The partition coefficients of ethylene between vapor and hydrate phase for methane + ethylene + THF + water systems

The vapor-hydrate equilibria were studied experimentally in detail for CH₄ + C₂H₄ + tetrahydrofuran (THF) + water systems in the temperature range of 273.15–282.15 K, pressure range of 2.0–4.5 MPa, the initial gas–liquid volume ratio range of 45–170 standard volumes of gas per volume of liquid and THF concentration range of 4–12 mol%. The results demonstrated that, because of the presence of THF, ethylene was remarkably enriched in vapor phase instead of being enriched in hydrate phase for CH₄ + C₂H₄ + water system. This conclusion is of industrial significance; it implies that it is feasible to enrich ethylene from gas mixture, e.g., various kinds of refinery gases or cracking gases in ethylene plant, by forming hydrate.     

Spectroscopic Observation of the Hydroxy Position in Butanol Hydrates and Its Effect on Hydrate Stability

In this study, we investigate the crystal structures and phase equilibria of butanols+CH₄+H₂O systems to reveal the hydroxy group positioning and its effects on hydrate stability. Four clathrate hydrates formed by structural butanol isomers are identified with powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD). In addition, Raman spectroscopy is used to analyze the guest distributions and inclusion behaviors of large alcohol molecules in these hydrate systems. The existence of a free OH indicates that guest molecules can be captured in the large cages of structure II hydrates without any hydrogen‐bonding interactions between the hydroxy group of the guests and the water‐host framework. However, Raman spectra of the binary (1‐butanol+CH₄) hydrate do not show the free OH signal, indicating that there could be possible hydrogen‐bonding interactions between the guests and hosts. We also measure the four‐phase equilibrium conditions of the butanols+CH₄+H₂O systems.     

Micro-Raman investigations of mixed gas hydrates

We report laser Raman spectroscopic measurements on mixed hydrates (clathrates), with guest molecules tetrahydrofuran (THF) and methane (CH₄), at ambient pressure and at temperatures from 175 to 280 K. Gas hydrates were synthesized with different concentrations of THF ranging from 5.88 to 1.46 mol%. In all cases THF molecules occupied the large cages of sII hydrate. The present studies demonstrate formation of sII clathrates with CH₄ molecules occupying unfilled cages for concentrations of THF ranging from 5.88 to 2.95 mol%. The Raman spectral signature of hydrates with 1.46 mol% THF are distinctly different; hydrate growth was non-uniform and structural transformation occurred from sII to sI prior to clathrate melting.     

A computational study of the radical–radical reaction of O(<Superscript>3</Superscript>P) + C<Subscript>2</Subscript>H<Subscript>5</Subscript> with comparisons to gas-phase kinetics and crossed-beam experiments

We present density functional theory (DFT) and complete basis set (CBS) calculations of the prototypical radical–radical reaction of ground–state atomic oxygen [O(³P)] with ethyl (C₂H₅) radicals. The respective reaction mechanisms and dynamics were investigated on the doublet potential energy surfaces using the DFT method and CBS model. In the title reaction, the barrierless addition of O(³P) to C₂H₅ led to the formation of energy-rich intermediates that underwent subsequent isomerization and decomposition to yield various products. The products predicted to be found were: H₂CO + CH₃, CH₃CHO + H, c–CH₂OCH₂ + H, ^1,3CH₃COH + H, ^1,3HCOH + CH₃, CH₂CHOH + H, C₂H₃ + H₂O, and CH₂CH₂ + OH. In particular, unlike previous kinetic results, proposed to proceed only through the direct H-atom abstraction process, two distinctive pathways to the formation of CH₂CH₂ + OH were predicted to be in competition: direct, barrierless H-atom abstraction mechanism versus addition process. The competition was consistent with the recent crossed-beam investigations, and their microscopic dynamic characteristics are discussed at the molecular level.     

Cubic structure II double clathrate hydrates with tetra(n-propyl)ammonium fluoride

A double clathrate hydrate with the composition THF·0.5(n-Pr)₄NF·16H₂O and cubic structure II (CS-II,a=17.67 Å) has been obtained. Its experimental density is 1.053±0.001 g/cm³; its melting point is 8.1°C, i.e. 3.1°C higher than that of the THF·17H₂O hydrate. The double hydrates of acetone, 1,4-dioxan, trimethyleneoxide and 1,3-dioxolane with (n-Pr)₄NF have melting points of –14.8, –5.5, –2.6 and –9.6°C, respectively. With pressure increase up to 6 kbar the melting points of the double hydrates increase monotonously in contrast to common CS-II hydrates. The friability of the structure of the hydrates (the packing coefficient) and their sensitivity to pressure (dT/dP) are compared.The results of this work have been reported at the International Seminar on Inclusion Compounds, Jaszowiec (Poland), 24–26th September 1987.     

Temperature- and Pressure-induced Structural Transition of Binary Clathrate Hydrates

We discover new structure II (sII) hydrate forming agents of two C₄H₈O molecules (2-methyl-2-propen-1-ol and 2-butanone) and report the abnormal structural transition of binary C₄H₈O+CH₄ hydrates between structure I (sI) and sII with varying temperature and pressure conditions. In both (2-methyl-2-propen-1-ol+CH₄) and (2-butanone+CH₄) systems, the phase boundary of the two different hydrate phases (sI and sII) exists at the slope change of the phase-equilibrium curve in the semi-logarithmic plots. We confirm the crystal structures of two hydrates synthesized at low (278 K and 6 MPa) and high (286 K and 15 MPa) temperature and pressure conditions by using high-resolution powder diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. 2-Methyl-2-propen-1-ol and 2-butanone can occupy the large cages of sII hydrate at low temperature and pressure conditions; however, they are excluded from the hydrate phase at high temperature and pressure conditions, resulting in the formation of pure sI CH₄ hydrate.     

Hydrate phase equilibrium and structure for (methane + ethane + tetrahydrofuran + water) system

The separation of methane and ethane through forming hydrate is a possible choice in natural gas, oil processing, or ethylene producing. The hydrate formation conditions of five groups of (methane + ethane) binary gas mixtures in the presence of 0.06 mole fraction tetrahydrofuran (THF) in water were obtained at temperatures ranging from (277.7 to 288.2) K. In most cases, the presence of THF in water can lower the hydrate formation pressure of (methane + ethane) remarkably. However, when the composition of ethane is as high as 0.832, it is more difficult to form hydrate than without THF system. Phase equilibrium model for hydrates containing THF was developed based on a two-step hydrate formation mechanism. The structure of hydrates formed from (methane + ethane + THF + water) system was also determined by Raman spectroscopy. When THF concentration in initial aqueous solution was only 0.06 mole fraction, the coexistence of structure I hydrate dominated by ethane and structure II hydrate dominated by THF in the hydrate sample was clearly demonstrated by Raman spectroscopic data. On the contrary, only structure II hydrate existed in the hydrate sample formed from (methane + ethane + THF + water) system when THF concentration in initial aqueous solution was increased to 0.10 mole fraction. It indicated that higher THF concentration inhibited the formation of structure I hydrate dominated by ethane and therefore lowered the trapping of ethane in hydrate. It implies a very promising method to increase the separation efficiency of methane and ethane.     

Studies on ion-pair and triple-ion formation of some tetraalkylammonium salts in binary solvent mixtures of benzene and tetrahydrofuran at 298.15 K

Conductivities of some tetraalkylammonium halides, viz. tetrabutylammonium bromide (Bu₄NBr), tetrapentylammonium bromide (Pen₄NBr), tetrahexylammonium bromide (Hex₄NBr) and tetraheptylammonium bromide (Hep₄NBr) were measured at 298.15 K in THF + C₆H₆ mixtures with 10, 20, 30 and 40 mass% of C₆H₆. A minimum in the conductance values was observed as concentration increases, which dependent both on the salt and the solvent. The observed molar conductivities were explained by the formation of ion-pairs (M⁺ + X⁻ ↔ MX, K_P) and triple-ions (2 M⁺ + X⁻ ↔ M₂X⁺; M⁺ + 2X⁻ ↔ MX₂⁻, K_T). A linear relationship between the triple-ion formation constants [log(K_T/K_P)] and the salt concentrations at the minimum conductivity (log C_min) was given for all salts in C₆H₆ + THF mixtures. The formation of triple-ions might be attributed to the ion sizes in solutions in which coulombic interactions and covalent bonding forces act as the main forces between the ions (R₄N⁺ X⁻).     

Study on the recovery of hydrogen from refinery (hydrogen + methane) gas mixtures using hydrate technology

A novel technique for separating hydrogen from (H2 CH4) gas mixtures through hydrate formation/dissociation was proposed. In this work, a systematic experimental study was performed on the separation of hydrogen from (H2 CH4) feed mixtures with various hydrogen contents (mole fraction x = 40%-90%). The experimental results showed that the hydrogen content could be enriched to as high as ~94% for various feed mixtures using the proposed hydrate technology under a temperature slightly above 0℃ and a pressure below 5.0 MPa. With the addition of a small amount of suitable additives, the rate of hydrate formation could be increased significantly. Anti-agglomeration was used to disperse hydrate particles into the condensate phase. Instead of preventing hydrate growth (as in the kinetic inhibitor tests), hydrates were allowed to form, but only as small dispersed particles. Anti-agglomeration could keep hydrate particles suspended in a range of condensate types at 1℃ and 5 MPa in the water-in-oil emulsion.     

Photochemical arene exchange in the naphthalene complex [CpRu(η<Superscript>6</Superscript>-C <Subscript>10</Subscript>H<Subscript>8</Subscript>)]<Superscript>+</Superscript>

The cation [CpRu(η⁶-C₁₀H₈)]⁺ was shown to exchange naphthalene for other arenes under visible-light irradiation to form the complexes [CpRu (η⁶-arene)]⁺ (arene = C₆H₆, 1,4-C₆H₄Me₂, 1,3,5-C₆H₃Me₃, or 1,2,4,5-C ₆H₂Me₄) in 70–95% yields. The reaction rate of exchange decreases in the series arene = 1,4-C₆H₄Me₂ > C₆H₆ > 1,3,5-C₆H₃Me₃ > 1,2,4,5-C ₆H₂Me₄ >> C₆Me₆ and increases with the coordinating ability of the solvent in the order CH₂Cl₂ < THF—CH₂Cl₂ mixture (1: 1) < acetone.     

Clathrate hydrates of tetrabutylammonium carboxylates and dicarboxylates

Phase diagrams of the binary aqueous systems with tetra-n-butylammonium (TBA) carboxylates ((C₄H₉)₄NC_nH_{2 n+1}CO₂, where n=0÷5) and dicarboxylates ([(C₄H₉)₄N]₂(CH₂)_nC₂O₄, where n=1÷3) including some branched carboxylate anions, have been studied in the field of crystallization of clathrate hydrates. Monocrystals of many hydrates have been prepared and their composition, densities, melting points and X-ray data have been determined. In the set of TBA carboxylate hydrates the stability increases towards TBA propionate or butyrate hydrates (for different structures) and then it decreases as sizes of anions grow, This is explained by additional stabilization of the framework caused by small cavities being occupied until the hydrophobic part of the anion is able to go in the cavity. In the set of hydrates of TBA dicarboxylates the change of the stability is easily accounted for by the modelling of the inclusion of dicarboxylate ions in the cavities, within known structures, different ways of hydrophilic inclusion being taken into account.     

Hydrogen adsorption on Ti containing organometallic structures grafted on silsesquioxanes

The adsorption of hydrogen molecule on a novel structure of Ti containing organometallic complexes grafted on silsequioxanes (SQ, H₈Si₈O₁₂) was investigated by means of DFT method. The hydrogen adsorption properties of the complex structures TiRH₇Si₈O₁₂ (R = C₄H₃, C₅H₄, C₆H₅) keep almost the same as that of corresponding Ti containing organometallic complexes. Moreover, these complex structures can avoid the problem of transition metal clustering which is a disadvantage for hydrogen adsorption. The maximum number of hydrogen molecules adsorbed was still determined by 18 electron rule, that is to say 5, 4, and 4 H₂ molecules for TiRH₇Si₈O₁₂ with R = C₄H₃, C₅H₄, and C₆H₅, respectively. At the same time, all the average binding energy of H₂ is located in 0.2–1.0 eV, which is an advantage for hydrogen storage at ambient conditions. Therefore, the materials studied here may provide some enlightenment for developing new types of hydrogen storage materials.     

Thermodynamic and mechanistic studies of initial stages in propane aromatisation over Ga-modified H-ZSM-5 catalysts

¹³C MAS NMR has been performed in situ to investigate the early stages in the conversion of propane to aromatics on Ga-containing ZSM-5 catalysts. Propane 2-¹³C was used as labelled reactant. The scrambling of the ¹³C label in the very early stages of the propane conversion, even at 573 K, indicates that the first reaction intermediate is a protonated pseudocyclopropane (PPCP) species formed by activation of propane on a (Ga³⁺,O²⁻) ion pair and its protonation by a nearby Brønsted acidic site. This PPCP species can decompose in several ways leading to H₂, CH₄, C₂H₄, C₂H₆, and C₃H₆ as primary products. The very same molecules can also be produced as secondary products by cracking and hydrogen transfer at high conversion. CH⁺₃, C₂H⁺₅ and C₃H⁺₇ carbenium ions which are formed by decomposition of PPCP can react further with alkane or olefinic species. Reaction of CH⁺₃ (stabilised by a basic anionic framework oxygen) with propane (activated on a Ga site) may yield n-butane as indicated by the increase in the n-butane/i-butane ratio when the catalyst contains gallium.     

Theoretical Investigation of the Fusion Process of Mono-Cages to Tri-Cages with CH4/C2H6 Guest Molecules in sI Hydrates

Owing to a stable and porous cage structure, natural gas hydrates can store abundant methane and serve as a potentially natural gas resource. However, the microscopic mechanism of how hydrate crystalline grows has not been fully explored, especially for the structure containing different guest molecules. Hence, we adopt density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the fusion process of structure I hydrates with CH₄/C₂H₆ guest molecules from mono-cages to triple-cages. We find that the volume of guest molecules affects the stabilities of large (5¹²6², L) and small (5¹², s) cages, which are prone to capture C₂H₆ and CH₄, respectively. Mixed double cages (small cage and large cage) with the mixed guest molecules have the highest stability and fusion energy. The triangular triple cages exhibit superior stability because of the three shared faces, and the triangular mixed triple cages (large-small-large) structure with the mixed guest molecules shows the highest stability and fusion energy in the triple-cage fusion process. These results can provide theoretical insights into the growth mechanism of hydrates with other mono/mixed guest molecules for further development and application of these substances.     

Reaction of a naphthalene complex C10H8Yb(THF)2 with cyclopentadienyl-substituted alcohols and amines as a convenient synthetic route to the half-sandwich complexes of divalent ytterbium

The reactions of ytterbium naphthalene complex C₁₀H₈Yb(THF)₂ with 2-cyclopentadienylethanol, 1-cyclopentadienylpropan-2-ol, 3-cyclopentadienyl-1-butoxypropan-2-ol, and cyclopentadienyldimethylsilyl-tert-butylamine were studied. The bivalent ytterbium complexes with chelate bifunctional cyclopentadienyl ligands [(η⁵−C₅H₅)CH₂CH₂(η¹−O)]Yb(THF), [(η⁵−C₅H₅)CH₂CH₂(η¹−O)]Yb(DME). [(η⁵−C₅H₅)CH₂CH(Me)(η¹−O)]Yb(THF), [(η⁵−C₅H₅)CH₂CH(CH₂OC₄H₉)(η¹−O)]Yb(THF), and [(η⁵−C₅H₅)SiMe₂(η¹−N(Bu¹))]Yb(THF) were obtained and characterized. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 742–745, April, 2000.     

New hydrophobic L‐amino acid salts: maleates of L‐leucine,L‐isoleucine and L‐norvaline

Crystals of maleates of three amino acids with hydrophobic side chains [L‐leucenium hydrogen maleate, C₆H₁₄NO₂⁺·C₄H₃O₄⁻, (I), L‐isoleucenium hydrogen maleate hemihydrate, C₆H₁₄NO₂⁺·C₄H₃O₄⁻·0.5H₂O, (II), and L‐norvalinium hydrogen maleate–L‐norvaline (1/1), C₅H₁₁NO₂⁺·C₄H₃O₄⁻·C₅H₁₂NO₂, (III)], were obtained. The new structures contain C₂²(12) chains, or variants thereof, that are a common feature in the crystal structures of amino acid maleates. The L‐leucenium salt is remarkable due to a large number of symmetrically non‐equivalent units (Z′ = 3). The L‐isoleucenium salt is a hydrate despite the fact that L‐isoleucine is a nonpolar hydrophobic amino acid (previously known amino acid maleates formed hydrates only with lysine and histidine, which are polar and hydrophilic). The L‐norvalinium salt provides the first example where the dimeric cation L‐Nva...L‐NvaH⁺ was observed. All three compounds have layered noncentrosymmetric structures. Preliminary tests have shown the presence of the second harmonic generation (SGH) effect for all three compounds.     

Monophosphine‐substituted diiron azadithiolate complexes: New syntheses,characterization and electrochemical properties

Investigating the synthesis and properties of diiron azadithiolate complexes is one of the key topics for mimicking the active site of [FeFe]‐hydrogenases, which might be very useful for the design of new efficient catalysts for hydrogen production and the development of a future hydrogen economy. A series of new phosphine‐substituted diiron azadithiolate complexes as models for the active site of [FeFe]‐hydrogenases are described. A novel and efficient way was firstly established for the preparation of phosphine‐substituted diiron azadithiolate complexes. The reaction of Fe₂(μ‐SH)₂(CO)₆ and phosphine ligands L affords the intermediate Fe₂(μ‐SH)₂(CO)₅L ( A ). The intermediate reacts in situ with a premixed solution of paraformaldehyde and ammonium carbonate to produce the target phosphine‐substituted diiron azadithiolate complexes Fe₂[(μ‐SCH₂)₂NH](CO)₅L ( 1a – 1f ) (L = P(C₆H₄–4‐CH₃)₃, P(C₆H₄–3‐CH₃)₃, P(C₆H₄–4‐F)₃, P(C₆H₄–3‐F)₃, P(2‐C₄H₃O)₃, PPh₂(OCH₂CH₃)). Furthermore, reactions of the intermediate A with I‐4‐C₆H₄N(CH₂Cl)₂ in the presence of Et₃N give the phosphine‐substituted diiron azadithiolate complexes Fe₂[(μ‐SCH₂)₂NC₆H₄–4‐I](CO)₅L ( 2a – 2e ) (L = P(C₆H₄–4‐CH₃)₃, P(C₆H₄–3‐CH₃)₃, P(C₆H₄–4‐F)₃, P(C₆H₄–3‐F)₃, P(2‐C₄H₃O)₃). All the complexes were fully characterized using elemental analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopies and, particularly for 1a , 1c – 1e , 2a and 2c , single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. In addition, complexes 1a – 1f and 2a – 2e were found to be catalysts for H₂ production under electrochemical conditions. Density functional theory calculations were performed for the reactions of Fe₂(μ‐SH)₂(CO)₆ + P(C₆H₄–4‐CH₃)₃.     

Higher hydrogen uptake capacity of C2H4Ti+ than C2H4Ti: a quantum chemical study

Using density functionals theory, we show that gravimetric hydrogen uptake of C₂H₄Ti complex and its cation, C₂H₄Ti⁺, differ by about 2 wt%. Six and five hydrogen molecules are found to be adsorbed on C₂H₄Ti⁺ and C₂H₄Ti complexes thereby showing a hydrogen-uptake capacity of 13.74 and 11.72 wt%, respectively. All hydrogen molecules are adsorbed in molecular form on C₂H₄Ti⁺ ion with an increase in metal bond strength, whereas in some cases, the hydrogen molecules are found to be dissociated on C₂H₄Ti neutral complex. The uptake capacity of neutral C₂H₄Ti complex shown in this work is in excellent agreement with that reported experimentally, Phillips and Shivaram (Phys Rev Lett 100:105505, 2008). The H₂ adsorption energy and its dependence on exchange and correlation functions in density functionals method were illustrated. Even after the adsorption of maximum number of hydrogen molecules on C₂H₄Ti and C₂H₄Ti⁺ complexes, Ti and Ti⁺ remain strongly bound to C₂H₄ substrate.     

Thermoanalytical studies of oxovanadium(IV)hydroxamate complexes

The thermal decomposition behavior of oxovanadium(IV)hydroxamate complexes of composition [VO(acac)(C₆H₅C(O)NHO)] (I), [VO(C₆H₅C(O)NHO)₂] (II), [VO(acac)(4-ClC₆H₄C(O)NHO)] (III), [VO(4-ClC₆H₄C(O)NHO)₂] (IV) (where acac = (CH₃COCHCOCH₃ ^–) synthesized from the reactions of VO(acac)₂ with equi- and bimolar amounts of potassium benzohydroxamate and potassium 4-chlorobenzohydroxamate in THF + MeOH solvent medium has been studied by TG and DTA techniques. TG curves indicated that complexes I, II, and IV undergo decomposition in single step to yield VO₂ as the final residue, while complex III decomposes in two steps to yield VO(acac) as the likely intermediate and VO₂ as the ultimate product of decomposition. The formation of VO₂ has been authenticated by IR and XRD studies. From the initial decomposition temperatures, the order of thermal stability for the complexes has been inferred as IV > I > III > II.     

Phase behaviour of mixed-gas hydrate systems containing carbon dioxide

We describe a new apparatus suitable for measurements of the phase behaviour and phase properties of fluid mixtures under conditions of high-pressure. We propose a synthetic method for the determination of gas solubility, and present results for the system (CO₂ + H₂O). In addition, we report new measurements of the hydrate equilibrium curves in aqueous systems containing either pure carbon dioxide or mixed gases including CO₂. For hydrates formed in the (CO₂ + H₂O) system, we find an enthalpy of dissociation of 77 kJ · mol^?1. This value was unchanged by the addition of mass fraction 0.043 of NaCl to the water. Compared with pure CO₂, mixtures of CO₂ with air exhibited markedly different dissociation pressures at given temperature, but were characterised by the same enthalpy of dissociation. However, two mixtures containing either nitrogen or methane and hydrogen both exhibited a higher enthalpy of dissociation, 106 kJ · mol^?1, consistent with these systems forming structure II hydrates.