Maximum Noble‐Metal Efficiency in Catalytic Materials: Atomically Dispersed Surface Platinum

Platinum is the most versatile element in catalysis, but it is rare and its high price limits large‐scale applications, for example in fuel‐cell technology. Still, conventional catalysts use only a small fraction of the Pt content, that is, those atoms located at the catalyst’s surface. To maximize the noble‐metal efficiency, the precious metal should be atomically dispersed and exclusively located within the outermost surface layer of the material. Such atomically dispersed Pt surface species can indeed be prepared with exceptionally high stability. Using DFT calculations we identify a specific structural element, a ceria “nanopocket”, which binds Pt²⁺ so strongly that it withstands sintering and bulk diffusion. On model catalysts we experimentally confirm the theoretically predicted stability, and on real Pt‐CeO₂ nanocomposites showing high Pt efficiency in fuel‐cell catalysis we also identify these anchoring sites.     

Conducting materials prepared by the oxidation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-phenylenediamine with <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-benzoquinone

p-Phenylenediamine was oxidized with p-benzoquinone in the aqueous solutions of methanesulfonic acid (MSA). The conductivity of the products increased with increasing concentration of MSA from 1.5?×?10^?12 S cm^?1 in 0.1 M MSA up to 3.4?×?10^?4 S cm^?1 in 5 M MSA. The low-molecular-weight products are basically composed of one p-benzoquinone and two p-phenylenediamine molecules. Their molecular structure is discussed on the basis of mass, Fourier-transform infrared, Raman, NMR and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies. The formation of 2,5-di(p-phenylenediamine)-p-benzoquinone protonated with methanesulfonic acid best complies with the information provided by spectroscopic techniques. Its conversion to hydroquinone tautomer explains the formation of unpaired spins observed by EPR and their potential contribution to the conduction.     

Kinetics of Thermal Decomposition and Kinetics of Substitution Reaction of Nano Uranyl Schiff Base Complexes

This study focuses on the synthesis, characterization, and kinetics of substitution reaction of new uranyl Schiff base complexes prepared in a crystalline state as well as in a form of nanoparticles with sizes ranging between 35 and 60 nm. Preliminary Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric (TG) measurements indicated no difference between the two forms. The compounds were characterized by UV–vis, ¹H NMR, cyclic voltammetry, X‐ray crystallography, FTIR, TG, and CHN analyses. X‐ray crystallography revealed coordination of the uranyl by the tetradentate Schiff base ligand and one solvent molecule, resulting in seven‐coordinated uranium. Cyclic voltammetry of the complexes in acetonitrile revealed the quasi‐reversible redox reaction. The TG and analysis of Coats–Redfern plots revealed that the kinetics of thermal decomposition of the complexes is of the first order in all stages. The study of the kinetics and the mechanism of the exchange reaction of the coordinated solvent with tributylphosphine was performed by the spectrophotometric method. The second‐order rate constants at four temperatures and the activation parameters revealed an associative mechanism for all corresponding complexes. Anticancer activity of the nano uranyl Schiff base complexes against cancer cell lines (Jurkat) was studied and determined by the MTT (3‐[4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl]‐2,5‐diphenyl‐tetrazoliumbromide) assay.     

Effect of support on activity of palladium catalysts in nitrobenzene hydrogenation

The effect of two types of catalysts on the activity of the catalytic hydrogenation of nitrobenzene was studied. Catalysts were prepared by the surface deposition of palladium hydroxide with a simultaneous reduction with formaldehyde in a basic environment and were characterised by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, adsorption-desorption, and catalytic tests — hydrogenation of nitrobenzene in methanol. The influence of the supports’ (activated carbon and a mixture of activated carbon and multi-walled carbon nanotubes) surface area is discussed. Despite having a size comparable (4–5 nm) to crystallites of metallic palladium, the catalyst prepared on a mixture of activated carbon and nanotubes (Pd/C/CNT) was significantly less active than the catalyst prepared on pure activated carbon (Pd/C); the rate of this reaction was approximately 30 % lower than the initial reaction rate. This feature could be attributed to the lower specific surface area of the Pd/C/CNT (531 m² g^?1) in comparison with the Pd/C (692 m² g^?1).     

A new phosphorothioic triamide structure: P(S)[NHCH2C6H5]3

The structure of N,N′,N′′‐tribenzylphosphorothioic triamide, C₂₁H₂₄N₃PS, (I), and analysis of the bond‐angle sums at the N atoms for this compound, and for 74 structures with a P(S)[N]₃ skeleton and the N atom in a three‐coordinate geometry found in the Cambridge Structural Database [CSD; Groom & Allen (2014). Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 53 , 662–671], are reported. For (I), the bond‐angle sum at one of the N atoms [359 (1)°] shows a nearly planar configuration, while the other two show a nonplanar geometry with bond‐angle sums of 342 (1) and 347 (1)°. The location of the atoms attached to the nonplanar N atoms suggests an anti orientation of the corresponding lone electron pairs (LEPs) on these N atoms with respect to the P=S group. For 74 structures with a P(S)[N]₃ skeleton and with the N atom in a three‐coordinate geometry, the bond‐angle sums at the N atoms were found to be in the range 293–360°. Among 307 such three‐coordinate N atoms, 39% (120 N atoms) have bond‐angle sums in the range 359–360°, in accordance with sp² hybridization, and 45% (138 N atoms) have bond‐angle sums in the range 352–359°, with hybridization close to sp². For the orientation of the LEP with respect to the P=S group, the anti orientation was found to be a general rule for N atoms, with the corresponding bond‐angle sums deviating by more than 8° from the planar value of 360°. In the title structure, the S atom takes part in intermolecular (N—H...)(N—H...)S hydrogen bonds, connecting the molecules into extended chains parallel to the b axis. The co‐operation of one N atom in an N—H...S hydrogen bond as an H‐atom donor, and in an N—H...N hydrogen bond as an acceptor, is a novel feature of the crystal structure.     

Counterion and solvent effects on the anionic polymerization of β-butyrolactone initiated with acetic acid salts

The comparative studies on the anionic polymerization of β-butyrolactone (BL) initiated with various salts of acetic acid have revealed strong sensitivity of the reaction rate on solvent polarity (benzene, THF, DMSO) and size of counterion. It was found that the polymerization rate in THF depends on the size of counterion and the type of macrocyclic ligand; it decreases in the following order: K⁺/Kryptofix® 222 ≈TBA⁺ > K⁺/18C6 > Na⁺/18C6 > Na⁺/15C5 > K⁺. It was also shown that the anionic polymerization of BL initiated with carboxylic acid salts depends strongly on the solvent polarity. In the polymerization initiated by acetate anions with a large counterion, the high-polar solvent as DMSO affects unfavorably the reaction rate, however, when a small counterion is applied, the opposite tendency is observed.     

Improvement of paper strength via surface application of sugar beet pectin

The influence of surface-applied original and enzymatically-modified sugar beet pectin on strength properties of fluting, coating base paper, and core board was investigated. The effect was compared with the application of commercial strength-increasing agents. With increasing the polymer uptake, measured strength of paper increased. Original sugar beet pectin increased the strength properties of papers, at the same uptake of polymer, to a higher extent than oxidised potato starch or modified grain flour, while the effect of enzymatically-modified sugar beet pectin was the lowest. For the same increase of paper strength, a several times higher uptake of enzymatically-modified sugar beet pectin was required when compared with the original pectin, oxidised potato starch, or modified grain flour.     

Determination of acid-base dissociation constants of amino- and guanidinopurine nucleotide analogs and related compounds by capillary zone electrophoresis

CZE has been applied for determination of acid-base dissociation constants (pKa) of ionogenic groups of newly synthesized amino- and (amino)guanidinopurine nucleotide analogs, such as acyclic nucleoside phosphonate, acyclic nucleoside phosphonate diesters and other related compounds. These compounds bear characteristic pharmacophores contained in various important biologically active substances, such as cytostatics and antivirals. The pKa values of ionogenic groups of the above compounds were determined by nonlinear regression analysis of the experimentally measured pH dependence of their effective electrophoretic mobilities. The effective mobilities were measured by CZE performed in series of BGEs in a broad pH range (3.50-11.25), at constant ionic strength (25 mM) and temperature (25 degrees C). pKa values were determined for the protonated guanidinyl group in (amino)guanidino 9-alkylpurines and in (amino)guanidinopurine nucleotide analogs, such as acyclic nucleoside phosphonates and acyclic nucleoside phosphonate diesters, for phosphonic acid to the second dissociation degree (-2) in acyclic nucleoside phosphonates of amino and (amino)guanidino 9-alkylpurines, and for protonated nitrogen in position 1 (N1) of purine moiety in acyclic nucleoside phosphonates of amino 9-alkylpurines. Thermodynamic pKa of protonated guanidinyl group was estimated to be in the range of 7.75-10.32, pKa of phosphonic acid to the second dissociation degree achieved values of 6.64-7.46, and pKa of protonated nitrogen in position 1 of purine was in the range of 4.13-4.89, depending on the structure of the analyzed compounds.     

Exceptional thermodynamic stability of DNA duplexes modified by nonpolar base analogues is due to increased stacking interactions and favorable solvation: Correlated ab initio calculations and molecular dynamics simulations

The geometries of DNA hexamer (5'-GGAACC-3') and DNA 13-mer (5'-GCGTACACATGCG-3') have been determined by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using an empirical force field. The central canonical base pair was replaced by a pair of nonpolar base analogues, 2,2'-bipyridyl and 3-methylisocarbostyril. The stabilization energy of the model system (model A) consisting of a central base pair (base-analogue pair) and two neighboring base pairs was determined by the RI-MP2 method using an extended aug-cc-pVDZ basis set. The geometry of the model was averaged from structures determined by MD simulations. The role of the solvent was covered by the COSMO continuum solvent model and calculations were performed for a larger model system (model B) which also contained a sugar-phosphate backbone. The total stabilization energies of the unperturbed system and the system perturbed by a base-analogue pair (model A) were comparable to the stability of both duplexes experimentally determined. This is due to large stacking interaction energy of the base-analogue self-pair which compensates for the missing hydrogen-bonding energy of the replaced adenine...thymine base pair. The selectivity of the base-analogue pair was reproduced (model B) when their desolvation energy was included with the interaction energy of both strands determined by the approximate SCC-DFTB-D method.     

Oscillatory reactions involving hydrogen peroxide and thiosulfate-kinetics of the oxidation of tetrathionate by hydrogen peroxide

The reaction between tetrathionate and hydrogen peroxide forms an important part of several pH oscillators based on the oxidation of thiosulfate. The kinetics of this reaction were examined in a batch reactor by measurement of the initial pH values in the range from 8 to 10.5. Experimental data were evaluated by the method of initial reaction rates combined with the assumption of instantaneously equilibrated acid-base reactions. The rate-determining step was found to be of the first order with respect to tetrathionate, hydrogen peroxide, and OH- ions with the value of rate constant k = (1.50 +/- 0.03) x 10(2) (M2 s)(-1) at 25 degrees C. In the alkaline solution, no distinct catalytic effect of Cu2+ was observed in contrast to earlier assumptions. The waveform of measured pH over the course of the reaction indicates that thiosulfate is probably an intermediate because characteristics of the curves are very similar to those for the oxidation of thiosulfate. We also measured the time evolution of concentrations of major components by the attenuated total internal reflectance infrared spectroscopy to further elucidate the underlying reaction mechanism. These measurements confirm the suspected role of thiosulfate as an intermediate in the studied reaction and provide valuable detailed information on the time evolution of thiosulfate, sulfite, sulfate, tetrathionate, and trithionate. These experimental observations are included in a simple mechanism that accurately simulates the reaction course in an alkaline solution. The results provide considerable new insights into the nature of autocatalysis in the hydrogen peroxide-thiosulfate-Cu2+ reaction and suggest that a new role for Cu2+ in the oscillatory dynamics observed in a flow-through reactor needs to be found.