Effect of Inorganic Ions on Oleate Adsorption at a Nigerian Hematite–Water Interface

Using “pure” natural hematite selected from a high silica Nigerian hematitic ore, oleate adsorption densities at the hematite–water interface were determined in the presence of various inorganic ions (anions and cations) of different charges and at varying concentrations. Adsorption density was determined using electrical conductivity measurements. The specific surface area of the hematite particles was determined using the method of adsorption of paranitrophenol in aqueous solution. Inorganic ions in solution depressed oleate adsorption at the aqueous hematite surface. The charge of the ion proved to be the dominant factor determining the depression of oleate adsorption. Ionic strength also was an influence, up to a limiting value at which monolayer oleate coverage of the hematite surface occurred. The inorganic ions in solution are considered to function through nonspecific adsorption in the diffuse region of the electric double layer.     

Gas‐Phase Reaction of Monomethylhydrazine with Ozone: Kinetics and OH Radical Formation

The gas‐phase reaction of monomethylhydrazine (CH₃NH? NH₂; MMH) with ozone was investigated in a flow tube at atmospheric pressure and a temperature of 295 ± 2 K using N₂/O₂ mixtures (3–30 vol% O₂) as the carrier gas. Proton transfer reaction–mass spectrometry (PTR‐MS) and long‐path FT‐IR spectroscopy served as the main analytical techniques. The kinetics of the title reaction was investigated with a relative rate technique yielding k_MMH+O3 = (4.3 ± 1.0) × 10^?15 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. Methyldiazene (CH₃N?NH; MeDia) has been identified as the main product in this reaction system as a result of PTR‐MS analysis. The reactivity of MeDia toward ozone was estimated relative to the reaction of MMH with ozone resulting in k_MeDia+O3 = (2.7 ± 1.6) × 10^?15 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. OH radicals were followed indirectly by phenol formation from the reaction of OH radicals with benzene. Increasing OH radical yields with increasing MMH conversion have been observed pointing to the importance of secondary processes for OH radical generation. Generally, the detected OH radical yields were definitely smaller than thought so far. The results of this study do not support the mechanism of OH radical formation from the reaction of MMH with ozone as proposed in the literature.     

Spectroscopic Evidence for Ligand Substitution Reactions at the Solid–Liquid Interface of a Sub‐micrometer Gold(I) Carbene Complex

Colloidal coordination compounds in the sub‐micrometer range were synthesized from a chloro gold(I) carbene complex via the anti‐solvent procedure and stabilized by a surfactant shell of Tween 20. This compound was successfully applied as model system to monitor heterogeneous multiphase ligand substitution reactions at the solid–liquid interface.     

Rate Coefficients for the Gas‐Phase Reaction of Ozone with C5 and C6 Unsaturated Aldehydes

Emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds are higher than those from anthropogenic sources. In this work, we studied the kinetics of the reaction of three unsaturated aldehydes (trans‐2‐pentenal, trans‐2‐hexenal, and 2‐methyl‐2‐pentenal) with ozone in a rigid atmospheric simulation chamber coupled to an FTIR spectrometer at four different temperatures (273, 298, 333, and 353 K). Reaction rate constants (× 10⁻¹⁸ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹) at 298 K are 1.24 ± 0.06 for trans‐2‐pentenal (t‐2P), 1.37 ± 0.03 for trans‐2‐hexenal (t‐2H), and 1.58 ± 0.20) for 2‐methyl‐2‐pentenal (2M2P). The following Arrhenius expressions were deduced (cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹): The obtained data are presented and compared to those reported in the literature at room temperature, as well as to homologous alkenes. The atmospheric lifetimes with respect to ozone, derived from this study, are estimated to vary between 7 and 10 days.     

Isolating Reactions at the Picoliter Scale: Parallel Control of Reaction Kinetics at the Liquid–Liquid Interface

Miniaturized liquid–liquid interfacial reactors offer enhanced surface area and rapid confinement of compounds of opposite solubility, yet they are unable to provide in situ reaction monitoring at a molecular level at the interface. A picoreactor operative at the liquid–liquid interface is described, comprising plasmonic colloidosomes containing Ag octahedra strategically assembled at the water‐in‐decane emulsion interface. The plasmonic colloidosomes isolate ultrasmall amounts of solutions (<200 pL), allowing parallel monitoring of multiple reactions simultaneously. Using the surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) technique, in situ monitoring of the interfacial protonation of dimethyl yellow (p‐dimethylaminoazobenzene (DY)) is performed, revealing an apparent rate constant of 0.09 min^?1 for the first‐order reaction. The presence of isomeric products with similar physical properties is resolved, which would otherwise be indiscernible by other analytical methods.     

Charge Polarization at a Au–TiC Interface and the Generation of Highly Active and Selective Catalysts for the Low‐Temperature Water–Gas Shift Reaction

Au atoms in contact with TiC(001) undergo significant charge polarization. Strong metal–support interactions make Au/TiC(001) an excellent catalyst for the low‐temperature water–gas shift (WGS), with turnover frequencies orders of magnitude larger than those observed for conventional metal/oxide catalysts. DFT calculations indicate that the WGS reaction follows an associative mechanism with HOCO as a key intermediate.     

Aryl–Phenyl Scrambling in Intermediate Organopalladium Complexes: A Gas‐Phase Study of the Mizoroki–Heck Reaction

The intramolecular aryl–phenyl scrambling reaction within palladium–DPPP–aryl complex (DPPP=1,3‐bis(diphenylphosphino)propane) ions was analyzed by state‐of‐the‐art tandem MS, including gas‐phase ion/molecule reactions. The Mizoroki–Heck cross‐coupling reaction was performed in the gas phase, and the intrinsic reactivity of important intermediates could be examined. Moreover, linear free‐energy correlations were applied, and a mechanism for the scrambling reaction proceeding via phosphonium cations was assumed.     

Plasmonic Switching of the Reaction Pathway: Visible‐Light Irradiation Varies the Reactant Concentration at the Solid–Solution Interface of a Gold–Cobalt Catalyst

Product selectivity of alkyne hydroamination over catalytic Au₂Co alloy nanoparticles (NPs) can be made switchable by a light‐on/light‐off process, yielding imine (cross‐coupling product of aniline and alkyne) under visible‐light irradiation, but 1,4‐diphenylbutadiyne in the dark. The low‐flux light irradiation concentrates aniline on the catalyst, accelerating the catalytic cross‐coupling by several orders of magnitude even at a very low overall aniline concentrations (1.0×10^?3 mol L^?1). A tentative mechanism is that Au₂Co NPs absorb light, generating an intense fringing electromagnetic field and hot electrons. The sharp field‐gradient (plasmonic optical force) can selectively enhance adsorption of light‐polarizable aniline molecules on the catalyst. The light irradiation thereby alters the aniline/alkyne ratio at the NPs surface, switching product selectivity. This represents a new paradigm to modify a catalysis process by light.     

A Direct Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic Comparison of the Plasma- and Thermally-Driven Reaction of CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> at Macor

This paper reports the appraisal of two in situ Fourier Transform InfraRed plasma cells with respect to the interrogation of the glow of a non-thermal plasma (using a transmission cell), and the non-thermal plasma/solid (i.e. dielectric/catalyst) interface (with a reflectance cell). The paper also reports, for the first time, a direct comparison of the IR spectroscopy of plasma- and thermally-driven chemistry. The system chosen for study was the reduction of CO₂ as there is a wealth of data in the literature for comparison. The catalyst was Macor, a ceramic material comprising primarily Al, Si and Mg oxides. In both the thermal and plasma experiments, rotationally-excited CO₂ (\( {\text{CO}}_{2}^{*} \)) was observed: in the plasma system, rotationally-excited CO (CO*) was produced via the reduction of CO₂. Using the transmission cell, the conversion of CO₂ to CO was estimated and found to be up to 9% at energy efficiencies of ca. 1–2%, in line with the literature. No reaction of CO₂ was observed in the thermal system. The data obtained using the reflectance cell were similar to those obtained with the transmission cell, with the minor differences reflecting the longer residence time and higher specific input energy. Interestingly, two plasma-induced bands were observed in the reflectance experiments which increased in intensity with time and input power: these may be due transverse and longitudinal optical modes of SiO₂ and did not appear to participate in the observed chemistry.     

Mechanistic Insight into the Reaction of Organic Acids with SO3 at the Air–Water Interface

The gas‐phase reaction of organic acids with SO₃ has been recognized as essential in promoting aerosol‐particle formation. However, at the air–water interface, this reaction is much less understood. We performed systematic Born–Oppenheimer molecular dynamics (BOMD) simulations to study the reaction of various organic acids with SO₃ on a water droplet. The results show that with the involvement of interfacial water molecules, organic acids can react with SO₃ and form the ion pair of sulfuric‐carboxylic anhydride and hydronium. This mechanism is in contrast to the gas‐phase reaction mechanisms in which the organic acid either serves as a catalyst for the reaction between SO₃ and H₂O or reacts with SO₃ directly. The distinct reaction at the water surface has important atmospheric implications, for example, promoting water condensation, uptaking atmospheric condesation species, and incorporating “SO₄^2?” into organic species in aerosol particles. Therefore, this reaction, typically occurring within a few picoseconds, provides another pathway towards aerosol formation.     

Spectacular Rate Enhancement of the Diels–Alder Reaction at the Ionic Liquid/n‐Hexane Interface

The use of the ionic liquid/n‐hexane interface as a new class of reaction medium for the Diels–Alder reaction gives large rate enhancements of the order of 10⁶ to 10⁸ times and high stereoselectivity, as compared to homogeneous media. The rate enhancement is attributed to the H‐bonding abilities and polarities of the ionic liquids, whereas the hydrophobicity of ionic liquids was considered to be the factor in controlling stereoselectivity.     

Rate Constants for the Gas‐Phase Reactions of Ozone and Nitrate Radicals with the Sesquiterpenes: Valencene and Farnesol

Sesquiterpenes are constituents of a variety of essential oils that are used in flavorings, perfumes, personal care, and cleaning products. Two sesquiterpenes that are commonly used as indoor fragrances are valencene and farnesol. Knowing the reaction rate constants of these chemicals with ozone (O₃) and nitrate radical () is an important factor in determining their fate indoors. In this study, the bimolecular rate constants of , , , and were measured using the relative rate technique at 297 ± 3 K and 1 atm total pressure. Using the rate constants reported here and measured/modeled indoor concentrations of O₃ and (20 ppb and 1 ppt, respectively), pseudo–first‐order‐rate lifetimes , , , and were determined.