reaction and the important structural promotional effect that tungsten oxide offers for the SCR reaction by V₂O₅/TiO₂ catalysts.     

High‐Field Pulsed EPR Spectroscopy for the Speciation of the Reduced [PV2Mo10O40]6− Polyoxometalate Catalyst Used in Electron‐Transfer Oxidations

An in‐depth spectroscopic EPR investigation of a key intermediate, formally notated as [PV^IVV^VMo₁₀O₄₀]^6? and formed in known electron‐transfer and electron‐transfer/oxygen‐transfer reactions catalyzed by H₅PV₂Mo₁₀O₄₀, has been carried out. Pulsed EPR spectroscopy have been utilized: specifically, W‐band electron–electron double resonance (ELDOR)‐detected NMR and two‐dimensional (2D) hyperfine sub‐level correlation (HYSCORE) measurements, which resolved ⁹⁵Mo and ¹⁷O hyperfine interactions, and electron–nuclear double resonance (ENDOR), which gave the weak ⁵¹V and ³¹P interactions. In this way, two paramagnetic species related to [PV^IVV^VMo₁₀O₄₀]^6? were identified. The first species (30–35 %) has a vanadyl (VO²⁺)‐like EPR spectrum and is not situated within the polyoxometalate cluster. Here the VO²⁺ was suggested to be supported on the Keggin cluster and can be represented as an ion pair, [PV^VMo₁₀O₃₉]^8?[V^IVO²⁺]. This species originates from the parent H₅PV₂Mo₁₀O₄₀ in which the vanadium atoms are nearest neighbors and it is suggested that this isomer is more likely to be reactive in electron‐transfer/oxygen‐transfer reaction oxidation reactions. In the second (70–65 %) species, the V^IV remains embedded within the polyoxometalate framework and originates from reduction of distal H₅PV₂Mo₁₀O₄₀ isomers to yield an intact cluster, [PV^IVV^VMo₁₀O₄₀]^6?.     

Temperature Programmed Reduction and Spectroscopic Studies of Reduction Behavior of fe/tiO2 Catalyst

Fe/TiO₂ catalyst was prepared by incipient wetness impregnation of TiO₂ with aqueous solution of ferric nitrate. The reduction behavior of the catalyst was studied by temperature programmed reduction profiles, Mössbauer spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that the reduction of Fe/TiO₂ was accompanied by a phase transition of anatase to rutile titania. α-Fe₂O₃ was reduced to Fe₃O₄ in the initial reduction stage. Due to the strong support effect of TIO₂, FeTiO₃ was gradually formed as the reduction temperature reached 450°C. Complete reduction to the metallic Fe° particles occurred at temperatures higher than 670°C. The anatase-rutile transition was initiated by the reduced Ti³⁺ ions and led to the formation of TiO_x. At higher reduction temperature, TiO_x migrated to the surface of metallic Fe° particles forming FeTiO_x in the so-called strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) state.     

Catalytic combustion of chlorobenzene over V2O5/TiO2 catalysts prepared by the precipitation-deposition method

Catalytic combustion of chlorobenzene over supported vanadium oxides has been investigated. TiO₂ was prepared by the sol-gel method from titanium isopropoxide. The supported vanadium oxide catalysts have been prepared by precipitation-deposition and impregnation method and characterized by XRD, FT-Raman and TPR. In the VO_x/TiO₂catalysts prepared using the impregnation method, when vanadium loading reaches 3 wt.%, the activity shows a maximum. However, in the VO_x/TiO₂catalysts prepared by precipitation-deposition, when vanadium loading reaches 7 wt.%, the activity shows a maximum. This result suggests that the precipitation-deposition can yield a higher metal loading on the support and a high dispersion compared to the impregnation method. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Methanol Conversion into Dimethyl Ether on the Anatase TiO2(001) Surface

Exploring reactions of methanol on TiO₂ surfaces is of great importance in both C1 chemistry and photocatalysis. Reported herein is a combined experimental and theoretical calculation study of methanol adsorption and reaction on a mineral anatase TiO₂(001)‐(1×4) surface. The methanol‐to‐dimethyl ether (DME) reaction was unambiguously identified to occur by the dehydration coupling of methoxy species at the fourfold‐coordinated Ti⁴⁺ sites (Ti_4c), and for the first time confirms the predicted higher reactivity of this facet compared to other reported TiO₂ facets. Surface chemistry of methanol on the anatase TiO₂(001)‐(1×4) surface is seldom affected by co‐chemisorbed water. These results not only greatly deepen the fundamental understanding of elementary surface reactions of methanol on TiO₂ surfaces but also show that TiO₂ with a high density of Ti_4c sites is a potentially active and selective catalyst for the important methanol‐to‐DME reaction.     

Application of EPR spectroscopy for elucidation of vanadium speciation in VO x /ZrO2 catalysts subject to redox treatment

Application of EPR spectroscopy corroborated by spectra simulation in speciation studies of the tetravalent vanadium in supported VO _x /ZrO₂ catalyst has been discussed. Implementation of genetic algorithms into automated analysis of the EPR spectra has greatly improved the simulation efficiency. The performance of the new procedure has been benchmarked against common simplex method using the multi-component model and real EPR spectra of tetravalent vanadium in VO _x /ZrO₂ catalysts. The analysis has revealed speciation of vanadium into surface isolated and clustered vanadyl entities and isolated bulk V _Zr ^x ions due to formation of Zr_1?x V _x O₂ solid solution in the near to surface region. The structural heterogeneity of vanadium can be controlled by the calcination temperature and the redox treatment.     

Effect of the rhenium additive to VOx/TiO2 and MoOx/TiO2 catalysts on their properties in oxidative dehydrogenation of propane

VO_x/TiO₂ and MoO_x/TiO₂ catalysts with the addition of Re (Re/V or Mo = 0.5) were synthetized and tested in oxidative dehydrogenation of propane and in reduction by propane. XPS measurements showed depletion of the surface in Re. The Re additive does not affect the total conversion of propane, but increases the selectivity to propene. The effect is more pronounced for the MoO_x/TiO₂ catalyst. The increase in the selectivity to propene is accompanied with the increase in the reducibility of the catalysts.     

Probing Surface Sites of TiO2: Reactions with [HRe(CO)5] and [CH3Re(CO)5]

Two carbonyl complexes of rhenium, [HRe(CO)₅] and [CH₃Re(CO)₅], were used to probe surface sites of TiO₂ (anatase). These complexes were adsorbed from the gas phase onto anatase powder that had been treated in flowing O₂ or under vacuum to vary the density of surface OH sites. Infrared (IR) spectra demonstrate the variation in the number of sites, including Ti⁺³? OH and Ti⁺⁴? OH. IR and extended X‐ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra show that chemisorption of the rhenium complexes led to their decarbonylation, with formation of surface‐bound rhenium tricarbonyls, when [HRe(CO)₅] was adsorbed, or rhenium tetracarbonyls, when [CH₃Re(CO)₅] was adsorbed. These reactions were accompanied by the formation of water and surface carbonates and removal of terminal hydroxyl groups associated with Ti⁺³ and Ti⁺⁴ ions on the anatase. Data characterizing the samples after adsorption of [HRe(CO)₅] or [CH₃Re(CO)₅] determined a ranking of the reactivity of the surface OH sites, with the Ti⁺³? OH groups being the more reactive towards the rhenium complexes but the less likely to be dehydroxylated. The two rhenium pentacarbonyl probes provided complementary information, suggesting that the carbonate species originate from carbonyl ligands initially bonded to the rhenium and from hydroxyl groups of the titania surface, with the reaction leading to the formation of water and bridging hydroxyl groups on the titania. The results illustrate the value of using a family of organometallic complexes as probes of oxide surface sites.     

Ionic Liquid Ordering at an Oxide Surface

The interaction of the ionic liquid [C₄C₁Im][BF₄] with anatase TiO₂, a model photoanode material, has been studied using a combination of synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy and near‐edge X‐ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. The system is of interest as a model for fundamental electrolyte–electrode and dye‐sensitized solar cells. The initial interaction involves degradation of the [BF₄]^? anion, resulting in incorporation of F into O vacancies in the anatase surface. At low coverages, [C₄C₁Im][BF₄] is found to order at the anatase(101) surface via electrostatic attraction, with the imidazolium ring oriented 32±4° from the anatase TiO₂ surface. As the coverage of ionic liquid increases, the influence of the oxide surface on the topmost layers is reduced and the ordering is lost.     

Factors determining the selective exposure of (010) plane of V2O5 Catalysts supported on various TiO2

V₂O₅ supported on various TiO₂ including anatase, rutile and mixtures of both have been investigated with various physicochemical measurements such as BET, NH₃-TPD, NARP, XRD and so on, and the effect of the crystal phase of the TiO₂ support on the structure of the supported V₂O₅ was discussed. It has been found that the V=O species on the (010) plane of V₂O₅ on the TiO₂ supports with large BET surface area are selectively exposed to the surface, though different crystal phases of TiO₂ result in different characteristics of exposure of the (010) plane. Anatase gives the maximum exposure of the surface V=O species at significantly lower surface concentration of V₂O₅ than that for rutile. For the mixture of both, two maxima are obtained at the surface concentration of V₂O₅ corresponding to those for anatase and rutile respectively. The chemical activity of the TiO₂ surface also seems to have an effect on the exposure of the (010) plane. That is, the higher surface area and the stronger acidic property resulted in the higher exposure of the (010) plane. On leave from: Department of Applied Chemical Engineering, South-China University of Science and Technology, Guangzhou 510641, P.R. China     

Hydroxyl‐Mediated Non‐oxidative Propane Dehydrogenation over VOx/γ‐Al2O3 Catalysts with Improved Stability

Supported vanadium oxides are one of the most promising alternative catalysts for propane dehydrogenation (PDH) and efforts have been made to improve its catalytic performance. However, unlike Pt‐based catalysts, the nature of the active site and surface structure of the supported vanadium catalysts under reductive reaction conditions still remain elusive. This paper describes the surface structure and the important role of surface‐bound hydroxyl groups on VO_x / γ‐Al₂O₃ catalysts under reaction conditions employing in situ DRIFTS experiments and DFT calculations. It is shown that hydroxyl groups on the VO_x /Al₂O₃ catalyst (V?OH) are produced under H₂ pre‐reduction, and the catalytic performance for PDH is closely connected to the concentration of V?OH species on the catalyst. The hydroxyl groups are found to improve the catalyst that leads to better stability by suppressing the coke deposition.     

Preparation of Anatase Hollow TiO2 Spheres and Their Photocatalytic Activity in the Photodegradation of Chlorpyrifos

Hollow anatase titania (TiO₂) spheres were synthesized using fructose and tetrabutyl titanate (Ti(OC₄H₉)₄, TBT) as the precursors via the conventional hard template method. The morphological, structural and thermal properties of the products were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG‐DTA), Brunauer? Emmett? Teller (BET) surface area analysis and diffuse reflectance ultraviolet visible (DR UV? Vis) spectroscopy. XRD revealed that the hollow TiO₂ prepared was in the anatase phase and the BET surface area measured was about 22 m² g^?1. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized hollow anatase TiO₂ in the photodecomposition of chlorpyrifos was 18.67 % higher than that obtained using commercial TiO₂.     

UV‐Assisted Removal of Inactive Peroxide Species for Sustained Epoxidation of Cyclooctene on Anatase TiO2

Epoxidation of olefins with H₂O₂ is one of the most important reactions in organic synthesis. We found that anatase TiO₂ can be a good catalyst for the epoxidation of cyclooctene with H₂O₂ at room temperature. However, the catalyst deactivated quickly in the presence of excess amount of H₂O₂ because of the formation of inactive side‐on Ti‐η²‐peroxide species on the surface of TiO₂, the presence of which was confirmed by isotope‐labelled resonance UV Raman spectroscopy and kinetics studies. Interestingly, the epoxidation reaction could be dramatically accelerated under irradiation of UV light with λ≥350 nm. This phenomenon is attributed to the photo‐assisted removal of the inactive peroxide species, through which the active sites on the surface of anatase TiO₂ are regenerated and the catalytic epoxidation of cyclooctene with H₂O₂ is resumed. This finding provides an alternative for sustained epoxidation reactions on TiO₂ at room temperature. Moreover, it also has significant implications on the deactivation pathway and possible solutions in Ti‐based heterogeneous catalysis or photocatalysis.     

Mixed Oxides FeVOx for Selective Oxidation of Octanol to Octanal under Solvent‐free Condition

The two‐component mixed oxides FeVO_x with various molar ratio of Fe to V were prepared and their phase composition, structure and morphology were determined by XRD and SEM. This prepared material was employed for liquid‐phase oxidation of octanol using H₂O₂ as oxidant. The mixed oxide FeVO_x with 2.5 : 1 of Fe to V molar ratio was found to be an effective catalyst with high selectivity to octanal under solvent‐free condition. The relationship between the catalytic performance and phase compositions of the mixed oxides was investigated by the test of its activity and XRD characterization. The catalytic action of the active sites including redox and acidic sites formed by interaction between VO_x and FeO_x on the surface of the catalyst was discussed. The catalyst was easily recovered and reused.     

Highly Efficient Low‐Temperature Plasma‐Assisted Modification of TiO2 Nanosheets with Exposed {001} Facets for Enhanced Visible‐Light Photocatalytic Activity

Anatase TiO₂ nanosheets with exposed {001} facets have been controllably modified under non‐thermal dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma with various working gas, including Ar, H₂, and NH₃. The obtained TiO₂ nanosheets possess a unique crystalline core/amorphous shell structure (TiO₂@TiO_2?x), which exhibit the improved visible and near‐infrared light absorption. The types of dopants (oxygen vacancy/surface Ti³⁺/substituted N) in oxygen‐deficient TiO₂ can be tuned by controlling the working gases during plasma discharge. Both surface Ti³⁺ and substituted N were doped into the lattice of TiO₂ through NH₃ plasma discharge, whereas the oxygen vacancy or Ti³⁺ (along with the oxygen vacancy) was obtained after Ar or H₂ plasma treatment. The TiO₂@TiO_2?x from NH₃ plasma with a green color shows the highest photocatalytic activity under visible‐light irradiation compared with the products from Ar plasma or H₂ plasma due to the synergistic effect of reduction and simultaneous nitridation in the NH₃ plasma.