An Effective Pd–Ni2P/C Anode Catalyst for Direct Formic Acid Fuel Cells

The direct formic acid fuel cell is an emerging energy conversion device for which palladium is considered as the state‐of‐the‐art anode catalyst. In this communication, we show that the activity and stability of palladium for formic acid oxidation can be significantly enhanced using nickel phosphide (Ni₂P) nanoparticles as a cocatalyst. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals a strong electronic interaction between Ni₂P and Pd. A direct formic acid fuel cell incorporating the best Pd–Ni₂P anode catalyst exhibits a power density of 550 mW cm^?2, which is 3.5 times of that of an analogous device using a commercial Pd anode catalyst.     

Following Solid‐Acid‐Catalyzed Reactions by MAS NMR Spectroscopy in Liquid Phase—Zeolite‐Catalyzed Conversion of Cyclohexanol in Water

A microautoclave magic angle spinning NMR rotor is developed enabling in situ monitoring of solid–liquid–gas reactions at high temperatures and pressures. It is used in a kinetic and mechanistic study of the reactions of cyclohexanol on zeolite HBEA in 130 °C water. The ¹³C spectra show that dehydration of 1‐¹³C‐cyclohexanol occurs with significant migration of the hydroxy group in cyclohexanol and the double bond in cyclohexene with respect to the ¹³C label. A simplified kinetic model shows the E1‐type elimination fully accounts for the initial rates of 1‐¹³C‐cyclohexanol disappearance and the appearance of the differently labeled products, thus suggesting that the cyclohexyl cation undergoes a 1,2‐hydride shift competitive with rehydration and deprotonation. Concurrent with the dehydration, trace amounts of dicyclohexyl ether are observed, and in approaching equilibrium, a secondary product, cyclohexyl‐1‐cyclohexene is formed. Compared to phosphoric acid, HBEA is shown to be a more active catalyst exhibiting a dehydration rate that is 100‐fold faster per proton.     

Tunable Oxygen Activation for Catalytic Organic Oxidation: Schottky Junction versus Plasmonic Effects

The charge state of the Pd surface is a critical parameter in terms of the ability of Pd nanocrystals to activate O₂ to generate a species that behaves like singlet O₂ both chemically and physically. Motivated by this finding, we designed a metal–semiconductor hybrid system in which Pd nanocrystals enclosed by {100} facets are deposited on TiO₂ supports. Driven by the Schottky junction, the TiO₂ supports can provide electrons for metal catalysts under illumination by appropriate light. Further examination by ultrafast spectroscopy revealed that the plasmonics of Pd may force a large number of electrons to undergo reverse migration from Pd to the conduction band of TiO₂ under strong illumination, thus lowering the electron density of the Pd surface as a side effect. We were therefore able to rationally tailor the charge state of the metal surface and thus modulate the function of Pd nanocrystals in O₂ activation and organic oxidation reactions by simply altering the intensity of light shed on Pd–TiO₂ hybrid structures.     

Nucleophilic Difluoromethylation of Epoxides with PhSO(NTBS)CF2H by a Preorganization Strategy

Unlike the facile synthesis of β‐monofluoromethyl alcohols by nucleophilic monofluoromethylation of epoxides, the synthesis of β‐difluoromethyl alcohols by nucleophilic difluoromethylation of epoxides still remains a challenge. Herein, studies on tackling this problem with PhSO(NTBS)CF₂H ( 2 ; TBS=tert‐butyldimethylsilyl) are reported. The preorganization of 2 and epoxides with BF₃ ? Et₂O was found to be crucial for the reaction. The reaction shows excellent regioselectivity and has a broad substrate scope. The facile transformation of the ring‐opened products to β‐difluoromethyl, γ‐difluoromethyl, and β‐difluoromethylenyl alcohols demonstrates the synthetic utility of the reaction.     

Hetero‐tri‐spin [2p‐3d‐4f] Chain Compounds Based on Nitronyl Nitroxide Lanthanide Metallo‐Ligands: Synthesis,Structure, and Magnetic Properties

Employing nitronyl nitroxide lanthanide(III) complexes as metallo‐ligands allowed the efficient and highly selective preparation of three series of unprecedented hetero‐tri‐spin (Cu?Ln‐radical) one‐dimensional compounds. These 2p–3d–4f spin systems, namely [Ln₃Cu(hfac)₁₁(NitPhOAll)₄] (Ln^III=Gd 1_Gd , Tb 1_Tb , Dy 1_Dy ; NitPhOAll=2‐(4′‐allyloxyphenyl)‐4,4,5,5‐tetramethylimidazoline‐1‐oxyl‐3‐oxide), [Ln₃Cu(hfac)₁₁(NitPhOPr)₄] (Ln^III=Gd 2_Gd , Tb 2_Tb , Dy 2_Dy , Ho 2_Ho , Yb 2_Yb ; NitPhOPr=2‐(4′‐propoxyphenyl)‐4,4,5,5‐tetramethyl‐imidazoline‐1‐oxyl‐3‐oxide) and [Ln₃Cu(hfac)₁₁(NitPhOBz)₄] (Ln^III=Gd 3_Gd , Tb 3_Tb , Dy 3_Dy ; NitPhOBz=2‐(4′‐benzyloxyphenyl)‐4,4,5,5‐tetramethyl‐imidazoline‐1‐oxyl‐3‐oxide) involve O‐bound nitronyl nitroxide radicals as bridging ligands in chain structures with a [Cu‐Nit‐Ln‐Nit‐Ln‐Nit‐Ln‐Nit] repeating unit. The dc magnetic studies show that ferromagnetic metal–radical interactions take place in these hetero‐tri‐spin chain complexes, these and the next‐neighbor interactions have been quantified for the Gd derivatives. Complexes 1_Tb and 2_Tb exhibit frequency dependence of ac magnetic susceptibilities, indicating single‐chain magnet behavior.     

单滴微萃取-气相色谱质谱联用法测定纺织品中可分解芳香胺

建立了单滴微萃取结合气相色谱-质谱法测定纺织品中可分解芳香胺的方法。研究了萃取剂种类、萃取剂体积、萃取时间、pH和搅拌速度等条件对单滴微萃取效率的影响。确定最佳萃取条件:在室温条件下,取5 mL样液,调节被萃取液pH8,以2μL氯苯为萃取剂萃取20 min,搅拌速度为200 r/min。在优化的实验条件下,检出限为0.08~0.14 mg/kg,线性范围0.5~50 mg/kg,线性相关系数大于0.996,平均加标回收率为75.3%~96.7%,相对标准偏差为3.6%~8.7%。方法适合纺织品中可分解芳香胺的测定。     

界面预湿处理对异质增强型PVDF中空纤维膜结构与性能的影响

以熔融纺丝聚氯乙烯(PVC)中空纤维多孔膜为增强体,聚偏氟乙烯(PVDF)为成膜聚合物,聚乙烯吡咯烷酮(PVP)为添加剂,N,N-二甲基乙酰胺(DMAc)为溶剂,配置铸膜液,采用同心圆牵引-涂覆法制备了异质增强型PVDF中空纤维膜.制备过程中,采用预湿溶液对增强体基膜表面进行预处理,研究了预湿溶液组成及含量对异质增强型PVDF中空纤维膜结构与性能的影响.结果表明,未经预湿处理的异质增强型PVDF中空纤维膜具有较厚的致密界面层;预湿溶液可对基膜表面孔起到保护作用,使异质增强型PVDF中空纤维膜的界面层变薄或形成多孔界面层,有益于改善增强型PVDF中空纤维膜的通透性能;与二甲基乙酰胺(DMAc)水溶液相比,以乙醇水溶液为预湿溶液所得异质增强型PVDF中空纤维膜的性能较优;当预湿液中乙醇含量为60 wt%时,所得增强型PVDF中空纤维膜的渗透性能较优,拉伸强度可达8.61 MPa.     

[B30]−: A Quasiplanar Chiral Boron Cluster

Chirality is vital in chemistry. Its importance in atomic clusters has been recognized since the discovery of the first chiral fullerene, the D₂ symmetric C₇₆. ¹ A number of gold clusters have been found to be chiral, ² raising the possibility to use them as asymmetric catalysts. The discovery of clusters with enantiomeric structures is essential to design new chiral materials with tailored chemical and physical properties. ³ Herein we report the first inherently chiral boron cluster of [B₃₀]^? in a joint photoelectron spectroscopy and theoretical study. The most stable structure of [B₃₀]^? is found to be quasiplanar with a hexagonal hole. Interestingly, a pair of enantiomers arising from different positions of the hexagonal hole are found to be degenerate in our global minimum searches and both should co‐exist experimentally because they have identical electronic structures and give rise to identical simulated photoelectron spectra.     

Iron‐Catalyzed 1,2‐Addition of Perfluoroalkyl Iodides to Alkynes and Alkenes

Iron catalysis has been developed for the intermolecular 1,2‐addition of perfluoroalkyl iodides to alkynes and alkenes. The catalysis has a wide substrate scope and high functional‐group tolerance. A variety of perfluoroalkyl iodides including CF₃I can be employed. The resulting perfluoroalkylated alkyl and alkenyl iodides can be further functionalized by cross‐coupling reactions. This methodology provides a straightforward and streamlined access to perfluoroalkylated organic molecules.     

Mechanistic Study of the Role of Primary Amines in Precursor Conversions to Semiconductor Nanocrystals at Low Temperature

Primary alkyl amines (RNH₂) have been empirically used to engineer various colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs). Here, we present a general mechanism in which the amine acts as a hydrogen/proton donor in the precursor conversion to nanocrystals at low temperature, which was assisted by the presence of a secondary phosphine. Our findings introduce the strategy of using a secondary phosphine together with a primary amine as new routes to prepare high‐quality NCs at low reaction temperatures but with high particle yields and reproducibility and thus, potentially, low production costs.