Elucidating the ionic liquid distribution in monolithic SILP hydroformylation catalysts by magnetic resonance imaging.

Monolithic silicon carbide supported ionic liquid-phase (SILP) Rh-catalysts have very recently been introduced for gas-phase hydroformylation as an important step toward industrial upscaling. This study investigates the monolithic catalyst system in combination with different impregnation procedures with non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The findings were supported by X-ray microtomography (micro-CT) data of the monolithic pore structure and a catalytic performance test of the catalyst system for 1-butene gas-phase hydroformylation. MRI confirmed a homogeneous impregnation of the liquid phase throughout the full cross-section of the cylindrical monoliths. Consistent impregnations from one side to the other of the monoliths were achieved with a stabilizer in the system that helped preventing inhomogeneous rim formation. External influences relevant for industrial application, such as long-term storage and temperature exposure, did not affect the homogeneous liquid-phase distribution of the catalyst. The work elucidates important parameters to improve liquid-phase catalyst impregnation to obtain efficient monolithic catalysts for industrial exploitation in gas-phase hydroformylation as well as other important industrial processes.

Methanol-Promoted Oxidation of Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) by Encapsulated Ionic Liquids.

The removal of nitrogen oxides (NOx) has been extensively studied due to their harmful effects to health and environment. In this work, encapsulated ionic liquids (ENILs) are used as catalysts for the NO oxidation at humid conditions and low temperatures. Hollow carbon capsules (CCap) were first synthesized to contain different amounts of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium nitrate IL ([bmim][NO3]), responsible for the catalytic oxidation. Then, the materials were characterized using different techniques, by analyzing microstructure, porosity, elemental composition, and thermal stability. The catalytic performance of ENIL materials was tested for NO conversion at different conditions. Thus, NO concentration was fixed at 2000 ppm at dry and humid conditions. Then, the methanol promotion of the reaction was demonstrated, increasing the NO conversion values in all cases, and the alcohol/water ratio was optimized. The temperature effect was studied as well, using the optimal conditions based on the previous measurements. The results reflect that humid conditions do not have a negative effect in terms of NO conversion when using ENILs, opposite behavior as observed for CCap and traditional catalysts studied before. The low amount of IL inside the material (40% in mass) was found to be the optimum for the task, reaching conversions of almost 45% in near industrial conditions of temperature and O2 and H2O concentrations in the flue gas with a GHSV of 10,000 h-1.

Absorption and Oxidation of Nitrogen Oxide in Ionic Liquids.

A new strategy for capturing nitrogen oxide, NO, from the gas phase is presented. Dilute NO gas is removed from the gas phase by ionic liquids under ambient conditions. The nitrate anion of the ionic liquid catalyzes the oxidation of NO to nitric acid by atmospheric oxygen in the presence of water. The nitric acid is absorbed in the ionic liquid up to approximately one mole HNO3 per mole of the ionic liquid due to the formation of hydrogen bonds. The nitric acid can be desorbed by heating, thereby regenerating the ionic liquid with excellent reproducibility. Here, time-resolved in-situ spectroscopic investigations of the reaction and products are presented. The procedure reveals a new vision for removing the pollutant NO by absorption into a non-volatile liquid and converting it into a useful bulk chemical, that is, HNO3 .

Effects of Coke Deposits on the Catalytic Performance of Large Zeolite H-ZSM-5 Crystals during Alcohol-to-Hydrocarbon Reactions as Investigated by a Combination of Optical Spectroscopy and Microscopy.

The catalytic activity of large zeolite H-ZSM-5 crystals in methanol (MTO) and ethanol-to-olefins (ETO) conversions was investigated and, using operando UV/Vis measurements, the catalytic activity and deactivation was correlated with the formation of coke. These findings were related to in situ single crystal UV/Vis and confocal fluorescence micro-spectroscopy, allowing the observation of the spatiotemporal formation of intermediates and coke species during the MTO and ETO conversions. It was observed that rapid deactivation at elevated temperatures was due to the fast formation of aromatics at the periphery of the H-ZSM-5 crystals, which are transformed into more poly-aromatic coke species at the external surface, preventing the diffusion of reactants and products into and out of the H-ZSM-5 crystal. Furthermore, we were able to correlate the operando UV/Vis spectroscopy results observed during catalytic testing with the single crystal in situ results.

Amine-functionalized amino acid-based ionic liquids as efficient and high-capacity absorbents for CO(2).

Ionic liquids (ILs) comprised of ammonium cations and anions of naturally occurring amino acids containing an additional amine group (e.g., lysine, histidine, asparagine, and glutamine) were examined as high-capacity absorbents for CO2. An absorption capacity of 2.1 mol CO2 per mol of IL (3.5 mol CO2 per kg IL, 13.1 wt% CO2) was measured for [N66614][Lys] at ambient temperature and about 1 mol CO2 per mol of IL at 808C (under 1 bar of CO2). This demonstrated that desorption is possible under CO2-rich conditions by temperature-swing absorption; three consecutive sorption cycles were performed with the IL. The mechanistic and kinetic study of the absorption process was further substantiated by NMR spectroscopy and in situ attenuated total reflectance FTIR for [N66614][Lys] and the homologous phosphonium-based IL [P66614][Lys]. This study revealed that carbamic acid was formed with CO2 in both ILs by chemisorption; however, the amino acid­carboxyl groups on the anion played an important­but different­catalytic role for the sorption kinetics in the two ILs. The origin of the cationic effect is speculated to be correlated with the strength of the ion interactions in the two ILs.

Structural characterization of 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidinium chloride ionic liquid by reversible SO2 gas absorption.

A unique new ionic liquid-gas adduct solid state compound formed between 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidinium chloride ([tmgH]Cl) and sulfur dioxide has been characterized by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The structure contains SO2 molecules of near normal structure kept at their positions by Cl-S interactions. The crystals belong in the orthorhombic system, space group Pbcn, with unit cell dimensions of a = 15.6908(10) Å, b = 9.3865(6) Å, and c = 14.1494(9) Å, angles α = ß = γ = 90°, and Z = 8 at 120 K. The [tmgH]Cl has a very high absorption capacity of nearly 3 mol of SO2 per mol of [tmgH]Cl at 1 bar of SO2 and at room temperature. However, part of the absorbed SO2 was liberated during the crystallization, probably because the crystal only accommodates one molecule of SO2 per [tmgH]Cl. The nature of the high absorption capacity of [tmgH]Cl as well as of the homologous compounds with bromide and iodide are discussed. Some of these salts may prove useful as reversible absorbents of SO2 in industrial flue gases.

Pharmaceutically active ionic liquids with solids handling, enhanced thermal stability, and fast release.

Pharmaceutically active compounds in ionic liquid form immobilized onto mesoporous silica are stable, easily handled solids, with fast and complete release from the carrier material when placed into an aqueous environment. Depending on specific ion-surface interactions, they may also exhibit improved thermal stability when compared to the non-adsorbed compounds.

X-ray crystal structure, Raman spectroscopy, and Ab initio density functional theory calculations on 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidinium bromide.

The salt 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidinium bromide, [((CH(3))(2)N)(2)C═NH(2)](+)Br(-) or [tmgH]Br, was found to melt at 135(5) °C, forming what may be referred to as a moderate temperature ionic liquid. The chemistry was studied and compared with the corresponding chloride compound. We present X-ray diffraction and Raman evidence to show that also the bromide salt contains dimeric ion pair "molecules" in the crystalline state and probably also in the liquid state. The structure of [tmgH]Br determined at 120(2) K was found to be monoclinic, space group P2(1)/n, with a = 7.2072(14), b = 13.335(3), c = 9.378(2) Å, ß =104.31(3)°, Z = 2, based on 11769 reflections, measured from θ = 2.71-28.00° on a small colorless needle crystal. Raman and IR spectra are presented and assigned. When heated, both the chloride and the bromide salts form vapor phases. The Raman spectra of the vapors are surprisingly alike, showing, for example, a characteristic strong band at 2229 cm(-1). This band was interpreted by some of us to show that the [tmgH]Cl gas phase should consist of monomeric ion pair "molecules" held together by a single N-H(+)···Cl(-) hydrogen bond, the stretching vibration of which should be causing the band, based on ab initio molecular orbital density functional theory type calculations. It is not likely that both the bromide and chloride should have identical spectra. As explanation, the formation of 1,1-dimethylcyanamide gas is proposed, by decomposition of [tmgH]X leaving dimethylammonium halogenide (X = Cl, Br). The Raman spectra of all gas phases were quite identical and fitted the calculated spectrum of dimethylcyanamide. It is concluded that monomeric ion pair "molecules" held together by single N-H(+)···X(-) hydrogen bonds probably do not exist in the vapor phase over the solids at about 200-230 °C.

Structure of caesium disulfate at 120 and 273 K.

The crystal structures of Cs2S2O7 at 120 and 273 K have been determined from X-ray single-crystal data. Caesium disulfate represents a new structure type with a uniquely high number of independent formula units at 120 K: In one part caesium ions form a tube surrounding the disulfate ions, [Cs8(S2O7)6+]n; in the other part a disulfate double-sheet sandwiches a zigzagging caesium ion chain, [Cs2(S2O7)6-]n. Caesium disulfate shows an isostructural order-disorder transition between 230 and 250 K, where two disulfate groups become partially disordered above 250 K. The Cs+-ion arrangement shows a remarkable similarity to the high-pressure Rb(IV) metal structure.

Crystal structure, vibrational spectroscopy and ab initio density functional theory calculations on the ionic liquid forming 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidinium bis{(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl}amide.

The salt 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidinium bis{(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl}amide, [((CH(3))(2)N)(2)C=NH(2)](+)[N(SO(2)CF(3))(2)](-) or [tmgH][NTf(2)], easily forms an ionic liquid with high SO(2) absorbing capacity. The crystal structure of the salt was determined at 120(2) K by X-ray diffraction. The structure was found to be monoclinic, space group P2(1)/n with a = 11.349(2), b = 11.631(2), c = 11.887(2) A, and beta = 90.44(3) degrees . Raman and IR spectra are presented and interpreted. The results are interpreted using ab initio quantum mechanics calculations that also predicted vibrational spectra. The relationship between the transoid (C(2) symmetry) structure of the [NTf(2)](-) ion and the conformationally sensitive bands is discussed.

Thermal dissociation of molten KHSO4: temperature dependence of Raman spectra and thermodynamics.

Raman spectroscopy is used to study the thermal dissociation of molten KHSO4 at temperatures of 240-450 degrees C under static equilibrium conditions. Raman spectra obtained at 10 different temperatures for the molten phase and for the vapors thereof exhibit vibrational wavenumbers and relative band intensities inferring the occurrence of the temperature-dependent dissociation equilibrium 2HSO4(-)(l) <--> S2O7(2-)(l) + H2O(g). The Raman data are adequate for determining the partial pressures of H2O in the gas phase above the molten mixtures. A formalism for correlating relative Raman band intensities with the stoichiometric coefficients, the equilibrium constant, and the thermodynamics of the reaction equilibrium is derived. The method is used along with the temperature-dependent features of the Raman spectra to show that the studied equilibrium 2HSO4(-)(l) <--> S 2O7(2-)(l) + H2O(g) is the only process taking place to a significant extent in the temperature range of the investigation and for determining its enthalpy to be DeltaH degrees=64.9+/-2.9 kJ mol(-1). The importance of these findings for the understanding of the performance of the industrially important sulfuric acid catalyst under "wet" conditions is briefly addressed.

Formation of an ion-pair molecule with a single NH(+)...Cl(-) hydrogen bond: Raman spectra of 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidinium chloride in the solid state, in solution, and in the vapor phase.

Some ionic compounds (salts) form liquids when heated to temperatures in the range of 200-300 degrees C. They may be referred to as moderate temperature ionic liquids. An example of such a compound is the 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidinium chloride, [TMGH]Cl, melting at approximately 212 degrees C. The chemistry of this compoundcontaining a dimeric ion-pair "molecule"was investigated in the solid state, in solutions in water and ethanol, and in the vapor phase, based on ab initio molecular orbital density functional theory (DFT)-type calculations with 6-311+G(d,p) basis sets. Calculations on the monomeric [TMGH] (+) ion and the dimeric chloride ion-pair salt converged to give geometries near the established crystal structure of [TMGH]Cl. The structures and their binding energies are given as well as calculated vibrational harmonic normal modes (IR and Raman band wavenumbers and intensities). Experimentally obtained Raman scattering spectra are presented and assigned, by comparing to the quantum mechanical calculations. It is concluded that dimeric molecular ion pairs with four N-H (+)...Cl (-) hydrogen bonds probably exist in the solutions and are responsible for the relatively high solubility of the "salt" in ethanol. It was discovered that the compound can be easily sublimed by heating to about 200-230 degrees C. In the Raman spectrum of the vapor at 225 degrees C, a characteristic strong band at 2229 cm (-1) was found and interpreted to show that the gas phase consists of monomeric ion-pair "molecules" held together by a single N-H (+)...Cl (-) hydrogen bond, the stretching band of which is causing the band.

Reversible physical absorption of SO2 by ionic liquids.

Ionic liquids can reversibly absorb large amounts of molecular SO(2) gas under ambient conditions with the gas captured in a restricted configuration, possibly allowing SO(2) to probe the internal cavity structures in ionic liquids besides being useful for SO(2) removal in pollution control.

First application of supported ionic liquid phase (SILP) catalysis for continuous methanol carbonylation.

A solid, silica-supported ionic liquid phase (SILP) rhodium iodide Monsanto-type catalyst system, [BMIM][Rh(CO)2I2]-[BMIM]I-SiO2, exhibits excellent activity and selectivity towards acetyl products in fixed-bed, continuous gas-phase methanol carbonylation.

Thermomorphic phase separation in ionic liquid-organic liquid systems--conductivity and spectroscopic characterization.

Electrical conductivity, FT-Raman and NMR measurements are demonstrated as useful tools to probe and determine phase behavior of thermomorphic ionic liquid-organic liquid systems. To illustrate the methods, consecutive conductivity measurements of a thermomorphic methoxyethoxyethyl-imidazolium ionic liquid/1-hexanol system are performed in the temperature interval 25-80 degrees C using a specially constructed double-electrode cell. In addition, FT-Raman and 1H-NMR spectroscopic studies performed on the phase-separable system in the same temperature interval confirm the mutual solubility of the components in the system, the liquid-liquid equilibrium phase diagram of the binary mixture, and signify the importance of hydrogen bonding between the ionic liquid and the hydroxyl group of the alcohol.

Crystal structure and spectroscopic characterization of K8(VO)2O(SO4)6.

Red and yellow dichroistic crystals of a vanadium(V) compound, potassium (mu-oxo, di-mu-sulfato)bis(oxodisulfatovanadate), K(8)(VO)(2)O(SO(4))(6), have been obtained from the ternary catalytic model melt system K(2)S(2)O(7)[bond]K(2)SO(4)[bond]V(2)O(5). By slow cooling of the melt from 420 to 355 degrees C, crystal growth occurred, using solid V(2)O(5) crystals present in the melt as nucleation promoter. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(l) with a = 13.60(9) A, b = 13.93(9) A, c = 14.05(9) A, beta = 90.286(10) degrees, and Z = 2. It contains two VO(6) octahedra linked together by a mu-oxo and two mu-sulfato bridges. Furthermore, each octahedron has two monodentate sulfate ligands, making the dimeric entity coordinatively saturated. IR spectroscopy shows bands arising from V[bond]O[bond]V and V[double bond]O stretches as well as splitting of sulfate bands due to the different degrees of freedom present for different conformations of sulfate ligands. The coordination of vanadium in K(8)(VO)(2)O(SO(4))(6) is discussed in relation to the reaction mechanism of SO(2) oxidation catalysis.

New efficient catalyst for ammonia synthesis: barium-promoted cobalt on carbon.

Barium-promoted cobalt catalysts supported on carbon exhibit higher ammonia activities at synthesis temperatures than the commercial, multipromoted iron catalyst and also a lower ammonia inhibition.

Crystal Structure and Spectroscopic Characterization of K(6)(VO)(4)(SO(4))(8) Containing Mixed-Valent Vanadium(IV)-Vanadium(V).

Pleochroistic crystals (dark green to colorless) of a mixed-valence V(IV)-V(V) compound, K(6)(VO)(4)(SO(4))(8), suitable for X-ray determination have been obtained from the catalytically important K(2)S(2)O(7)-V(2)O(5)/SO(2)-O(2)-SO(3)-N(2) molten salt-gas system, at approximately 400 degrees C. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1) (No. 4) with a = 8.931(2) Å, b = 18.303 (3) Å, c = 9.971(2) Å, beta = 90.11(2) degrees, and Z = 2. It contains two rather similar V(IV)-V(V) pairs of VO(6) octahedra distorted as usual having a short V-O bond of around 1.57 Å, a long bond of around 2.40 Å trans to this, and four equatorial bonds around 2.00 Å. The bond lengths of the V(V)O(6) octahedra are significantly shorter than those found for the V(IV)O(6) octahedra. The eight different SO(4)(2)(-) groups are all bridging bidentate between the V(IV) and V(V) atoms; a third oxygen is coordinated to a vanadium atom of a neighboring chain trans to the short V=O bond, and the fourth oxygen remains uncoordinated. The measured bond distances and angles show a considerable distortion of the SO(4) tetrahedra. This is confirmed by the IR spectra of the compound, where large shift and splitting of the sulfate nu(3) bands up to wave numbers of around 1300 cm(-)(1) is observed. The ESR spectra of the compound exhibit weak anisotropy with g(iso) = 1.972 +/- 0.002 and DeltaB(pp) = 65 +/- 2 G. The compound may cause the deactivation for industrial sulfuric acid catalysts observed around 400 degrees C in highly converted SO(2)-O(2)-N(2) gas mixtures.