Non-PGM Electrocatalysts for PEM Fuel Cells: A DFT Study on the Effects of Fluorination of FeNx-Doped and N-Doped Carbon Catalysts

Fluorination is considered as a means of reducing the degradation of Fe/N/C, a highly active FeN_x-doped disorganized carbon catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in PEM fuel cells. Our recent experiments have, however, revealed that fluorination poisons the FeN_x moiety of the Fe/N/C catalytic site, considerably reducing the activity of the resulting catalyst to that of carbon only doped with nitrogen. Using the density functional theory (DFT), we clarify in this work the mechanisms by which fluorine interacts with the catalyst. We studied 10 possible FeN_x site configurations as well as 2 metal-free sites in the absence or presence of fluorine molecules and atoms. When the FeN_x moiety is located on a single graphene layer accessible on both sides, we found that fluorine binds strongly to Fe but that two F atoms, one on each side of the FeN_x plane, are necessary to completely inhibit the catalytic activity of the FeN_x sites. When considering the more realistic model of a stack of graphene layers, only one F atom is needed to poison the FeN_x moiety on the top layer since ORR hardly takes place between carbon layers. We also found that metal-free catalytic N-sites are immune to poisoning by fluorination, in accordance with our experiments. Finally, we explain how most of the catalytic activity can be recovered by heating to 900 °C after fluorination. This research helps to clarify the role of metallic sites compared to non-metallic ones upon the fluorination of FeN_x-doped disorganized carbon catalysts.     

Design,Microwave-Assisted Synthesis and In Silico Prediction Study of Novel Isoxazole Linked Pyranopyrimidinone Conjugates as New Targets for Searching Potential Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Agents

A series of novel naphthopyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidin-11(12H)-one containing isoxazole nucleus 4 was synthesized under microwave irradiation and classical conditions in moderate to excellent yields upon 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction using various arylnitrile oxides under copper(I) catalyst. A one-pot, three-component reaction, N-propargylation and Dimroth rearrangement were used as the key steps for the preparation of the dipolarophiles3. The structures of the synthesized compounds were established by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and HRMS-ES means. The present study aims to also predict the theoretical assembly of the COVID-19 protease (SARS-CoV-2 M^pro) and to discover in advance whether this protein can be targeted by the compounds 4a–1 and thus be synthesized. The docking scores of these compounds were compared to those of the co-crystallized native ligand inhibitor (N3) which was used as a reference standard. The results showed that all the synthesized compounds (4a–l) gave interesting binding scores compared to those of N3 inhibitor. It was found that compounds 4a, 4e and 4i achieved greatly similar binding scores and modes of interaction than N3, indicating promising affinity towards SARS-CoV-2 M^pro. On the other hand, the derivatives 4k, 4h and 4j showed binding energy scores (−8.9, −8.5 and −8.4 kcal/mol, respectively) higher than the M^pro N3 inhibitor (−7.0 kcal/mol), revealing, in their turn, a strong interaction with the target protease, although their interactions were not entirely comparable to that of the reference N3.     

Solvent‐Free Ring‐Opening Metathesis Polymerization of Norbornene over Silica‐Supported Tungsten–Oxo Perhydrocarbyl Catalysts

Ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of bicyclo[2.2.1]hept‐2‐ene (norbornene) is carried out over silica‐supported catalysts based on tungsten complexes bearing an oxo ligand ( 1 : [(SiO)W(O)(CH₂SiMe₃)₃, 2 : [(SiO)W(O)(CHCMe₂Ph)(dAdPO)], dAdPO  2,6 diadamantyl‐4‐methylphenoxide, 3 : [(SiO)₂W(O)(CH₂SiMe₃)₂]). The evaluation of the catalytic activities of the aforementioned materials in ROMP indicates that at low reaction time (0.5 min), the highest polymer yield is obtained with catalyst 2 . However, for longer reaction time (>2 min), complex 3 , a model of the industrial catalyst, exhibits a better monomer conversion. The polymers obtained are characterized. Moreover, these catalysts are shown to be rather preferentially selective to give the cis polynorbornene (>65%), characterized by high melting points (≈300 °C). The experimental values of the average molecular weight (M_n) of polynorbornenes are found to be close to the theoretical ones for the polymers prepared using catalyst 2 and higher for those originated from catalyst 3 .

     

The structural properties of a noncentrosymmetric polymorph of 4‐aminobenzoic acid

The crystal structure of a polymorph of 4‐aminobenzoic acid (PABA), C₇H₇NO₂, at 100 K is noncentrosymmetric, as opposed to centrosymmetric in the structures of the other known polymorphs. The two crystallographically independent PABA molecules form pseudocentrosymmetric O—H...O hydrogen‐bonded dimers that are further linked by N—H...O hydrogen bonds into a three‐dimensional network. The benzene rings stack in the b direction. The CO₂ moieties are bent out slightly from the benzene ring plane.     

A New Investigation of Aqueous Orthophosphoric Acid Speciation Using Raman Spectroscopy

The Raman spectrum of aqueous phosphoric acid has been investigated at apparentconcentrations of 0.3 to 9.7 mol-dm^–3 at 25°C. A quantitative analysis hasbeen made over this concentration range after the determination of the responsecoefficients of the H₂PO^– ₄ and H₃PO₄ species. In the first step, the spectra wereinterpreted assuming that only two species (H₂PO^– ₄ and H₃PO₄) were present inthe system. The dissociation of phosphoric acid obtained in this case is consistentwith the values Preston and Adams⁽¹⁾ obtained, and which was also found fromRaman spectroscopy. However, a discrepancy exists between the representationsfrom spectra and experimental ones. This discrepancy can be removed if anotherspecies, the anionic dimer H₅P₂O^– ₈ is taken into account. Therefore, in the secondstep, a modified interpretation of the spectra, was used to determine theconcentrations of the H₂PO^– ₄, H₅P₂O^– ₈, and H₃PO₄ species and to deduce the correspondingdegree of dissociation of the acid, as well as the speciation of the solutions as afunction of the apparent concentration of phosphoric acid. As in the results Elmoreand co-workers,² which were deduced from pH measurements, the degree ofdissociation reaches a minimum and then increases significantly for apparentphosphoric acid concentrations greater than 1 mol-dm^–3.     

Synthesis and binding properties of calix[4]arenes with [2 + 2'] mixed ligating functional groups

A series of mixed [2 + 2'] p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene have been synthesised by selective 1,3-dialkylation of phenolic groups using various alkylating agents such as benzyl bromide, methyl iodide, ethyl bromoacetate, and 2-methoxyethyl tosylate. The extraction and complexation properties of the synthesized calixarenes towards alkali and alkaline earth metal cations have been investigated in acetonitrile by means of UV spectrophotometry and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The results show the formation of ML and/or ML2 species depending on the ligand and the cation. The enthalpies and entropies of complexation of alkali metal cations by a tetraglycol, diglycol-dibenzyl and diglycol-diester derivatives have been obtained from calorimetric measurements. The results revealed that the formation of ML species is controlled by enthalpy while the formation of ML2 from ML is entropy driven.