(Me4N)2[Pt(CO3)2(OH)2]: The Isolated PtIVO6 Carbonato-Complex.

The first fully inorganic Pt(IV) carbonato-complex trans-[Pt(CO3)2(OH)2]2- with a {PtO6} coordination sphere was isolated as the (Me4N)2[Pt(CO3)2(OH)2] (1) salt. The compound 1 was characterized using single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were also performed to analyze the spectral features of the complex. 1 crystallizes in the triclinic system (P-1) with a Z of 1. The trans-[Pt(CO3)2(OH)2]2- anion has axial hydroxo ligands and κ2-CO3 ligands, which form an equatorial plane. This anionic complex exhibits notable stability in aqueous solutions, while the axial hydroxo ligand can be readily modified, as exemplified by the acylation of the trans-[Pt(CO3)2(OH)2]2- into trans-[Pt(CO3)2(OAc)2]2- anion. Furthermore, it has been shown that rigid and glittering platinum coatings can be electrochemically deposited from an aqueous solution of 1 without the addition of surfactants.

Photocatalysts Based on Graphite-like Carbon Nitride with a Low Content of Rhodium and Palladium for Hydrogen Production under Visible Light.

In this study, we proposed photocatalysts based on graphite-like carbon nitride with a low content (0.01-0.5 wt.%) of noble metals (Pd, Rh) for hydrogen evolution under visible light irradiation. As precursors of rhodium and palladium, labile aqua and nitrato complexes [Rh2(H2O)8(µ-OH)2](NO3)4∙4H2O and (Et4N)2[Pd(NO3)4], respectively, were proposed. To obtain metallic particles, reduction was carried out in H2 at 400 °C. The synthesized photocatalysts were studied using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The activity of the photocatalysts was tested in the hydrogen evolution from aqueous and aqueous alkaline solutions of TEOA under visible light with a wavelength of 428 nm. It was shown that the activity for the 0.01-0.5% Rh/g-C3N4 series is higher than in the case of the 0.01-0.5% Pd/g-C3N4 photocatalysts. The 0.5% Rh/g-C3N4 sample showed the highest activity per gram of catalyst, equal to 3.9 mmol gcat-1 h-1, whereas the most efficient use of the metal particles was found over the 0.1% Rh/g-C3N4 photocatalyst, with the activity of 2.4 mol per gram of Rh per hour. The data obtained are of interest and can serve for further research in the field of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution using noble metals as cocatalysts.

Platinum(IV) Carbonato Complexes: Formation via the Addition of CO2 to the [Pt(OH)6]2- Anion and Generation of Platinum(IV) Oxide Nanoparticles for the Preparation of Catalysts.

A combination of multinuclear nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and theoretical calculation based on density functional theory was used for a speciation study of Pt in solutions prepared either by the interaction of [Pt(OH)6]2- with gaseous CO2 in an alkaline solution of platinum(IV) hydroxide ([Pt(OH)4(H2O)2]) or by the dissolution of [Pt(OH)4(H2O)2] in an aqueous KHCO3 solution. The formed solutions contained coexisting Pt(IV) carbonato complexes with κ1- and κ2-coordination modes. The gradual condensation of mononuclear Pt species in such bicarbonate solutions resulted in the formation of PtO2 nanoparticles aggregating into a solid precipitate on prolonged aging. The deposition of PtO2 particles from bicarbonate solutions was adapted for the preparation of Pt-containing heterogeneous catalysts: bimetallic Pt-Ni catalysts were prepared using various supporting materials (CeO2, SiO2, and g-C3N4) and tested for the activity in hydrazine-hydrate decomposition. All prepared materials showed high selectivity with respect to H2 production from the hydrazine-hydrate with PtNi/CeO2 showing the highest rate of H2 evolution. In the long-range evaluation, the PtNi/CeO2 catalyst operating at 50 °C showed an exceptional turnover number value of 4600 producing hydrogen at a 97% selectivity level and with a mean turnover frequency value of about 470 h-1. In the case of the PtNi/g-C3N4 catalyst, for the first time, the photodriven decomposition of hydrazine-hydrate was shown to enhance the productivity of the catalyst by 40%.

Hydrolysis of [PtCl6]2- in Concentrated NaOH Solutions.

The transformations of Pt complex species in concentrated NaOH solutions (1-12 M) of Na2[PtCl6] were studied with a combination of methods, including 195Pt nuclear magnetic resonance, ultraviolet-visible, and Raman spectroscopy. The two-step process was observed under the following conditions: (1) formation of the [Pt(OH)5Cl]2- anion that proceeds relatively fast even at room temperature and (2) further slow substitution of the last chlorido ligand with the formation of the [Pt(OH)6]2- anion. Overall, it was determined that the [PtCl6]2- to [Pt(OH)6]2- transformation (especially the first stage) is greatly accelerated under blue light (455 nm) irradiation. The structures of [Pt(OH)Cl5]2- and [Pt(OH)5Cl]2- were determined using the single-crystal X-ray diffraction data of the corresponding salts isolated for the first time. Analysis of the [Pt(OH)Cl5]2- reactivity showed that under analogous conditions, its hydrolysis proceeds 2 orders of magnitude slower than that of [PtCl6]2-, indicating that the formation of [Pt(OH)5Cl]2- from [PtCl6]2- (stage 1) does not follow a simple sequential substitution pattern. A model for [Pt(OH)5Cl]2- anion formation that includes the competing reaction of direct Cl ligand substitution and the self-catalyzed second-order reaction caused by a redox process is proposed. The influence of Pt speciation in alkaline solutions on the reductive behavior is shown, illustrating its impact on the preparation of Pt nanoparticles.

Tetranitratopalladate(II) Salts with Tetraalkylammonium Cations: Structural Aspects, Reactivity, and Applicability toward Palladium Deposition for Catalytic Applications.

A series of salts (R4N)2[Pd(NO3)4] (R = CH3, C2H5, n-C3H7; 1-3) were synthesized in high yield from a nitric acid solution of palladium. The salts were characterized by a combination of physicochemical methods, and their crystal structures were determined by X-ray diffraction. The conformation of the [Pd(NO3)4]2- anion was studied in detail using crystal structure data and density functional theory calculations. A combination of nonhygroscopicity and stability under normal conditions, together with thermolability, high solubility in various solvents, and the lability of nitrato ligands, makes salts 1-3 valuable starting materials for the synthesis of Pd compounds and the preparation of Pd-containing catalysts. In this work, these applications were illustrated by the synthesis of heteroleptic Pd(II) nitrato complexes with N-donor ligands and the preparation of Pd0.1Ni0.9/SiO2 catalysts, which worked well in H2 generation from hydrazine hydrate. Generally, it was shown that up to several weight percent of Pd can be deposited on various oxide/hydroxide supports using a straightforward chemisorption procedure from acetone solutions of 1-3.

Rh(III) hydroxocomplexes speciation using HPLC-ESI-MS.

A mixture of rhodium(iii) hydroxocomplexes formed during the polycondensation process in alkaline media has been fully characterized by the hyphenated high performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS). The baseline separation was achieved using reverse phase ion-pair chromatography (RP-IP-HPLC) in gradient elution mode. When using SDS as the ion pair, the formation of all types of its associates with the molecules of acetonitrile, as well as oligomers of rhodium aquahydroxocomplexes, etc. was taken into consideration. As a result, it was shown that the test mixture is presented by [Rh(H2O)6]3+, [Rh2(µ-OH)2(H2O)8]4+, [Rh3(µ-OH)4(H2O)10]5+, [Rh4(µ-OH)6(H2O)12]6+.

The study of Rh(iii) hydroxocomplexes using capillary zone electrophoresis with a UV-Vis detector: the development of the method.

The expediency of capillary zone electrophoresis application in the study of a mixture of rhodium(iii) hydroxocomplexes is shown for the species formed during the thermal treatment of [Rh(OH)6]3- at 60 °C in alkaline media. As these compounds are unstable in solution because of polycondensation at pH > 10 and the formation of insoluble rhodium(iii) hydroxides at pH 5-10, their acidic derivatives with terminal aqua ligands acted as the objects of the study. Optimal separation conditions were achieved using sodium perchlorate as a background electrolyte, a voltage of +20 kV and pH 2.6. Rhodium(iii) species with different nuclearities were identified in accordance with their UV spectra and the regularities of electrophoretic migration in the capillary. The presence of a dimer was also verified by the spiking of the mixture under investigation with a previously synthesised complex [Rh2(µ-OH)2(H2O)8](NO3)4, which confirms the correct identification.

Tetraalkylammonium Salts of Platinum Nitrato Complexes: Isolation, Structure, and Relevance to the Preparation of PtO x/CeO2 Catalysts for Low-Temperature CO Oxidation.

A series of tetraalkylammonium salts with anionic platinum nitrato complexes (Me4N)2[Pt2(µ-OH)2(NO3)8] (1), (Et4N)2[Pt2(µ-OH)2(NO3)8] (2), ( n-Pr4N)2[Pt2(µ-OH)2(NO3)8] (3b), ( n-Pr4N)2[Pt(NO3)6] (3a), and ( n-Bu4N)2[Pt(NO3)6] (4) were isolated from nitric acid solutions of [Pt(H2O)2(OH)4] in high yield. The structures of salts 2, 3a, 3b, and 4, prepared for the first time, were characterized by X-ray diffraction. The sorption of [Pt(NO3)6]2- and [Pt2(µ-OH)2(NO3)8]2- complexes onto the ceria surface from acetone solutions of salts 4 and 1 was examined. The dimeric anion was shown to quickly and irreversibly chemisorb onto the CeO2 carrier, selectively transforming into Pt(II) centers after thermal treatment, becoming active in the low-temperature CO oxidation reaction ( T50% = 110 °C at a space velocity of 240 000 h-1). By contrast, the homoleptic complex [Pt(NO3)6]2- did not interact with the ceria, which may be attributed to the substitutional inertness of the [Pt(NO3)6]2- anion. We believe that the strategy based on the sorption of polynuclear platinum nitrato complexes is an effective route to prepare ionic platinum species uniformly distributed on an oxide carrier for various catalytic applications.

Spectroscopic and DFT Study of RhIII Chloro Complex Transformation in Alkaline Solutions.

The hydrolysis of [RhCl6]3- in NaOH-water solutions was studied by spectrophotometric methods. The reaction proceeds via successive substitution of chloride with hydroxide to quantitatively form [Rh(OH)6]3-. Ligand substitution kinetics was studied in an aqueous 0.434-1.085 M NaOH matrix in the temperature range 5.5-15.3 °C. Transformation of [RhCl6]3- into [RhCl5(OH)]3- was found to be the rate-determining step with activation parameters of ΔH† = 105 ± 4 kJ mol-1 and ΔS†= 59 ± 10 J K-1 mol-1. The coordinated hydroxo ligand(s) induces rapid ligand substitution to form [Rh(OH)6]3-. By simulating ligand substitution as a dissociative mechanism, using density functional theory (DFT), we can now explain the relatively fast and slow kinetics of chloride substitution in basic and acidic matrices, respectively. Moreover, the DFT calculated activation energies corroborated experimental data that the kinetic stereochemical sequence of [RhCl6]3- hydrolysis in an acidic solution proceeds as [RhCl6]3- → [RhCl5(H2O)]2- → cis-[RhCl4(H2O)2]-. However, DFT calculations predict in a basic solution the trans route of substitution [RhCl6]3- → [RhCl5(OH)]3- → trans-[RhCl4(OH)2]3- is kinetically favored.