RESUMO
Heterpolyacids (HPAs) demonstrate catalytic activity for oxidative and acid-catalyzed hydrocarbon conversion processes. Deactivation and thermal instability, however, have prevented their widespread use. Herein, ab initio density functional theory is used to study the thermal decomposition of the Keggin molecular HPA structure through the desorption of constitutional water molecules. The overall reaction energy and activation barrier are computed for the overall reaction HnXM12O40-->Hn-2XM12O39+H2O. and subsequently used to predict the effect of HPA composition on thermal stability. For example, the desorption of a constitutional water molecule is found to be increasingly endothermic in the order silicomolybdic acid (H4SiMo12O40)
