Predicting catalysis: understanding ammonia synthesis from first-principles calculations

Here, we give a full account of a large collaborative effort toward an atomic-scale understanding of modern industrial ammonia production over ruthenium catalysts. We show that overall rates of ammonia production can be determined by applying various levels of theory (including transition state theory with or without tunneling corrections, and quantum dynamics) to a range of relevant elementary reaction steps, such as N(2) dissociation, H(2) dissociation, and hydrogenation of the intermediate reactants. A complete kinetic model based on the most relevant elementary steps can be established for any given point along an industrial reactor, and the kinetic results can be integrated over the catalyst bed to determine the industrial reactor yield. We find that, given the present uncertainties, the rate of ammonia production is well-determined directly from our atomic-scale calculations. Furthermore, our studies provide new insight into several related fields, for instance, gas-phase and electrochemical ammonia synthesis. The success of predicting the outcome of a catalytic reaction from first-principles calculations supports our point of view that, in the future, theory will be a fully integrated tool in the search for the next generation of catalysts.     

Reactivities of the Prism‐Shaped Diamondoids [1(2)3]Tetramantane and [12312]Hexamantane (Cyclohexamantane)

Functionalized nanodiamonds : Various functional groups have been incorporated into the structures of the naturally occurring diamondoids [1(2)3]tetramantane and [12312]hexamantane (cyclohexamantane), which represent hydrogen‐terminated prism‐shaped nanodiamonds (see picture). The attachment points define the use of these diamond‐like molecules as geometric building blocks for a variety of applications.

     

Antiaromatic spacer-bridged bisfluorenyl dications generated by superacid induced ionization

Derivatives of the dication of tetrabenzo[5.5]fulvalene were prepared with phenyl and ethynyl spacers through ionization of the appropriate bis-methylethers. The antiaromaticity shown by the parent dication was demonstrated for these dications with spacers, although it was attenuated by the presence of the spacer. It was substantially greater than that of fluorenyl monocations with similar substituents. Antiaromaticity was evaluated through comparison of (1)H NMR shifts with those of acyclic analogues, through nucleus independent chemical shifts, and through magnetic susceptibility exaltation. Although the fluorenyl systems are separated by spacers, the antiaromaticity of one system is affected by the other remote fluorenyl system. An explanation for this interaction may lie in the ability of a remote cationic substituent to attenuate delocalization in the spacer. The use of spacers is designed to prevent side reactions in less stable antiaromatic dications, allowing exploration of a number of species that have previously been inaccessible.     

Electron correlation forms in the LiH molecule—fermi correlation

Correlation forms for electrons of the same spin small molecules are analyzed by taking the LiH molecule as an example. The analyses are carried out on the basis of the reduced density matrix theory and for both the ground state and the first excited state. It turns out that although there is a certain similarity, the correlated motions of parallel-spin electrons in this four-electron molecule are more complicated than those found for the two-electron molecule. The correlation forms are not always constant. They vary essentially from one state to another, but are insensitive to fairly large changes of the internuclear distance for a given state.     

Oxygen non-stoichiometry, redox thermodynamics, and structure of LaFe1 − x Co x O3 − δ

The oxygen non-stoichiometry and redox thermodynamic properties of the LaFe_{1 ? x} Co _x O_{3 ? δ} system (x?=?0.25 and 0.75) are studied. At low temperatures, the LaCoO₃ and LaFeO₃ systems show partial solid solubility. At 1,273 K (in air), both compounds are single phases and are orthorhombic and rhombohedral for x?=?0.25 and 0.75, respectively. Thermogravimetry has been used to measure the oxygen non-stoichiometry versus oxygen partial pressure at three temperatures, 1,223, 1,273, and 1,323 K. Redox thermodynamic quantities are extracted directly from the oxygen non-stoichiometry curves. The extracted enthalpies of oxidation do not vary significantly with stoichiometry, and for x?=?0.25 and 0.75, they are ?640?±?60 and ?440?±?60 kJ (mol O₂)^?1, respectively. Ideal solid solution thermodynamic models are used to analyze the redox mechanisms.     

Konzentrationsabhängigkeit der Dipolmomente in n-Hexan-Lösungen normaler α, ω-dichlorierter Kohlenwasserstoffe

Zusammenfassung Es wurden die Dipolmomente der, -dichlorierten Kohlenwasserstoffe in Lösung mit Hexan über den ganzen Konzentrationsbereich bei 25 °C bestimmt. Untersucht wurden die Verbindungen dieser Reihe vom 1,2-Dichloräthan bis zum 1,10-Dichlordekan.Die Dipolmomente dieser Verbindungen ließen sich gut deuten, wenn ein Gemisch starrer Rotationsisomerer angenommen wurde. Dabei zeigten sich auch noch die durch eine Kohlenstoffkette von 10 C-Atomen getrennten Partialmomente deutlich in ihrer Richtung gegenseitig abhängig.Die Konzentrationsabhängigkeit der Dipolmomente wurde an Hand der durch dieKirkwood-Fröhlichsche Theorie gegebeneng-Faktoren diskutiert. Es ergab sich, daß dieg-Faktoren des 1,2-Dichloräthans weitgehend auf eine DK-abhängige Konformationsänderung von der unpolaren trans- in die polare gauche-Konformation zurückzuführen sind. Dies scheint eine grundsätzliche Eigenschaft von Verbindungen zu sein, die Partialmomente in 1,2-Stellung haben. Dieg-Faktoren der Verbindungen, deren Partialmomente weiter voneinander entfernt sind, wie bei den höheren Gliedern der Reihe, wurden nahezu ausschließlich auf zwischenmolekulare Ausrichtung der Partialmomente zurückgeführt.Ein Vergleich mit deng-Faktoren des Hexylchlorids und des 2,2-Dichlorpropans zeigte, daß bis zu einer Konzentration von 1 Mol/l in erster Linie dimere bzw. kettenartige antiparallele bzw. parallele Assoziate der Partialmomente zu erwarten sind. Nach höheren Konzentrationen weichen dieg-Faktoren von diesem Verhalten nach größeren Werten hin ab. Daraus wurde auf parallele Ausrichtung in höherer Koordinationszahl geschlossen.Für die Unterstützung dieser Arbeit sprechen wir der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft unseren verbindlichsten Dank aus.Der Firma Bayer, Leverkusen, danken wir für die Hilfe bei Beschaffung einiger der Substanzen.     

Homologies cyclique et de Hochschild de certains espaces homogènes quantiques

Nous quantifions certaines inclusions d'algèbres de Lie semi-simpleshg. Nous calculons les homologies associées aux quantifications, surC((h)), d'une part des algèbres de fonctions formelles surG/H, pourHG une inclusion de groupes de Lie semi-simples associée, et d'autre part des fonctions algébriques sur SL(2,C)/T.We quantize certain inclusions of semisimple Lie algebrashg. We compute the cyclic and Hochschild homologies for theC((h))-quantizations of

Prescribing eigenvalues of the Dirac operator

In this note we show that every compact spin manifold of dimension ≥3 can be given a Riemannian metric for which a finite part of the spectrum of the Dirac operator consists of arbitrarily prescribed eigenvalues with multiplicity 1.