Hydrogen activation on N‐doped carbon networks

α-d-Glucopyranose Adsorption on a Pd30 Cluster Supported on Boron Nitride Nanotube

Boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) as an innovative support for carbohydrate transformation processes was evaluated, using density functional theory. The α-d-glucopyranose adsorption on a Pd30 cluster, supported on BNNT, was used to check both the local activity of topologically different metallic sites and the effects of the proximity of the BNNT surface to the same metallic sites. Detailed geometrical and electronic analyses performed on Pd30/BNNT and α-d-glucopyranose/Pd30/BNNT systems were discussed. It was observed that the deposition of the Pd30 cluster onto the BNNT support gives rise to an electronic rearrangement, determining a charge transfer from the support to the adsorbed metal clus…

Disclosing the emissive surface traps in green-emitting carbon nanodots

Abstract The bright photoluminescence of surface-functionalized carbon nanoparticles, known as carbon nanodots (CDs), has been studied for more than a decade because of its fundamental photo-physical interest and strong technological potential. However, the essential nature of the electronic states involved in their typical light emission remains very elusive. Here, we provide conclusive evidence that surface carboxylic moieties are the key to CD fluorescence. The synergy of nanosecond and femtosecond optical studies, cryogenic fluorescence, computational investigations and chemical engineering of a strategically chosen model CD system, allows to demonstrate that their visible-light transit…

Y:BaZrO 3 Perovskite Compounds II: Designing Protonic Conduction by using MD Models

The proton dynamics in Y-doped BaZrO(3) derivatives, in particular the different dopant environments within a Pm3m cubic framework, were studied by using classical molecular dynamics (MD) calculations. Single- and double substitution of zirconium by yttrium atoms was considered. The presence of yttrium induced variations in the surrounding oxygen sites, according to their local geometrical arrangements. The differences among such distinct oxygen sites became evident when protons interacted with them and upon changes in the temperature. So, different proton transfer pathways, which had different energy barriers, characterized the topologically different oxygen sites. The experimental proton-…

BUTENE/H-ZSM-5:STUDIO COMPUTAZIONALE DI MODELLI DI SUPERFICIE E CATALITICI.

Cation Environment of BaCeO3−Based Protonic Conductors II: New Computational Models

Quantum chemical calculations have been carried out to simulate Y-doped BaCeO(3) derivatives. Hartree-Fock energy functional was used to study octahedral site environments embedded in a Pmcn orthorhombic framework, showing local arrangement characterized by Ce-O-Ce, Ce-O-Y, and Y-O-Y (Z-O-Ξ) configurations and including or not hydrogen close to the moieties encompassing those configurations. The latter are, in fact, representative of - and, in our modeling approach, were treated as - local arrangements that could be found in Y:BaCeO(3)-doped materials. The geometrical optimizations performed on the structural models and a detailed orbital analysis of these systems allowed us to confirm and …

Growth of sub-nanometric palladium clusters on boron nitride nanotubes: a DFT study.

A QM/MM investigation is reported dealing with the nucleation and growth of small palladium clusters, up to Pd8, on the outer surface of a suitable model of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs). It is shown that BNNTs could have a template effect on the cluster growth, which is due to the interplay between Pd–N and Pd–Pd interactions as well as due to the matching of the B3N3 ring and the Pd(111) face arrangement. The values for the cluster adsorption energies reveal a relatively strong physisorption, which suggests that under particular conditions the BNNTs could be used as supports for the preparation of shape-controlled metal clusters.

Synthesis, characterization and conformational analysis of chloro-bis(glycylglycinate)germanium(IV) chloride

Chloro-bis(glycylglycinate)germanium(IV) chloride, [Cl(glygly)2Ge]Cl, was synthesized and characterized in the solid state by elemental analysis, thermogravimetry and infrared spectroscopy. Solution studies were also performed by 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO-d6) and by electric conductivity. The structural determination of the complex and the interpretation of the spectroscopic results were performed by employing an integrated computational approach, based on a systematic conformational search analysis on the [Cl(glygly)2Ge]+ ion performed by the Systematic Conformational Search Algorithm (SCSA) code, working at the hybrid B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level. The combination of experime…

Alkali-Metal Azides Interacting with Metal–Organic Frameworks

Computational study of metal-free N-doped carbon networks as hydrogenation catalysts

The future development and assesment of an industry more environmental friendly will include the use of metal-free catalysts. Most of the reported metal-free catalysts are homogeneous and often their recycle is difficult; therefore, develop and investigate them is of interest both theoretical and experimental. Recently, N-doped nanotubes and graphene sheets, were synthesized [1,2], and it was demonstrated that the incorporation, within these carbon structures, of nitrogen atoms causes a greater electron mobility and introduces more active sites for catalytic reactions. This investigation is aimed at elucidating the main features of the hydrogen fragmentation over these carbon frameworks. Se…

Shape-Dependence of Pd Nanocrystal Carburization during Acetylene Hydrogenation

This interdisciplinary work combines the use of shape- and size-defined Pd nanocrystals (cubes of 10 and 18 nm, and octahedra of 37 nm) with in situ techniques and DFT calculations to unravel the dynamic phenomena with respect to Pd reconstruction taking place during acetylene hydrogenation. Notably, it was found that the reacting Pd surface evolved at a different pace depending on the shape of the Pd nanocrystals, due to their specific propensity to form carbides under reaction conditions. Indeed, Pd cubes (Pd(100)) reacted with acetylene to form a PdC0.13 phase at a rate roughly 6-fold higher than that of octahedra (Pd(111)), resulting in nanocrystals with different degrees of carburizati…

Information science and computational methods in the modern chemistry education

X‐ray Absorption Spectra of Cu II and Cu III Complexes of N , N ′ ‐1,2‐Phenylenebis(2‐mercapto‐2‐methylpropionamide)

The X-ray absorption spectra of Cu I I and Cult complexes of N,N'-1,2-phenylenebis(2-mercapto-2-methylpropionamide) were recorded and analysed in solid phase. The EXAFS spectra of the two samples were refined with full multiple scattering path. Geometry optimisations on the Cu I I and Cu I I I complexes were performed by the B3LYP density functional method, with the 6-31G(d,p) basis set, considering different spin multiplicities. The singlet state of the Cu I I I complex was shown to be more stable than the triplet state, and a good agreement between the calculated and the corresponding experimental structure was found. Further single-point calculations on the optimised geometry were carrie…

DFT and kinetic evidences of the preferential CO oxidation pattern of manganese dioxide catalysts in hydrogen stream (PROX)

Abstract The oxidation functionality of Mn(IV) sites has been assessed by density functional theory (DFT) analysis of adsorption and activation energies of CO, H2 and O2 on a model Mn4O8 cluster. DFT calculations indicate that Mn(IV) atoms prompt an easy CO conversion to CO2 via a reaction path involving both catalyst and gas-phase oxygen species, while much greater energy barriers hinder H2 oxidation. Accordingly, a MnCeOx catalyst (Mnat/Ceat, 5) with large exposure of Mn(IV) sites shows a remarkable CO oxidation performance at T ≥ 293 K and no H2 oxidation activity below 393 K. Empiric kinetics disclose that the catalyst-oxygen abstraction step determines both CO and H2 oxidation rate, al…

L-arabinose adsorption on hydrogenated and hydrated ruthenium catalyst

DFT insights into the oxygen-assisted selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol on manganese dioxide catalysts

Abstract The reactivity pattern of the MnO2 catalyst in the selective aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol is assessed by density functional theory (DFT) analysis of adsorption energies and activation barriers on a model Mn4O8 cluster. DFT calculations predict high reactivity of defective Mn(IV) sites ruling a surface redox mechanism, L-H type, involving gas-phase oxygen. Bare and promoted (i.e., CeOx and FeOx) MnOx materials with high surface exposure of Mn(IV) sites were synthesized to assess kinetic and mechanistic issues of the selective aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol on real catalysts (T, 333–363 K). According to DFT predictions, the experimental study shows: i) comparable activity…

Theoretical calculation of the vibrational spectra of cis-cis-cyclooctadienes in the vapour phase.

The theoretical infrared spectra of 1,3-cis-cis-cyclooctadiene (1,3-COD) and 1,5-cis-cis-cyclooctadiene (1,5-COD), were obtained by ab initio MO calculations at Hartree-Fock level. The results were compared with the available IR experimental spectra of 1,3- and 1,5-COD. The apparent agreement between theoretical and experimental data allows us to exploit two bands, found only in the case of the theoretical spectrum of 1,4-COD, as a tool for identifying 1,4-COD during its synthesis.

Hydrogenation of acetylene-ethylene mixtures on Pd catalysts: study of the surface mechanism by computational approaches. Metal dispersion and catalytic activity

The hydrogenation mechanism of acetylene–ethylene mixtures on Pd catalysts under different experimental conditions was studied by employing a time-dependent Monte Carlo approach set to use a fixed series of event probabilities. The dependence of the catalyst activity and selectivity on the sizes of the metal particles was simulated at microscopic level and the results, also refined by fitting procedures, suggested proper explanations for the apparent nonuniformity of the related experimental findings. The use of the steric hindrance parameter of the surface species and the available surface energy on the metallic catalyst sites was decisive for reproducing the experimental results.

Empathes: A general code for nudged elastic band transition states search

Abstract An easy and flexible interface, Empathes (Extensible Minimum PATH EStimator), that allows to perform Nudged Elastic Band calculation for the determination of transition states is presented. The code is designed to be easily modified, in order to be associated with the user's preferred calculation software, even with those which implement composite approaches. In particular, the interfaces to Gaussian and Siesta programs are discussed in details, being the former only used for testing purpose, while the latter can be productively employed for transition states search with that commonly used density functional theory software for periodic calculations. Program summary Program Title: …

Systematic conformational search analysis of the SRR and RRR epimers of 7-hydroxymatairesinol

An extensive and systematic conformational search was performed on the two epimers of the natural lignan 7-hydroxymatairesinol (HMR), by means of a home-made Systematic Conformational Search Analysis (SCSA) code, designed to select more and more stable conformers through sequential geometry optimization of trial structures at increasing levels of calculation theory. In the present case, the starting molecular structures were selected by the semi-empirical AM1 method and filtered – i.e. decreased in number by choosing the more stable species – on the basis of their energy calculated by the HF method and the 6-31G(d) basis set. The geometries obtained were further refined by performing densit…

Relativistic coupled cluster calculations of the electronic structure of KrH+, XeH+ and RnH+

Potential energy curves of NgH+ cations (Ng = Kr, Xe, Rn) were obtained by using four-component relativistic CCSD(T) coupled cluster calculations. Dissociation energies, equilibrium bond lengths, electronic properties, such as dipole moments and electric field gradients at the nuclei, and the related spectroscopic parameters of the electronic ground state have been determined. The results obtained for KrH+ and XeH+ are in good agreement with available experimental data, while those for RnH+ have been determined for the first time at this level of theory.

Chemical effect on the XPS spectra of the valence band and on O KLL and Pd MNN Auger spectra in pumice-supported catalysts

X-ray photoelectron spectra of the valence band and X-ray-excited O KLL Auger transition of pumice-supported Pd and Pt catalysts have been obtained and compared to the corresponding spectra of pumice (a naturally occurring amorphous aluminosilicate). The changes observed indicate interaction between metal and support. The valence region of the catalysts consists of three large peaks: one due to the d band of the metals and the other to the O 2p non-bonding orbitals and bonding-type orbitals formed by a mixing of the atomic orbitals (O 2p, Si 3s and Si 3p) of oxygen and silicon from the support. The intensity decrease of the component due to the bonding orbitals, observed in the catalyst spe…

Hydrogenation of light hydrocarbons on palladium: theoretical study of the local surface arrangements

Abstract Quantum mechanical calculations at HF, MP2 and DFT levels were used to rationalise the surface effects of the hydrocarbon lateral interactions occurring on single planar metal surfaces or on different adjacent surfaces during the hydrogenation on palladium catalyst. The different values of electronic charge, found in the different atoms of palladium clusters, were suggested as a possible explanation of the non-homogeneous behaviour already inferred for catalyst surface sites having non-isotropic local arrangement.

Butene Isomerization and Double-Bond Migration on the H-ZSM-5 Outer Surface: A Density Functional Theory Study

Isomerization of trans-but-2-ene to cis-but-2-ene and double bond migration of trans-but-2-ene to but-1-ene have been investigated by means of density functional theory calculations on a suitable model of H-ZSM-5 surface. The study has been afforded on outer surface sites by considering the hydroxyl group of either a SiO2(OH)2 or a AlO2H(OH)2 moiety. On these outer surface sites, one alkoxide species occurs as a stable intermediate both along the isomerization and double bond migration pathways. The latter process could also occur via a single-step mechanism, which involves a six-center transition state. The energy barriers of the outer surface processes above do not take any advantage by t…

A new algorithm to explain adsorption-desorption processes on metal surfaces

Hydro-dimerization of PtCl2(C2H4)2 : model reaction to capture details on catalytic mechanisms

Density Functional Theory Investigation on the Nucleation of Homo- and Heteronuclear Metal Clusters on Defective Graphene

Nucleation of homo- (Ni, Pd, Re, Pt) and heterometallic (Ni–Pd, Re–Pt) clusters on monovacancy sites of a graphene sheet has been investigated by means of periodic density functional theory calculations. It is shown that a vacant site in graphene is an effective nucleation center for both the monometallic and bimetallic clusters, whose characteristics are described in terms of structural distortions, nucleation energetics, affinities between different metal atoms, metal–carbon interactions, and ease of diffusion of metal atoms on graphene.

Molecular-Level Characterization of Heterogeneous Catalytic Systems by Algorithmic Time Dependent Monte Carlo

Monte Carlo algorithms and codes, used to study heterogeneous catalytic systems in the frame of the computational section of the NANOCAT project, are presented along with some exemplifying applications and results. In particular, time dependent Monte Carlo methods supported by high level quantum chemical information employed in the field of heterogeneous catalysis are focused. Technical details of the present algorithmic Monte Carlo development as well as possible evolution aimed at a deeper interrelationship of quantum and stochastic methods are discussed, pointing to two different aspects: the thermal-effect involvement and the three-dimensional catalytic matrix simulation. As topical app…

l-Arabinose Conformers Adsorption on Ruthenium Surfaces: A DFT Study

Adsorption of 5 L-arabinose tautomers – one acyclic and four cyclic (α and β, pyranose and furanose) species – on a ruthenium surface was studied as a precursor-process of the, nowadays more and more, industrially important sugar catalytic hydrogenation on metal surfaces in water medium. The study was mostly referred to a 37-atom metal catalyst fragment, even though border-effects on the adsorption processes were also checked employing a 61-atom metal fragment. In order to figure out conformational effects on the title process the tautomer flexibility was, at first, investigated by the genetic-algorithm based code Balloon, considering the conformational spaces of the different aquo tautomer…

IDEA: interface dynamics and energetics algorithm.

IDEA, interface dynamics and energetics algorithm, was implemented, in FORTRAN, under different operating systems to mimic dynamics and energetics of elementary events involved in interfacial processes. The code included a parallel elaboration scheme in which both the stochastic and the deterministic components, involved in the developed physical model, worked simultaneously. IDEA also embodied an optionally running VISUAL subroutine, showing the dynamic energy changes caused by the surface events, e.g., occurring at the gas-solid interface. Monte Carlo and ordinary differential equation system subroutines were employed in a synergistic way to drive the occurrence of the elementary events a…

Structure Validation of Natural Products by Quantum-Mechanical GIAO Calculations of 13C NMR Chemical Shifts GIAO=gauge including atomic orbitals.

Geometry optimization and GIAO (gauge including atomic orbitals) 1 3 C NMR chemical shift calculations at Hartree-Fock level, using the 6-31G(d) basis set, are proposed as a tool to be applied in the structural characterization of new organic compounds, thus providing useful support in the interpretation of experimental NMR data. Parameters related to linear correlation plots of computed versus experimental 1 3 C NMR chemical shifts for fourteen low-polar natural products, containing 10-20 carbon atoms, were employed to assess the reliability of the proposed structures. A comparison with the hybrid B3LYP method was carried out to evaluate electron correlation contributions to the calculatio…

L-Arabinose adsorption on a Ru cluster

Y:BaZrO3 Perovskite Compounds I: DFT Study on the Unprotonated and Protonated Local Structures

Y-doped BaZrO(3) derivatives were studied by density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the local arrangements of the octahedral sites in Pm3m cubic frameworks. Single- and double substitution of zirconium by yttrium were considered, including in the presence of a nearby oxygen vacancy. Although the structural symmetry of undoped barium zirconate was not modified after yttrium doping, the presence of yttrium induced several differences in the oxygen sites around it, according to the local geometrical arrangement of yttrium in the host matrix. As an example, the differences between such oxygen sites were shown in the presence of a proton. In this case, different stabilization energies ch…

Cation Environment in BaCeO3-Based Protonic Conductors: a Computational Study

Geometry calculations were performed on pure BaCeO(3) fragments and on Y- and In-doped derivatives. HF and DFT approaches were used to investigate monoclinic and orthorhombic structures. The computational methods, structural models, and electronic structure investigation protocols were tuned taking into consideration and balancing the consistency of the results against the computational cost. The calculated structures and energetics parameter, as well as the detailed orbital analysis performed on the corresponding BaCeO(3) derivatives allowed us to explain experimental findings and to develop a procedure to study the cationic octahedral environment of doped X:BaCeO(3) (X = Y, In) and undope…

CO on Nickel: some computational insights about steric hindrance in loaded surfaces

Density Functional Theory Investigation on the Nucleation and Growth of Small Palladium Clusters on a Hyper-Cross-Linked Polystyrene Matrix

Density functional theory calculations were employed to investigate the nucleation and growth of small palladium clusters, up to Pd9, into a microcavity of the porous hyper-cross-linked polystyrene (HPS). The geometries and the electronic structures of the palladium clusters inside the HPS cavity, following the one-by-one atom addition, are affected by a counterbalance between the Pd–phenyl (Pd−Φ) and Pd–Pd interactions. The analysis performed on energetics, cavity distortions, and cluster geometries indeed suggest that the cluster growth is dominated by the Pd−Φ interactions up to the formation of Pd4 aggregates, whereas the metal–metal interactions actually rule the growth of the larger c…

MOF DERIVATIVES AS MOLECULAR TOOLS TO TRAP METAL AZIDES

CO on Ni group metals: a theoretical study

Adsorbed CO on group 10 metal fragments: A DFT study

DFT calculations on the helicopter and cartwheel rotations of one CO molecule adsorbed at the bridge site on metal-surface fragments, characterized by two (M(8)) or three (M(14)) metal-atom layers (M = Ni, Pd, Pt) were performed by the B3LYP[LANL2DZ+6-31 g(d,p)] method, to rationalize the adsorption energetics and the steric hindrance characteristics of surface CO molecules. Potential Energy Surfaces were obtained, either fixing the C-O bond-length or allowing it to change. The behavior of the three metals, as obtained from the study of the configurational space characterizing the CO adsorption on the fragments was explained on the basis of the interaction energies involved in the different…

In situ ATR-IR studies in aqueous phase reforming of hydroxyacetone on Pt/ZrO2 and Pt/AlO(OH) catalysts: The role of aldol condensation

Abstract In situ Attenuated Total Reflection Infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy was used to study Aqueous Phase Reforming of hydroxyacetone on Pt/AlO(OH) and Pt/ZrO2 catalysts at 230 °C/ 30 bar. Formation of strongly adsorbed aldol condensation products was observed on the surface of Pt/ZrO2 and ZrO2 in contrast to Pt/AlO(OH) and AlO(OH). Peak assignments were supported by DFT calculations of the IR spectra of the condensation products in vacuum and in the presence of water. Aldol condensation of hydroxyacetone leading to compounds with high molecular weight with unsaturated bonds was suggested as a first step in coke formation. Carbonaceous deposits on the surface of the ZrO2 support are oxyge…

Conformational analysis and DFT calculations of 8α-hydroxy-germacradiene-6,12-olide derivatives

The Systematic Conformational Search Analysis (SCSA) code was employed to study the conformational properties of the 8α-hydroxy-germacradiene-6,12-olide isomers. This procedure was extended to the trans,cis- and trans,trans-1(10),4-isomers of 8α,15-dihydroxy-germacradiene-6,12-olides and 8α-hydroxy-15-oxo-germacradiene-6,12-olides, to investigate structural and energetic analogies between these and the 8α-hydroxy-germacradiene-6,12-olide species. The calculated 13C NMR spectra, at the hybrid DFT mPW1PW91 level, showed a sound correlation with the corresponding experimental spectra, providing a valid support to the reliability of the calculated structures and to the consistence of our confor…

HPS-based catalysts: a computational study

Catalytic activity of T22 H-ZSM-5 zeolite on the trans–cis 2-butene isomerization

Investigation of Polyol Adsorption on Ru, Pd, and Re Using vdW Density Functionals

Biomass-based feedstocks are often oxygenated compounds characterized by large amounts of hydroxyls. As an example, polyols and sugar alcohols are largely employed as reactants for different chemical catalytic transformations such as oxidation, dehydration, and hydrodeoxigenation, which usually occur in aqueous medium. With the goal of gaining new insights into processes that could be industrially relevant, the adsorption of the OH groups on metal surfaces and in the presence of water has to be correctly reproduced and described, within a chosen theoretical framework. Toward this goal, several tests were performed on the catalytically relevant metal Ru, Pd, and Re, benchmarking their bulk a…

IRMOF-3 and Knoevenagel condensation: a computational study

A computational approach to study Aqueous Phase Reforming

Conformational analysis and DFT calculations of 8 alpha-hydroxy-germacradiene-6,12-olide derivatives

NAOs and vdW‐DF for simulating co‐adsorption of water and polyols on metal surfaces

The computational approach employed in this study is based on the combined use of numerical atomic orbitals (NAOs), which are recognized as highly efficient basis sets, and different parameterization of vdW-DF exchange-correlation functionals, namely DRSLL and KBM as implemented in the SIESTA code.

Computational studies on systems derived from barium zirconate perovskite structure

In solid oxide protonic conductors, proton diffusion is mainly driven by phonon-assisted dynamics, for this, becoming important local distorsion studies on the lattice, in order to detail the protonic conduction mechanism hence to improve performances of the related materials. Here, the protonic conductor Y:BaZrO3 was studied by means of DFT calculations, using new tetravalent substitution models.

The SIESTA method applied to the study of renewable fuel synthesis

Studi computazionali di proprietà catalitiche di zeoliti acide

Theoretical evaluation of structures and energetics involved in the hydrogenation of hydrocarbons on palladium surfaces

Abstract Quantum mechanical calculations were employed to deepen information about the basic properties of the mechanism occurring in the palladium catalytic hydrogenation involving surface hydrogen species of unsaturated hydrocarbons. Activation energy values of elementary events implicated in the whole reaction were computed by potential energy surface analyses, to determine the corresponding occurrence probabilities of the same events. Different surface hydrogen species were pointed out and their relevance in the overall surface process was discussed together with their geometrical and chemical characteristics.

Determination of the Relative Stereochemistry of Flexible Organic Compounds by Ab Initio Methods: Conformational Analysis and Boltzmann-Averaged GIAO 13C NMR Chemical Shifts GIAO=gauge including atomic orbitals.

Ab initio calculations at the Hartree-Fock level with full-geometry optimization using the 6-31G(d) basis set, and GIAO (gauge including atomic orbitals) 1 3 C NMR chemical shifts, are presented here as a support in the study of the stereochemistry of low-polar organic compounds having an openchain structure. Four linear stereoisomers, fragments of a natural product previously characterized by experimental 1 3 C NMR spectra, which possesses three stereogenic centers, 11 carbon atoms, and 38 atoms in total, were considered. Conformational searches, by empirical force-field molecular dynamics, pointed out the existence of 8-13 relevant conformers per stereoisomer. Thermochemical calculations …

Growth of Palladium Clusters on a Boron Nitride Nanotube Support

We demonstrated that the migration process of a single palladium atom on the BNNT is not highly energy demanding and can be represented as a hopping mechanism between boron and nitrogen. A model was finally found for the interpretation of the growth energetics, showing that the process is generally favoured increasing the cluster size.

Hydrogenolysis of hydroxymatairesinol on Y derived catalysts: a computational study

Hydrogenolysis of 7-hydroxymatairesinol (HMR) to matairesinol (MAT) occurs on palladium supported acidic catalysts. HMR has three stereochemical centres and naturally exists as a mixture of two diastereoisomers, namely RRR-HMR and SRR-HMR. The latter is significantly more reactive than the former, in the reaction above. In order to elucidate the hydrogenolysis mechanism, simple surface events involving HMR derivatives on aluminated faujasite (H-Y) fragments were simulated by quantum chemical calculations. The metallic function of a Pd/H-Y acidic catalyst was also mimicked by a minimal palladium cluster. Stereochemical evidences pointed already out that water β-elimination on the epimeric ce…

Computation of adsorbate IR spectrum by means of ab initio molecular dynamics

Comparison of different theory models and basis sets in the calculation of 13C NMR chemical shifts of natural products.

The influence of the calculation method in mimicking experimental 13C NMR chemical shifts of 15 low-polarity natural products singularly containing 10–20 carbon atoms was investigated by employing different quantum chemistry approaches and basis sets, both in the preliminary geometry optimizations and in the following single-point 13C GIAO calculations of the NMR chemical shifts. The geometries of the involved species were optimized at the PM3, HF, B3LYP and mPW1PW91 levels whereas the 13C NMR parameters were determined at the HF, B3LYP and mPW1PW91 levels. Different combinations of basis sets were also tested. The consistency and efficiency of the considered combinations of geometry optimi…

X-ray absorption spectra of Cu(II)- and Cu(III)- complexes of N,N’-1,2-phenylenebis(2-mercapto-2-methyl-propionamide)

Benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde oxidation on MnOx clusters: Unraveling atomistic features

Abstract The catalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol with O 2 is a promising option for the production of benzaldehyde, from both environmental and economical viewpoints. In particular, highly dispersed MnO x systems feature good activity and selectivity in a wide range of temperatures, although deactivation phenomena by over-oxidation and/or poisoning of active sites are generally recorded. On this account, a density functional theory study was performed on cluster-sized catalyst models, namely Mn 4 O 8 and over-oxygenated Mn 4 O 9 fragments, to predict the reactivity pattern of MnO x catalysts in the selective aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol. Several pathways concur to determine the who…

The IR spectrum of adsorbates from ab initio molecular dynamics simulations

Propan-2-ol dehydration on acidic zeolite fragments: a DFT study

Systematic conformational search analysis of the SRR and RRR epimers of 7-hydroxymatairesinol

An extensive and systematic conformational search was performed on the two epimers of the natural lignan 7-hydroxymatairesinol (HMR), by means of a home-made Systematic Conformational Search Analysis (SCSA) code, designed to select more and more stable conformers through sequential geometry optimization of trial structures at increasing levels of calculation theory. In the present case, the starting molecular structures were selected by the semi-empirical AM1 method and filtered – i.e. decreased in number by choosing the more stable species – on the basis of their energy calculated by the HF method and the 6-31G(d) basis set. The geometries obtained were further refined by performing densit…

STACKING-FAULTS IN VERY FINE PALLADIUM PARTICLES SUPPORTED ON PUMICE

By means of an X-ray diffraction study, carried out with best-fitting procedures, of the asymmetry and peak maximum shifts of some reflections, stacking-faults in the FCC lattice of very fine palladium particles supported on pumice were detected using the Warren-Wagner-Cohen theoretical approach.

XPS study of pumice-supported palladium and platinum catalysts

An XPS study has been performed on samples of monometallic of palladium and platinum and on bimetallic Pd-Pt catalysts supported on pumice. A negative shift of about 0.5 eV in the Pd 3d and Pt 4f binding energies of the catalysis relative to the energies of the same levels in the pure metals suggested an increase in the electron density in both metals. A quantitative XPS analysis indicated that the supported metals did not modify the surface atomic composition of pumice

Corrigendum to “Hydro-dimerization of PtCl2(C2H4)2: Model reaction to capture details on catalytic mechanisms” [J. Mol. Catal. A: Chem. 227 (2005) 173–181]

Graph-based analysis of ethylene glycol decomposition on a palladium cluster

The ethylene glycol, CH2OH-CH2OH, decomposition mechanism, occurring on a subnanometric palladium cluster shaped by 12 atoms, was investigated by means of density functional theory. Different reaction routes were identified leading to H2 and CO. The whole reaction network was analyzed, framing the results within the graph theory. The possible decomposition pathways were discussed and compared, allowing one to draw a whole picture of all the parallel, possibly competitive, routes that starting from CH2OH-CH2OH originate H2 and CO.

DFT calculations on subnanometric metal catalysts: a short review on new supported materials

Metal clusters have been used in catalysis for a long time, even in industrial production protocols, and a large number of theoretical and experimental studies aimed at characterizing their structure and reactivity, either when supported or not, are already present in the literature. Nevertheless, in the last years the advances made in the control of the synthesis and stabilization of subnanometric clusters promoted a renewed interest in the field. The shape and size of sub-nanometer clusters are crucial in determining their catalytic activity and selectivity. Moreover, if supported, subnanometric clusters could be highly influenced by the interactions with the support that could affect geo…

Computational Investigation of Palladium Supported Boron Nitride Nanotube Catalysts

A QM/MM investigation is reported dealing with the nucleation and growth of small palladium clusters, up to Pd8 , on the outer surface of a suitable model of boron nitride nanotube (BNNT). It is shown that the BNNT could have a template effect on the cluster growth, which is due to the interplay between Pd-N and Pd-Pd interactions as well as to the matching of the B3N3 ring and the Pd(111) face arrangement. The values for the clusters adsorption energies reveal a relatively strong physisorption, which suggests that in particular conditions the BNNTs could be used as supports for the preparation of shape-controlled metal cluster

Construction and characterization of models of hypercrosslinked polystyrene

A simple algorithm involving classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations is here suggested to build up models of hypercrosslinked polystyrene showing macroporous structure. The algorithm is composed by three consecutive stages: MD simulation of a single polystyrene coil, crosslink formation, and finally relaxation of the structure. The models, which are differentiated by the crosslinker concentration in the initial polystyrene chain, can be characterized by employing tools of the small angle neutron scattering analysis and procedures associated to the crosslinking algorithm, which allows one to discriminate among the different kinds of crosslinks between phenyl rings and to calculate the …

Studio teorico della reazione di idroisomerizzazione del cis-butene su cluster di palladio supportato

Computational Investigation of Alkynols and Alkyndiols Hydrogenation on a Palladium Cluster

The reaction path leading to the partial and total reduction of alkynols and alkyndiols with general formula R–CH2–C≡C–CH(OH)–R′ and R–CH(OH)–C≡C–CH(OH)–R′ (R, R′ = H, CH3) on a D3h symmetry Pd9 cl...

A computational and experimental investigation of halloysite silicic surface modifications after alkaline treatment

Density functional theory calculations were performed in order to investigate the formation of silanol groups on the outer surface of halloysite nanotubes, as possible products of the reactions with water in alkaline environments. The results, discussed in terms of energy release and structural properties of the modified surface, suggest that the formation of various kinds of silanol group constellations, and even the extraction of orthosilicic acid, are highly exothermic reaction in the presence of hydroxide ions. Thermogravimetric analysis, FT-IR, XRD and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry performed on halloysite treated at high pH conditions indicate that the adsorption of water on the oute…

Propan-2-ol dehydration on H-ZSM-5 and H-Y zeolite: a DFT study

The catalytic dehydration of propan-2-ol over H-Y and H-ZMS-5 aluminated zeolite models, mimicking both internal cavities and external surfaces, was studied by DFT calculations to investigate the reaction mechanism. After the adsorption of propan-2-ol on the zeolite, the dehydration mechanism starts with alcohol protonation, occurring by one acidic –OH group of the zeolite fragment, followed by a concerted β-elimination to give propene. The catalytic activity is affected by the size of the zeolite cavity, which is larger in the H-Y than in the H-ZMS-5 zeolite. The adsorption energy of the reagent, as an example, decreases in the order: H-Y cavity ≃ H-ZMS-5 surface > H-ZMS-5 cavity, pointing…

Hydrogenation of but-2-yne-1,4-diol on a palladium cluster: a computational study

Inside Back Cover: Boron Nitride‐supported Sub‐nanometer Pd 6 Clusters for Formic Acid Decomposition: A DFT Study (ChemCatChem 9/2017)

MOF derivatives as cage for alkali-metal azides: a DFT study

Computational investigation of isoeugenol transformations on a platinum cluster – I: Direct deoxygenation to propylcyclohexane

The growing demand for renewable and sustainable fuels, protagonists of an increasingly important research area due to the exhaustion of fossil resources, has oriented our investigation towards the computational mechanistic analysis of the catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) reaction of isoeugenol. Having the most com­ mon functional groups, the isoeugenol molecule is actually considered as an experimental and computational model for typical species of biomass origin. The reported computational investigation outlines the energy bar­ riers and the intermediates along the path for the conversion of isoeugenol to propylcyclohexane through a direct deoxygenation mechanims, catalyzed by a subnano…

Alkane dehydrogenation on defective BN quasi-molecular nanoflakes: DFT studies

Lower alkanes are feedstocks readily available but relatively inert. The con- version of low cost alkanes to industrially relevant alkenes is usually carried out on metal-based heterogeneous catalysts. Considering both the cost and the potential harmfulness of the metal involved in the dehydrogenation cat- alysts (typically, platinum or chromium), the study of metal-free processes represents an important challenge for the industrial chemistry in order to address more sustainable protocols and different routes either to activate or transform alkanes. Framed in this context, it was investigated, using a den- sity functional theory approach, the potential dehydrogenation activity of de- fectiv…

Ultrafast Interface Charge Separation in Carbon Nanodot-Nanotube Hybrids

Carbon dots are an emerging family of zero-dimensional nanocarbons behaving as tunable light harvesters and photoactivated charge donors. Coupling them to carbon nanotubes, which are well-known electron acceptors with excellent charge transport capabilities, is very promising for several applications. Here, we first devised a route to achieve the stable electrostatic binding of carbon dots to multi- or single-walled carbon nanotubes, as confirmed by several experimental observations. The photoluminescence of carbon dots is strongly quenched when they contact either semiconductive or conductive nanotubes, indicating a strong electronic coupling to both. Theoretical simulations predict a favo…

Selective hydrogenation of 2-methyl-butyn-2-ol on Pd catalysts

Quantum chemical models of acidic sites in H-ZSM-5 zeolites

Hydro-dimerization of Pt2Cl2(C2H4)2: model reaction to capture details on catalytic mechanisms

Abstract The density functional theory was employed to mimic the homogeneous hydro-dimerization of the Zeise-similar dichloro-bis(ethene)-platinum(II), PtCl 2 ( C 2 H 4 ) 2 . Three energy minima and four transition-states were involved in the reaction mechanism, which was even characterized by a catalytic cycle. The minima were fully optimized at B3LYP level whereas the transition-states were first individuated at the same level, by the synchronous transit-guided quasi-Newton method, then fully optimized. The mechanistic hypotheses on the PtCl 2 ( C 2 H 4 ) 2 dimerization implied the displacement of two ethene or two ethane molecules, respectively, occurring in absence or in presence of mol…

DFT insights into competing mechanisms of guaiacol hydrodeoxygenation on a platinum cluster

In a scenario of declining fossil resources and increasing demand for renewable and sustainable alternatives, biomass is the only source able to offer an easy and gradual transition in the use of current energy technologies based on the exploitation of carbon derivatives. Its conversion to liquid fuels has oriented our study towards the computational mechanistic analysis of the guaiacol catalytic hydrodeoxygenation, which is currently considered one of the most challenging routes for upgrading biomass-derived bio-oils. For this purpose, a subnanometric Pt10 platinum cluster was chosen as the catalyst model, with Pt as a computational reference element for catalytic hydrogenation, and guaiac…

H2 hitting on graphene supported palladium cluster: molecular dynamics simulations

Dissociative adsorption of impinging gas-phase molecular hydrogen (H2) on a palladium cluster (Pd4) supported on defective graphene (C47) was studied by periodic density functional theory molecular dynamics simulations. The H2 on Pd4/C47 collision dynamics were investigated without any particular constraint, except for the Born–Oppenheimer approximation. The study, which had mostly method-testing aims, provided, anyway, valuable information about the collision kinetics of gas-phase molecular hydrogen. This was treated as an impacting projectile having different kinetic energy values. At lower kinetic energies, sticking was ruled by steering effects imputable to the Pd cluster that easily re…

Ab initio study of structure and energetics of species involved in the 2,4-dinitro-toluene hydrogenation on Pd catalysts

Abstract Quantum-mechanical calculations, at HF level, were performed to gain chemical–physical basis information on the 2,4-dinitro-toluene hydrogenation occurring over palladium catalysts. To investigate the surface characteristics of the species involved in the reaction system, simplified molecular models including small metal clusters were considered. Remarkable findings, useful to elucidate the reaction mechanism and important parameters, working in time dependent Monte-Carlo simulations of the title reaction, were obtained; inter alia: the molar standard free energies of the molecules involved in the reaction, the volume occupied by the species in solution phase and the qualitative or…

Erratum to “New time-dependent Monte Carlo algorithm designed to model three-phase batch reactor processes: applications on 2,4-dinitro-toluene hydrogenation on Pd/C catalysts” [Chem. Eng. J. 91 (2003) 133–142]

Erratum to “New time-dependent Monte Carlo algorithm designed to model three-phase batch reactor processes: applications on 2,4-dinitro-toluene hydrogenation on Pd/C catalysts” [Chem. Eng. J. 91 (2003) 133–142] Giampaolo Barone a,b, Dario Duca a,b,∗ a Dipartimento di Chimica Inorganica ed Analitica, Universita di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, I-90128 Palermo, Italy b Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Universita di Salerno, Via Ponte don Melillo, I-84084 Fisciano, Salerno, Italy

Structural and Kinetic DFT Characterization of Materials to Rationalize Catalytic Performance

This review shortly discusses recent results obtained by the application of density functional theory for the calculations of the adsorption and diffusion properties of small molecules and their reactivity on heterogenous catalytic systems, in the ambit of the Nanocat project. Particular focus has been devoted to palladium catalysts, either in atomic or small cluster form. Some protocols have been tested to obtain efficient ways able to treat the electronic and geometric influence of supports like zeolites and carbon nanotubes on the catalytic properties of palladium. The hydroisomerization of cis-but-2-ene is discussed as model reaction on supported and unsupported Pd clusters. Some prelim…

A study of dimethyltin(IV)-L-cysteinate in aqueous solution

The in vivo activity of some R2Sn-L-cysteinate complexes (R = Me, Et, n-Bu) against murine P-388 leukaemia has been tested. Only the Et2Sn(IV) complex showed a marginal positive effect. Trigonal bipyramidal tin environments with two carbon (R) atoms and the sulfur atom in the equatorial plane and oxygen (carboxylate) and nitrogen (NH2) in apical positions have been proposed for the solid compexes (R = Me, Et, n-Bu, Ph) on the basis of experimental Mossbauer parameters and infrared (IR) data. Aqueous solutions of the Me2SnL-cysteinate have been studied by IR, 1H NMR and 119Sn Mossbauer spectroscopy (in frozen solution) at different pH values to identify the Me2Sn(IV) species present. At pH >…

DFT studies on catalytic properties of isolated and carbon nanotube supported Pd9 cluster. Part II. Hydro-isomerization of butene isomers

The processes involved in the butene hydro-isomerization, occurring on a small palladium cluster in the presence of dissociated hydrogen, have been investigated by means of DFT and DFT/MM approaches. This study has been performed both on an isolated (unsupported) Pd(9) cluster and on the same cluster when it is supported on a portion of a single-walled armchair(6,6) carbon nanotube. The study follows another investigation which has already been published concerning the adsorption, fragmentation and diffusion of hydrogen on the same metal cluster. The main aspects involved in the parallel reaction steps of the whole hydro-isomerization mechanisms are not strongly affected by the presence of …

CASSCF/CASPT2 analysis of the fragmentation of H2 on a Pd4 cluster

Two reactive pathways are described for the dissociative adsorption of a hydrogen molecule on a Pd4 pyramidal cluster, by using DFT/B3LYP and CASSCF/CASPT2 computational methods. Because of the different spin multiplicities of the cluster in the initial and final states, the reaction proceeds through a spin multiplicity change, which occurs close to the transition states. The activation energy values are very similar when the DFT method is used, whereas the CASPT2 calculations predict that the concerted mechanism is disfavored. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010

Computational Aspects in heterogeneous nano-catalysis

A concise description of the metods,which we have developed and employed in studying, by first principle computational models, the field of the heterogeneous catalysis is reported here along with obtained results. In this frame, the main characterstics of the time dependent Monte Carlo modelling are illustrated. The importance of using Monte Carlo models supported by high level quantum-mechanical information, to find alternative lines in studying heterogeous catalysis and designing new catalytic experiments and applications at nanoscopic level, is stressed. Technical details are illustrated, considering applications for the hydrogenation of organic substrates on metal catalysts in two-and t…

Adsorption and reaction of small molecules on palladium clusters: DFT studies

New time-dependent Monte Carlo algorithm designed to model three-phase batch reactor processes: applications on 2,4-dinitro-toluene hydrogenation on Pd/C catalysts

Abstract The hydrogenation of 2,4-dinitro-toluene on a Pd/C catalyst was employed as a test reaction to simulate, by the time-dependent Monte Carlo method, processes occurring in a three-phase batch reactor working at isobar and isotherm conditions. A new time-dependent Monte Carlo algorithm, including an original subroutine useful to reduce the time of the simulations, was developed and implemented in Fortran language. The paper describes the flowchart of the code together with the main technical details and the involved physical and chemical models. Computational characteristics, such as the simulated time to reach surface steady state conditions and the effects of the catalyst morphology…

Structural, energetic and kinetic database of catalytic reactions: Benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde oxidation on MnOx clusters

Abstract Data here reported are connected with the research article “Benzyl Alcohol to Benzaldehyde Oxidation on MnO x Clusters: Unraveling Atomistic Features” Gueci et al. [1] . This work described and discussed structural and energetic results, calculated by Density Functional Theory (DFT). In order to get kinetic information, DFT results were refined by an original approach, which will be shortly described in the following article. The crossed analysis of experimental and computational energetic and kinetic data allowed to (i) reconstruct the complicated lattice that connects the primary and secondary mechanisms of the reaction and (ii) identify alternative process pathways capable of by…

Hydrogenation of acetylene in ethylene rich feedstocks: Comparison between palladium catalysts supported on pumice and alumina

Abstract The activity–selectivity patterns of Pd/pumice catalysts are compared with industrial and home prepared Pd/Al2O3 catalysts in the hydrogenation of acetylene in ethylene rich feedstocks (front-end and tail-end cuts). The iso-kinetic relationship (IKR) approach and a new mathematical model, surface site evolution model (SSEM), are employed in this comparison. Pumice and alumina supported Pd catalysts show different metal redox properties. A similar reaction mechanism is adequate to describe the reaction pathway independently by the catalysts and the gas mixtures considered. This mechanism involves the formation of surface polymers during the catalytic reactions and different catalyti…

Catalysis in confined spaces: computational study of H-ZSM5 zeolite reactivity

Grid time dependent Monte Carlo simulations of nano catalytic systems

DFT study of but-2-ene isomerization on H-ZSM-5 modified catalyst

H2 Transformations on Graphene Supported Palladium Cluster: DFT-MD Simulations and NEB Calculations

Molecular dynamics simulations based on density functional theory were employed to investigate the fate of a hydrogen molecule shot with different kinetic energy toward a hydrogenated palladium cluster anchored on the vacant site of a defective graphene sheet. Hits resulting in H2 adsorption occur until the cluster is fully saturated. The influence of H content over Pd with respect to atomic hydrogen spillover onto graphene was investigated. Calculated energy barriers of ca. 1.6 eV for H-spillover suggest that the investigated Pd/graphene system is a good candidate for hydrogen storage.

H−ZSM-5 Modified Zeolite:  Quantum Chemical Models of Acidic Sites

A ZSM-5 fragment, containing 52 tetrahedral moieties, each of them formed by one silicon or one aluminum atom surrounded by four oxygen atoms, was employed to model (52T systems) by quantum chemical calculations (i) the influence of the positions of the acidic sites on the energetics of 22 aluminum monosubstituted and bisubstituted 52T acidic zeolite (H-ZSM-5) systems and (ii) the local adsorption properties and acidic strength of the corresponding -OH sites. The energetics and the structural properties of simpler acid H-ZSM-5 systems containing only five Tetrahedral moieties (5T systems) were also modeled for comparison. B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) partial geometry optimization routines were performe…

DFT studies on catalytic properties of isolated and carbon nanotube supported Pd9 cluster–I: adsorption, fragmentation and diffusion of hydrogen

The processes of adsorption, fragmentation and diffusion of hydrogen on a small palladium cluster have been investigated by means of DFT and DFT/MM approaches. These studies have been performed by considering a D(3h) symmetry Pd(9) in the isolated state as well as when supported on a portion of single-walled armchair(6,6) carbon nanotube. The hydrogen fragmentation process easily occurs on the bare Pd(9) cluster, involving energy barriers of 25-35 kJ mol(-1) and the drop in spin multiplicity on passing from the reactant to the product. The atomic hydrogen diffuses through the cluster atoms with energy barriers, which do not exceed 20 kJ mol(-1), with some positions clearly identifiable as t…

Helicopter rotation of CO on metal surfaces: a quantum mechanichs study

Hydrogen Arrangements on Defective Quasi-Molecular BN Fragments

Considering the ever-increasing interest in metal-free materials, some potential chemical applications of quasi-molecular boron nitride (BN) derivatives were tested. Specifically, the behavior of BN fragments was analyzed when given defects, producing local electron density changes, were introduced by using topological engineering approaches. The inserted structural faults were Schottky-like divacancy (BN-d) defects, assembled in the fragment frame by the subtraction of one pair of B and N atoms or Stone-Wales (SW) defects. This study is aimed at highlighting the role of these important classes of defects in BN materials hypothesizing their future use in H-2-based processes, related to eith…

Computational study of dimethyl- and trimethyl-tin(IV) complexes of porphyrin derivatives

The molecular geometry, energetics and electronic charge distribution of diorgano- and triorgano-tin(IV) complexes of [protoporphyrin-IX] and [meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphine] derivatives were determined at semi-empirical and ab initio levels. To study the molecular details of the complexes, simpler molecule models were calculated by the ab initio pseudo-potential method. The molecular properties of these complexes are essentially independent of the presence of the peripheral tin atoms. Agreement was always found among the results of the different computational approaches, as well as between the theoretical and the experimental findings on the molecular geometry of the hypothesized comp…

DFT investigation of polyalcohols reforming on palladium cluster

Biomass conversion technologies have recently gained high industrial interest for the production of sustainable fuels and fine chemicals; starting feedstocks for these processes are generally complex mixtures of oxygenated compounds, ranging from lignans, carbohydrates and polyalcohols to carboxylic acids [1]. Framed within this scientific context the entire reforming mechanism of two well-known polyols, namely ethylen glycol (C2) and glycerol (C3), on a small Pd cluster was investigated by means of density functional theory. Among the large amount of reaction pathways that can be followed in the reforming of oxygenates, we discuss here only the route that brings to carbon monoxide and hydr…

Tailored nanosized metal catalysts for improving activity and selectivity via engineering of their structure and local environment - NANOCAT PUBLISHABLE REPORT

Oxygen-assisted hydroxymatairesinol dehydrogenation: a selective secondary-alcohol oxidation over a gold catalyst.

Selective dehydrogenation of the biomass-derived lignan hydroxymatairesinol (HMR) to oxomatairesinol (oxoMAT) was studied over an Au/Al(2)O(3) catalyst. The reaction was carried out in a semi-batch glass reactor at 343 K under two different gas atmospheres, namely produced through synthetic air or nitrogen. The studied reaction is, in fact, an example of secondary-alcohol oxidation over an Au catalyst. Thus, the investigated reaction mechanism of HMR oxidative dehydrogenation is useful for the fundamental understanding of other secondary-alcohol dehydrogenation over Au surfaces. To investigate the elementary catalytic steps ruling both oxygen-free- and oxygen-assisted dehydrogenation of HMR…

DFT study of reduction reactions on a palladium cluster supported on a carbon nanotube

Structure Sensitivity of 2-Methyl-3-butyn-2-ol Hydrogenation on Pd: Computational and Experimental Modeling

In the frame of DFT paradigms, the adsorption of 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol (MBY) and 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol (MBE) on a Pd-30 cluster, including both {100} and {111} faces, was studied along with the pathways involved in the hydrogenation, taking place on plane and low coordination (corner/edge) sites of given MBY/Pd-30 and MBE/Pd-30 surface configurations. The calculated energetics, further validated by gas-phase and water-assisted gas-phase MBY and MBE hydrogenation, performed on well-defined size and shape-controlled Pd nanoparticles supported on SiO2, were able to explain the origin of the structure sensitivity and the high selectivity characterizing the title reaction when occurring in aqueo…

Selective hydrogenation of acetylene in ethylene feedstocks on Pd catalysts

Abstract Pumice supported palladium catalysts were compared with Pd SiO 2 and Pd Al 2 O 3 in the hydrogenation of acetylene using typical industrial ethylene feedstocks: front-end and tail-end cuts. Pd/pumice catalysts exhibit good activity and excellent selectivity and stability in the title reaction. Their activity/selectivity pattern is controlled by the composition of the reaction mixture. The turnover frequency (TOF) increases, and the apparent activation energy (Ea) decreases, with the H 2 C 2 H 2 ratio, but they are not affected by the C 2 H 2 C 2 H 4 ratio. The selectivity to ethane (SE) does not change with acetylene conversion at low H 2 C 2 H 2 ratio (tail-end cut) and increases …

COMPUTATIONAL APPROACHES EMPLOYED IN THE SusFuelCat PROJECT

CASSCF/CASPT2 analysis of the fragmentation of H2 on a Pd4 cluster

Two reactive pathways are described for the dissociative adsorption of a hydrogen molecule on a Pd4 pyramidal cluster, by using DFT/B3LYP and CASSCF/CASPT2 computational methods. Because of the different spin multiplicities of the cluster in the initial and final states, the reaction proceeds through a spin multiplicity change, which occurs close to the transition states. The activation energy values are very similar when the DFT method is used, whereas the CASPT2 calculations predict that the concerted mechanism is disfavored.

Theoretical Investigation of Aqueous Phase Reforming of 1,2 Propanediol over a Pt catalyst

Aqueous Phase Reforming (APR) process is one of the most efficient solution for producing hydrogen from biomass renewable feedstocks, such as polyalcohols. [1] Generally the reaction is catalyzed by supported platinoid metals and among these platinum has been recognized as the most active and selective toward the production of hydrogen. However, due to its really high complexity, the reaction mechanism is today poorly understood. DFT methods can be useful for understanding the APR catalytic mechanism at atomistic level. A detailed mechanistic study was carried out using a Pt30 cluster for the modelization of the catalyst and 1,2 propanediol (1,2PDO) as a model feedstock for the APR. Even fo…

Modeling of catalytic materials: advances in studying different supports

Palladium clusters on BNNT as catalysts for biomass conversion

The construction of a heterogeneous catalytic systems by a bottom-up approach is a fascinating strategy well assisted by molecular level characterizations. In this sense, DFT investigations can be used with predictive and descriptive purposes both for the treatment of the catalyst/support and for the substrate/catalyst characterization. This should be particularly useful for highly perspective but scarcely treated systems such as boron nitride based supports. Among these, boron nitride nanotubes (BNNT) have been demonstrated to have high chemical and thermal stability as well as great mechanical strength and high thermal conductivity.[1] Moreover, a high affinity toward hydrogen [2] as well…

Modeled Catalytic Properties of MOF-Based Compounds” in “Metal-Organic Frameworks: Materials Modeling Towards Potential Engineering Applications

Factors Controlling the Energy of Nitrogen Monolayer Coverage onHigh Surface Area Catalyst Oxide Carriers

Factors affecting the strength of nitrogen physisorption at monolayer coverage on different catalytic oxide carriers (e.g., ZnO, MgO, Al2O3, ZrO2, TiO2, and SiO2) have been addressed. Isotherm elaboration by the two-parameter BET equation provides C-constant values (80–200) inversely related to the polarizing power (PP) of the oxide adsorbent irrespective of the surface area exposure. The energy of monolayer formation depends on the extent of charge-delocalization characterizing the surface cation-oxygen bond, which determines the acid–base character of the oxide and strength of van der Waals interactions with adsorbate molecules. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations on MgO and TiO2…

Structure Sensitivity of 2‐Methyl--butyn-2-ol Hydrogenation on Pd: Computational and Experimental Modeling

Theoretical study of a palladium cluster on carbonaceous supports

A Combined Theoretical and Experimental Approach for Platinum Catalyzed 1,2-Propanediol Aqueous Phase Reforming

Decomposition pathways of 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PDO) on platinum were investigated by means of experiments and quantum-mechanical calculations. Different reaction paths on a Pt(111) model surface were computationally screened. Gas and liquid phase products distribution for aqueous phase reforming of 1,2-PDO solutions was experimentally analyzed. A mechanistic approach was used to trace the preferred paths according to calculated activation barriers of the elementary steps; in this way, the presence or absence of some hypothesized intermediates in the experiments was computationally rationalized. Hydroxyacetone was demonstrated to be among the most favored decomposition products. The competit…

A DFT study of IRMOF-3 catalysed Knoevenagel condensation

It has been recently reported that IRMOF-3 [Gascon et al., J. Catal, 2009, 261, 75] may behave as a basic catalyst, active in the Knoevenagel condensation. In particular, it has been shown that the basicity of aniline-like amino moieties is enhanced, along with the catalytic activity, when incorporated into MOF structures. The computational study here was aimed at finding possible atomistic explanations of the increased basicity and catalytic activity of the IRMOF-3 embedded aniline groups, experimentally claimed. It was, moreover, aimed at guessing a reaction mechanism for the IRMOF-3 catalysed Knoevenagel condensation of benzaldehyde and ethyl-cyanoacetate. Within the DFT framework we hav…

N-doped carbon networks: alternative materials tracing new routes for activating molecular hydrogen.

The fragmentation of molecular hydrogen on N-doped carbon networks was investigated by using molecular (polyaromatic macrocycles) as well as truncated and periodic (carbon nanotubes) models. The computational study was focused on the ergonicity analysis of the reaction and on the properties of the transition states involved when constellations of three or four pyridinic nitrogen atom defects are present in the carbon network. Calculations show that whenever N-defects are embedded in species characterized by large conjugated π-systems, either in polyaromatic macrocycles or carbon nanotubes, the corresponding H2 bond cleavage is largely exergonic. The fragmentation Gibbs free energy is affect…

Confined But-2-ene catalytic isomerization inside H-ZSM-5 models: A DFT study

The isomerization of cis-but-2-ene to trans-but-2-ene within a 22T H-ZSM-5 zeolite model, also in the presence of two adsorbed Pd atoms, has been studied by DFT calculations. The results obtained allow us to state that the cis/trans but-2-ene isomerization can easily proceed inside unsupported zeolite cavities. In this case, differently than in the gas phase reaction, the trans-but-2-ene is less stable than the cis-but-2-ene, when adsorbed on the zeolite inner surface. Excluding the adsorption-desorption steps, the isomerization process involves two intermediates and three transition states, whose energy content is always very low with respect to that of reagents and intermediate species. T…

Theoretical Study of Palladium Cluster Structures on Carbonaceous Supports

DFT calculations have been performed on a palladium cluster adsorbed on two different carbonaceous supports, namely, two stacked polycircumcoronene units mimicking a double layer of graphite and a portion of an armchair (6,6) carbon nanotube. All of the systems have been subjected to geometry optimization and electronic structure investigation. This work, which is part of an extensive computational study on heterogeneous catalytic systems, is devoted to identify electronic and geometrical changes in which metal clusters and supports are involved upon interaction. Such analysis is helpful in designing new heterogeneous metallic catalysts, namely, new metal-supported carbonaceous catalysts. C…

N -Diphenylmethyl-2-propenamide: theoretical study of the structure and interaction with a DNA model system

Abstract N -diphenylmethyl-2-propenamide (NDP) was synthesised and characterised. Pharmacological in vitro tests pointed out that NDP had a cytotoxic activity on a human ovarian carcinoma comparable to that of doxorubicin. Hypothesising that this in vitro cytotoxic activity could be mainly due to intercalating interactions, between the drug and DNA fragments, ab initio calculations, at the Hartree–Fock (HF) level, were performed on the structure, and on the conformational properties of NDP, whereas its interaction with an (AC)(TG) dinucleotide triphosphate duplex (DD) was studied by the ONIOM method, at HF and PM3 level for NDP and DD, respectively. The supposed intercalation process with t…

Curriculum didattico del Chimico Moderno: Discipline Informatiche e Computazionali

Computational approaches used in the POLYCAT EU project

Hydrogenation of 2,4-Dinitro-toluene on Pd/C Catalysts: Computational Study on the Influence of the Molecular Adsorption Modes and of Steric Hindrance and Metal Dispersion on the Reaction Mechanism

Abstract A new time-dependent Monte Carlo algorithm was developed to simulate isobar and isotherm three-phase batch hydrogenation of 2,4-dinitro-toluene on Pd/C catalysts. A new reaction mechanism was formulated, involving 9 and 27 toluene derivatives, in solution and adsorbed on the surface, respectively. In fact, three different ways of adsorption were considered for all surface derivatives. Microscopic mechanistic hypotheses were formulated analyzing the mimicked surface populations able to reproduce the experimental catalytic activity–selectivity patterns at different times, temperatures, reagent concentrations, and catalyst particle morphologies. The three different adsorption modes, g…

Metodi quantomeccanici e Monte Carlo applicati a sistemi nanostrutturati

Boron Nitride‐supported Sub‐nanometer Pd6 Clusters for Formic Acid Decomposition: A DFT Study

A periodic, self-consistent planewave DFT study was carried out to explore the potential use of Pd6 clusters supported on a boron nitride sheet as a catalyst for the selective decomposi- tion of formic acid (HCOOH) to CO2 and H2. The competition between formate (HCOO) and carboxyl (COOH) paths on cata- lytic sites, with different proximities to the support, was stud- ied. Based on energetics alone, the reaction may mainly follow the HCOO route. Slightly lower activation energies were found at the lateral sites of the cluster as compared to top face sites. This is particularly true for the bidentate to monodentate HCOO conversion. Through comparison of results with similar studies on HCOOH d…

INSIGHTS WITHIN APR PROCESS USING VDW-DF FUNCTIONAL

IRMOF-3 Zn4O Vertices: Role in Knoevenagel Condensation

Theoretical modeling of IRMOF-3: a computational approach on a heterogeneous Basic catalyst