Formation of Surface Platinum Oxides in the Interaction of the Pt/Sibunit Catalysts with NO<Subscript>2</Subscript>: Estimates of the Width of Oxide Shell from XPS Data

The method of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) using two types of radiation, nonmonochromatic AlK_α (hν = 1486.6 eV) and monochromatic AgL_α (hν = 2984.3 eV), was used to study the interaction of the Pt/C (C = Sibunit) catalysts with NO₂, which occurs in the preparation chamber of an XPS spectrometer at room temperature and NO₂ pressure, equal to 3 × 10^–6 mbar. It was found that, under these conditions, platinum was partially oxidized and metallic core becomes covered with a shell formed by a mixture of PtO and PtO₂ oxides. The ratio of intensities Pt4f and Pt3d_5/2 belonging to platinum oxides to the corresponding intensities of metallic platinum was used to estimate the width of oxide shell. For two of the three studied Pt/C samples, the width of the shell was 0.15–0.3 nm, which approximately corresponds to one monolayer of platinum oxide with a stoichiometry of PtO or PtO₂.     

Stability of <Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis>-, <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-, and <Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis>-element diphosphates in water

The mean atomic Gibbs energies of formation of (Δ _f ? _at ⁰ ) of s-, p-, and d-element diphosphates have been calculated using ion increments of the Gibbs energy (Δ _f G ⁰). The diphosphate hydrolysis kinetics is considered, and a correlation between the Δ _f ? _at ⁰ values and the hydrolysis rate constants is presented.     

An XPS study of the oxidation of noble metal particles evaporated onto the surface of an oxide support in their reaction with NO<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>

The interaction of the model catalysts Rh/Al₂O₃, Pd/Al₂O₃, Pt/Al₂O₃, and Pt/SiO₂ with NO _x (mixture of 10 Torr of NO and 10 Torr of O₂) was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Samples of the model catalysts were prepared under vacuum conditions as oxide films ≥100 Å in thickness on tantalum foil with evaporated platinum-group metal particles. According to transmission electron microscopic data, the platinum-group metal particle size was several nanometers. It was found by XPS that the oxidation of Rh and Pd nanoparticles in their interaction with NO _x occurs already at room temperature. The particles of platinum were more stable: their oxidation under the action of NO _x was observed at elevated temperatures of ～300°C. At room temperature, the interaction of platinum nanoparticles with NO _x hypothetically leads to the dissolution (insertion) of oxygen atoms in the bulk of the particles with the retention of their metallic nature. It was found that dissolved oxygen is much more readily reducible by hydrogen than the lattice oxygen of the platinum oxide particles.     

An XPS and STM Study of Oxidized Platinum Particles Formed by the Interaction between Pt/HOPG with NO<Subscript>2</Subscript>

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) (with AlK_α and AgL_α radiations) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) were used to study the interaction of two model samples prepared by vacuum evaporation of platinum on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) with NO₂ at room temperature. According to STM data, platinum evaporation on the graphite surface produced particles of a flattened shape. In the Pt/HOPGS1 sample with a lower concentration of platinum, the average diameter of particles d and the height-to-diameter ratio h/d were 2.8 nm and 0.29, respectively. In the Pt/HOPG-S2 sample with a higher concentration of platinum, the average values of d and h/d were 5.1 nm and 0.32. When the samples interacted with NO₂ (P ≈ 3 × 10^–6 mbar), the particles of metallic platinum completely converted to the particles of PtO_2· Upon oxidation, the shape of larger platinum particles in the Pt/HOPG-S2 sample did not change, although for the dispersed particles in the Pt/HOPG-S1 samples under these conditions, the h/d ratio increases. The reduction of oxide to metal particles on heating the Pt/HOPG-S1 sample in vacuum at 460°С is accompanied by an increase in the size of particles. Their shape became more round compared to the initial one. It was found that X-ray radiation affects the state of platinum in the oxidized sample by reducing the surface layer of PtO₂ to PtO.     

X-ray diffraction and thermodynamic characteristics for tellurite of the composition Li<Subscript>2</Subscript>CeTeO<Subscript>5</Subscript>

Tellurite of the composition Li₂CeTeO₅ is synthesized by solid-phase method from cerium(IV) and tellurium(IV) oxides and lithium carbonate. The type of syngony, the unit cell parameters, and the compound’s X-ray and pycnometry densities are determined via X-ray diffraction analysis. The isobaric heat capacity of lithium–cerium tellurite is studied by means of dynamic calorimetry in the temperature range of 298.15–673 K; the results serve as the basis for deriving C _p ^° ~ f(T) dependency equations and determining the compound’s thermodynamic functions. λ-shaped anomalous effects, due probably to Type II phase transitions, are found on the C _p ^° ~ f(T) dependence.     

Quantum-chemical study of ytterbium fluorides and of complex F<Subscript>2</Subscript>YbF<Subscript>2</Subscript>CeF<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The structural parameters of the (²Σ⁺//C_∞v)-YbF, (¹A₁//C_2v)-YbF2, (²A₂^′//D_3h)-YbF₃, (¹Ag//D_2h)-YbF₂Yb, (¹Ag//C_2h)-FYbF₂YbF, (¹A₁//C_2v)-FYbF₂YbF, (¹A₁//C_2v)-YbF₂YbF₂, (³B_3u//D_2h)-F₂YbF₂YbF₂, (²A′//C_s)-FYbF₂YbF₂, and (³B₂//С_2v)-F₂YbF₂CeF₂ molecules have been determined. Disproportionation of ytterbium monofluoride (2YbF → YbF₂ + Yb + 0.46 eV) is less exothermic than dimerization (2YbF → YbF₂Yb + 2.10 eV). The bond energy of the ytterbium difluoride molecules in the trans dimer (2.93 eV) exceeds those in the cis dimer (2.86 eV) and the coaxial dimer (1.66 eV). Ytterbium trifluoride dimerizes exothermically (2.95 eV) without spin pairing. The dipole and quadrupole moments of the molecules as well as the charges and spin populations of the atoms and the valence electron configurations of the lanthanides have been calculated.     

Crystal structure of bis(semicarbazido)copper(II) nitrate [Cu(NH<Subscript>2</Subscript>NHC(O)NH<Subscript>2</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>](NO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The crystal structure of bis(semicarbazido)copper(II) nitrate [Cu(NH₂NHC(O)NH₂)₂](NO₃)₂ has been studied by X-ray diffraction. Monoclinic crystals, a = 6.835(2) Å, b = 7.733(2) Å, c = 10.320(3) Å, β = 105.701(3)°, V = 525.1(2) ų, space group P2₁/c, Z = 2, d _msd = 2.136 g/cm³, μ(MoK _α) = 2.143 mm⁻¹. The structure was solved with the program for automatic analysis of Patterson’s function and refined by full-matrix least squares in an anisotropic approximation for all non-hydrogen atoms using 753 independent reflections; R ₁ = 0.0203. The square environment of the Cu atom is formed from the amino nitrogen atoms of the hydrazine fragments and the C=O oxygen atoms of the two semicarbazide bidentate molecules (Cu-N 1.928 Å, Cu-O 1.999 Å). The axial positions are occupied by the O atoms of the NO ₃ ⁻ outer-spheric anions (Cu-O 2.505 Å). In the structure, the complex cations and the NO ₃ ⁻ anions are linked into a framework by N-H...O type hydrogen bonds. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2007 by G. V. Romanenko, Z. A. Savelieva, and S. V. Larionov __________ Translated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 48, No. 2, pp. 370–373, March–April, 2007.     

Thermal properties,phase transitions,vibrational and reorientational dynamics of [Mn(NH<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>6</Subscript>](NO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>

[Mn(NH₃)₆](NO₃)₂ crystallizes in the cubic, fluorite (C1) type crystal lattice structure (Fm \( \overline{3} \) m) with a = 11.0056 Å and Z = 4. Two phase transitions of the first-order type were detected. The first registered on DSC curves as a large anomaly at T _C1 ^h  = 207.8 K and T _C1 ^c  = 207.2 K, and the second registered as a smaller anomaly at T _C2 ^h  = 184.4 K and T _C2 ^c  = 160.8 K (where the upper indexes h and c denote heating and cooling of the sample, respectively). The temperature dependence of the full width at half maximum of the band associated with the δ_s(HNH)F_1u mode suggests that the NH₃ ligands in the high temperature and intermediate phase reorientate quickly with correlation times in the order of several picoseconds and with activation energy of 9.9 kJ mol^?1. In the phase transition at T _C2 ^c probably only a some of the NH₃ ligands stop their reorientation, while the remainders continue to reorientate quickly with activation energy of 7.7 kJ mol^?1. Thermal decomposition of the investigated compound starts at 305 K and continues up to 525 K in four main stages (I–IV). In stage I, ²/₆ of all NH₃ ligands were seceded. Stages II and III are connected with an abruption of the next ²/₆ and ¹/₆ of total NH₃, respectively, and [Mn(NH₃)](NO₃)₂ is formed. The last molecule of NH₃ per formula unit is freed at stage IV together with the simultaneous thermal decomposition of the resulting Mn(NO₃)₂ leading to the formation of gaseous products (O₂, H₂O, N₂ and nitrogen oxides) and solid MnO₂.     

Molecular structure of NiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>N<Subscript>2</Subscript>C<Subscript>16</Subscript>H<Subscript>14</Subscript> from gas-phase electron diffraction and quantum chemical data

Gas-phase electron diffractometry was used to study the molecular structure of N,N′-ethylenebis(salicylaldiminato)nickel(II), NiO₂N₂C₁₆H₁₄, [hereinafter Ni(salen)] at 583(5) K. The molecule has C ₂ symmetry with a practically planar structure of the NiN₂O₂ coordination unit and with internuclear distances r _α (Ni-O) = 1.882(21) Å and r _α (Ni-N) = 1.889(22) Å. The results of B3LYP/CEP-31G molecular structure calculations are in good agreement with experimental data, whereas the RHF/CEP-31G method significantly overestimates the Ni-N internuclear distance and gives worse results for other structural parameters. According to 3LYP/CEP-31G calculations, the ¹ A low-spin state is 28 kJ/mole lower in energy than the ³ B high-spin state.     

Platinum state in highly active Pt/CeO<Subscript>2</Subscript> catalysts from the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data

The states of components of highly efficient Pt/CeO₂ catalysts for low-temperature oxidation of carbon monoxide are studied in detail by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Using the precise calibration of the spectra relative to the internal standard and the fitting of Ce3d and Pt4f spectra by elementary doublets, we found the features of the platinum interaction with the ceria lattice. It is shown that when the codeposition technique is used, depending on the quality of stock solutions, it is possible to obtain both homogeneous solid solutions of platinum in the ceria lattice and solutions containing polyatomic platinum associates of the (PtO) _m type. It is found that when homogeneous PtCeO _x solid solutions are stored in air at room temperature, the homogeneous solutions slowly pass into the state of solutions with platinum associates. Mechanical mixtures of metallic platinum and ceria nanoparticles, synthesized by laser ablation, were also investigated in the course of their annealing in the air. The results obtained from the Pt4f spectra completely confirm the specific features of the interaction of platinum with ceria.     

Oxidation of the polycrystalline gold foil surface and XPS study of oxygen states in oxide layers

Gold oxide films obtained on the surface of polycrystalline gold foil upon oxidation by oxygen activated by a high-frequency discharge have been studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. High-frequency O₂ activation affords oxide films more than 3–5 nm thick. As follows from Au4f spectra, the surface gold atoms are oxidized to the oxidation state +3. The O1s spectra have a composite shape and are decomposed into four components that characterize nonequivalent states of oxygen in the resulting oxide films. It is assumed that the two major oxygen states (E _b(O1s) = 529.0 and 530.0 eV) correspond to the oxygen atoms in two-and three-dimensional gold oxide Au₂O₃, respectively. The oxygen states characterized by the higher binding energies (E _b(O1s) = 531.8 and 535.2 eV) likely correspond to molecular oxygen in peroxide and superoxide groups, respectively.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">cis</Emphasis>-Dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes of sterically encumbered phenol-based tetradentate N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript> ligands: Structural,spectroscopic, and electrochemical studies

Two cis-dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes [MoO₂L] (L: L ¹, 2 and L: L ², 3) in a phenol-based sterically encumbered N₂O₂ ligand environment have been synthesized, and their crystallographic characterizations are reported. The orange crystals of 2 are monoclinic, space group P2₁/a with unit cell dimensions as a=16.2407(17) Å, b=7.2857(8) Å, c=18.400(2) Å, β=98.002(9)°, Z=4, and d _cal=1.486 g cm^?3. The light orange crystals of 3, however, are orthorhombic, space group, Pbcn, with unit cell dimensions a=8.3110(12) Å, b=12.637(3) Å, c=34.673(5) Å, Z=4, and d _cal=1.187 g cm^?3. The structures were refined by a full-matrix least-squares procedure on F ² to a final R=0.046 (0.055 for 3) using 4944 (3677) all independent data. In both the cases, the Mo atom exists in a distorted octahedral geometry defined by a N₂O₄ donor set, which features a cis-Mo(–O)₂ and a trans-Mo(OPh)₂ arrangement. Compound 2 undergoes a quasireversible one-electron reduction at ?1.3 V vs Ag/AgCl reference due to Mo^VIO₂/Mo^VO₂ electron transfer and thus providing a rare example of steric solution to the comproportionation–dimerization problem encountered frequently in the development of valid biomimetic models for the active sites of oxomolybdenum enzymes.     

Bis[1,3]thiazolo[4,5-<Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis>:5',4'-<Emphasis Type="Italic">h</Emphasis>]thieno[3,4-<Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis>]quinoxaline Derivatives as New Building Blocks of Polymers for Organic Electronics

New derivatives of bis[1,3]thiazolo[4,5-f:5',4'-h]thieno[3,4-b]quinoxaline containing the fused thiadiazoloquinoxaline moiety have been prepared. Monomer M1 shows strong light absorption within 600–800 nm due to intramolecular charge transfer. The optical bandgap E _g ^opt determined from the absorption edge in a film is 1.44 eV. The HOMO and LUMO levels are–5.44 and–3.12 eV, respectively. The new structural fragment has a rather low frontier molecular orbital energies and a small bandgap; therefore, it is a promising building block for the synthesis of polymers for organic electronics.     

Stability of 3<Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis>-element cyclotetraphosphates in water

The hydrolysis kinetics of the anion in 3d-element cyclotetraphosphates is considered. The thermodynamic functions of formation (Δ _f H ⁰, Δ _f G ⁰, and Δ _f ? _at ⁰ ) of the cyclotetraphosphates are calculated using the ion increment method. A linear correlation is established between and log K Δ _f ? _at ⁰ for these compounds.     

Synthesis,structure, physicochemical properties,and solid-phase thermolysis of Co<Subscript>2</Subscript>Sm(Piv)<Subscript>7</Subscript>(2,4-Lut)<Subscript>2</Subscript>

Heterometallic pivalate Co₂Sm(Piv)₇(2,4-Lut)₂ (1) was prepared for the first time and structurally characterized at 293 and 160 K. Antiferromagnetic exchange interactions are dominant in complex 1. This compound experiences a first-order phase transition within 210–260 K. A set of thermodynamic functions was obtained for this complex (C _p , H _T ⁰ - H ₁₈₀ ⁰ , and S _T ⁰ ), and parameters were determined for solid-phase thermolysis where samarium cobaltate SmCoO₃ is the only product.     

The thermodynamic properties of the [(Me<Subscript>3</Subscript>Si)<Subscript>7</Subscript>C<Subscript>60</Subscript>]<Subscript>2</Subscript> fullerene complex

The temperature dependence of the heat capacity C _p ^o of the [(Me₃Si)₇C₆₀]₂ fullerene complex was measured for the first time using precision adiabatic vacuum calorimetry over the temperature range 6.7–340 K and high-accuracy differential scanning calorimetry at 320–635 K. For the most part, the error in the C _p ^o values was about ±0.5%. An irreversible endothermic effect caused by the splitting of the dimeric bond between fullerene fragments and the thermal decomposition of the complex was observed at 448–570 K. The thermodynamic characteristics of this transformation were calculated and analyzed. Multifractal analysis of the low-temperature (T < 50 K) heat capacity was performed, and conclusions were drawn concerning the character of the heterodynamicity of the structure. The experimental data obtained were used to calculate the standard thermodynamic functions C _p ^o (T), H ^o (T) ? H ^o (0), S ^o (T) ? S ^o (0), and G ^o (T) ? H ^o (0) over the temperature range from T → 0 to 445 K and estimate the standard entropy of formation of the compound from simple substances at 298.15 K. The standard thermodynamic properties of [(Me₃Si)₇C₆₀]₂ are compared with those of the (C₆₀)₂ dimer, the [(η⁶-Ph₂)₂Cr]⁺[C₆₀]^?? fulleride, and the initial C₆₀ fullerene.     

Structure and Magnetic Properties of a New Lattice System of the Heterometallic Decanuclear Ce<Subscript>6</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>4</Subscript> Aggregate

In this paper, we present a mixed valence f–d Ce₆Mn ₄ ^III compound having formula [Ce ₆ ^IV Mn ₄ ^III (μ₄-O)₄ (μ₃-O)₄(O₂C^tBu)₁₂(ea)₄(OAc)₄]·H₂O (1), which is obtained by the reaction of hydrated lanthanide nitrate, pivalic acid, and ethanolamine in MeCN as a solvent. The single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrates that the central core consists of an octahedron with four triangular pyramids added to four related faces or as an octahedron encapsulated in a tetragon. The fitting of magnetization data using the anisotropic model gives D = 2.13 cm^–1 and g = 1.97 (D is the axial zero-field splitting parameter).     

Analysis of the fine structure of XANES spectra over Ni<Emphasis Type="Italic">K</Emphasis> edge in Ni(EtOCS<Subscript>2</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The NiK edge X-ray absorption near edge spectra (XANES) of the Ni(EtOCS₂)₂ complex were measured. The theoretical NiK edge XANES spectra were calculated by the total multiple scattering and finite difference methods; the potential was calculated with a muffin-tin approximation and without it. It is shown that inclusion of the non-muffin-tin effects is important for modeling the NiK XANES spectrum for the Ni(EtOCS₂)₂ complex; good agreement with experiment was achieved only in the calculations with the total potential (without the muffin-tin approximation for the shape of the potential).     

LiMn<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> and LiCoO<Subscript>2</Subscript> composite cathode materials obtained by mechanical activation

New composite cathode materials xLiMn₂O₄/(1 ? x) LiCoO₂(x = 0.7, 0.6, 0.5 и 0.4) were obtained by mechanical activation. According to scanning electron microscopy data, the process was accompanied by pronounced dispersion and fine mixing of the initial components. In the course of the preparation and electrochemical cycling of the composites, LiMn₂O₄ and LiCoO₂ partially reacted, leading to the replacement of manganese with cobalt in the structure of spinel, which was detected by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), IR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and cyclic chronopotentiometry. The specific discharge capacity of composites was ～100 mAh/g.