Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry

A stoichiometric derivative of graphene with a fluorine atom attached to each carbon is reported. Raman, optical, structural, micromechanical, and transport studies show that the material is qualitatively different from the known graphene-based nonstoichiometric derivatives. Fluorographene is a high-quality insulator (resistivity >10(12) Ω) with an optical gap of 3 eV. It inherits the mechanical strength of graphene, exhibiting a Young's modulus of 100 N m(-1) and sustaining strains of 15%. Fluorographene is inert and stable up to 400 °C even in air, similar to Teflon.

A large H2 sorption capacity and high surface area are properties of the depicted metal–organic porous material, which is easily synthesized on a large scale from readily available chemicals. The rigid framework of [Zn2(1,4-bdc)2(dabco)] (1,4-H2bdc=1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid; dabco=diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane) is also flexible enough to exhibit unusual guest-dependent dynamic behavior, as shown (DMF=N,N-dimethylformamide).

A systematic modulation of organic ligands connecting dinuclear paddle-wheel motifs leads to a series of isomorphous metal-organic porous materials that have a three-dimensional connectivity and interconnected pores. Aromatic dicarboxylates such as 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate (1,4-bdc), tetramethylterephthalate (tmbdc), 1,4-naphthalenedicarboxylate (1,4-ndc), tetrafluoroterephthalate (tfbdc), or 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate (2,6-ndc) are linear linkers that form two-dimensional layers, and diamine ligands, 4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (dabco) or 4,4'-dipyridyl (bpy), coordinate at both sides of Zn(2) paddle-wheel units to bridge the layers vertically. The resulting open frameworks [Zn(2)(1,4-bdc)(2)(dabco)] (1), [Zn(2)(1,4-bdc)(tmbdc)(dabco)] (2), [Zn(2)(tmbdc)(2)(dabco)] (3), [Zn(2)(1,4-ndc)(2)(dabco)] (4), [Zn(2)(tfbdc)(2)(dabco)] (5), and [Zn(2)(tmbdc)(2)(bpy)] (8) possess varying size of pores and free apertures originating from the side groups of the 1,4-bdc derivatives. [Zn(2)(1,4-bdc)(2)(bpy)] (6) and [Zn(2)(2,6-ndc)(2)(bpy)] (7) have two- and threefold interpenetrating structures, respectively. The non-interpenetrating frameworks (1-5 and 8) possess surface areas in the range of 1450-2090 m(2)g(-1) and hydrogen sorption capacities of 1.7-2.1 wt % at 78 K and 1 atm. A detailed analysis of the sorption data in conjunction with structural similarities and differences concludes that porous materials with straight channels and large openings do not perform better than those with wavy channels and small openings in terms of hydrogen storage through physisorption.

A handy approach: A new synthetic approach starting from readily available chemicals successfully produces a robust homochiral metal–organic microporous framework. The material exhibits size- and enantioselective guest-sorption properties (see picture), as well as remarkable catalytic activity with size- and chemoselectivity, and high conversion in the oxidation of thioethers to sulfoxides. Supporting information for this article is available on the WWW under http://www.wiley-vch.de/contents/jc_2002/2006/z503023_s.pdf or from the author. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.

The extensive implementation of hydrogen-powered technology today is limited by a number of fundamental problems related to materials research. Fuel-cell hydrogen conversion technology requires proton-conducting materials with high conductivity at intermediate temperatures up to 120 °C. The development of such materials remains challenging because the proton transport of many promising candidates is based on extended microstructures of water molecules, which deteriorate at temperatures above the boiling point. Here we show the impregnation of the mesoporous metal-organic framework (MOF) MIL-101 by nonvolatile acids H(2)SO(4) and H(3)PO(4). Such a simple approach affords solid materials with potent proton-conducting properties at moderate temperatures, which is critically important for the proper function of on-board automobile fuel cells. The proton conductivities of the H(2)SO(4)@MIL-101 and H(3)PO(4)@MIL-101 at T = 150 °C and low humidity outperform those of any other MOF-based materials and could be compared with the best proton conductors, such as Nafion.

Formic acid is a widely used commodity chemical. It can be used as a safe, easily handled, and transported source of hydrogen or carbon monoxide for different reactions, including those producing fuels. The review includes historical aspects of formic acid production. It briefly analyzes production based on traditional sources, such as carbon monoxide, methanol, and methane. However, the main emphasis is on the sustainable production of formic acid from biomass and biomass-derived products through hydrolysis and oxidation processes. New strategies of low-temperature synthesis from biomass may lead to the utilization of formic acid for the production of fuel additives, such as methanol; upgraded bio-oil; γ-valerolactone and its derivatives; and synthesis gas used for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of hydrocarbons. Some technological aspects are also considered.

Polyoxometalates containing noble metal ions, such as ruthenium, osmium, rhodium, palladium, platinum, silver and gold, are a structurally diverse class of compounds. They include both classical heteropolyanions (vanadates, molybdates, tungstates) in which noble metals are present as heteroatoms, as well as the recently discovered class of polyoxometalates with noble metal "addenda" atoms. The focus of this Review is on complexes that should, in principle, exist as discrete molecular species in solution, and which are therefore of interest for their reactivity, their future synthetic utility and potential applications, for example, in catalysis or nanoscience.

The reaction of [Cp*Fe(eta5-P5)] with Cu(I)Cl in solvent mixtures of CH2Cl2/CH3CN leads to the formation of entirely inorganic fullerene-like molecules of the formula [[Cp*Fe(eta5:eta1:eta1:eta1:eta1:eta1-P5)]12[CuCl]10[Cu2Cl3]5[Cu(CH3CN)2]5] (1) possessing 90 inorganic core atoms. This compound represents a structural motif similar to that of C60: cyclo-P5 rings of [Cp*Fe(eta5-P5)] molecules are surrounded by six-membered P4Cu2 rings that result from the coordination of each of the phosphorus lone pairs to CuCl metal centers, which are further coordinated by P atoms of other cyclo-P5 rings. Thus, five- and six-membered rings alternate in a manner comparable to that observed in the fullerene molecules. The so-formed half shells are joined by [Cu2Cl3]- as well as by [Cu(CH3CN)2]+ units. The spherical body has an inside diameter of 1.25 nanometers and an outside diameter of 2.13 nanometers, which is about three times as large as that of C60.

Formic acid is a valuable chemical derived from biomass, as it has a high hydrogen-storage capacity and appears to be an attractive source of hydrogen for various applications. Hydrogen production via formic acid decomposition is often based on using supported catalysts with Pt-group metal nanoparticles. In the present paper, we show that the decomposition of the acid proceeds more rapidly on single metal atoms (by up to 1 order of magnitude). These atoms can be obtained by rather simple means through anchoring Pt-group metals onto mesoporous N-functionalized carbon nanofibers. A thorough evaluation of the structure of the active site by aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (ac-STEM) in high-angle annular dark field (HAADF) mode and by CO chemisorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and quantum-chemical calculations reveals that the metal atom is coordinated by a pair of pyridinic nitrogen atoms at the edge of graphene sheets. The chelate binding provides an ionic/electron-deficient state of these atoms that prevents their aggregation and thereby leads to an excellent stability under the reaction conditions. Catalysts with single atoms have also shown very high selectivity. Evidently, the findings can be extended to hydrogen production from other chemicals and can be helpful for improving other energy-related and environmentally benign catalytic processes.

Single-site heterogeneous catalysis with isolated Pd atoms was reported earlier, mainly for oxidation reactions and for Pd catalysts supported on oxide surfaces. In the present work, we show that single Pd atoms on nitrogen-functionalized mesoporous carbon, observed by aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (ac STEM), contribute significantly to the catalytic activity for hydrogen production from vapor-phase formic acid decomposition, providing an increase by 2–3 times in comparison to Pd catalysts supported on nitrogen-free carbon or unsupported Pd powder. Some gain in selectivity was also achieved. According to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) studies after ex situ reduction in hydrogen at 573 K, these species exist in a Pd2+ state coordinated by nitrogen species of the support. Extended density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirm that an isolated Pd atom can be the active site for the reaction, giving decomposition of the formic acid molecule into an adsorbed hydrogen atom and a carboxyl fragment, but only if it is coordinated by a pair of pyridinic-type nitrogen atoms located on the open edge of the graphene sheet. Hence, the role of the N-doping of the carbon support is the formation and stabilization of the new active Pd sites. A long-term experiment performed for more than 30 h on stream indicated an excellent stability of these Pd species in the reaction.

in MFM-300(Sc).

Composite MoS2/carbon nanotube material has been produced by hydrothermal decomposition of a mixture of multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and a water solution of ammonium molybdate and thiourea. Transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy showed formation of MoS2 layers on the CNT surface and MoS2 flakes. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed a downshift of C 1s peak of the composite as compared to the pristine CNT sample that was related to charge transfer between the components. This fact was confirmed by near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy which detected a decrease of intensity of π* resonance in the C K-edge spectrum after the MoS2 deposition. Quantum-chemical calculations of a CNT@MoS2 model showed a positive charging of the CNT surface. Comparison of field emission characteristics of CNTs and the composite indicated lowering of the voltage threshold in the latter sample.

(R)- and (S)- enantiomers of alkyl aryl sulfoxides can be obtained by chromatographic resolution of the racemic mixtures of the sulfoxides on a microporous homochiral Zn-organic polymer or by simultaneous catalytic oxidation of the corresponding sulfides with H2O2 and enantioselective chromatographic resolution of the resulting sulfoxides in a one-pot process.

Porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are the subject of considerable research interest because of their high porosity and capability of specific binding to small molecules, thus underpinning a wide range of materials functions such as gas adsorption, separation, drug delivery, catalysis, and sensing. MOFs, constructed by the designed assembly of metal ions and functional organic linkers, are an emerging class of porous materials with extended porous structures containing periodic binding sites. MOFs thus provide a new platform for the study of the chemistry and reactivity of small molecules in confined pores using advanced diffraction and spectroscopic techniques. In this review, we focus on recent progress in experimental investigations on the crystallographic, dynamic and kinetic aspects of substrate binding within porous MOFs. In particular, we focus on studies on host-guest interactions involving open metal sites or pendant functional groups in the pore as the primary binding sites for guest molecules.

A non-interpenetrating 3D metal–organic framework, synthesized by a solvothermal reaction of cadmium nitrate and a tetracarboxylate ligand, is the first metal–organic analogue of fluorite (CaF2). In the structure of the title compound, depicted, an eight-connecting tetranuclear cadmium cluster (green sphere) and a tetracarboxylate ligand (brown sphere) play the role of Ca2+ and F− ions, respectively, in fluorite.

Polyoxotungstates [PW(4)O(24)](3-) (PW(4)) and [PW(12)O(40)](3-) (PW(12)) have been inserted into nanocages of the metal organic framework MIL-101. The hybrid materials PW(x)/MIL-101 (x = 4 or 12) containing 5-14 wt % of polyoxotungstate have been obtained and characterized by elemental analysis, N(2) adsorption, FT-IR, Raman, and (31)P NMR MAS spectroscopic techniques. Their catalytic performance was assessed in the selective oxidation of alkenes with aqueous hydrogen peroxide under mild reaction conditions ([H(2)O(2)] = 0.1-0.2 M, 50 degrees C, MeCN). PW(x)/MIL-101 enclosing 5 wt % of polyoxotungstate demonstrated fairly good catalytic activities in the epoxidation of various alkenes (3-carene, limonene, alpha-pinene, cyclohexene, cyclooctene, 1-octene), the turnover frequencies (TOF) and alkene conversions were close to the corresponding parameters achieved with homogeneous PW(x). For the oxidation of substrates with aromatic groups (styrene, cis- and trans-stilbenes), a higher level of olefin conversion was attained using PW(12)/MIL-101. Moreover, confinement of PW(12) within MIL-101 nanocages allowed us to reach higher epoxide selectivities at higher alkene conversions. The hybrid PW(x)/MIL-101 materials were stable to leaching, behaved as true heterogeneous catalysts, were easily recovered by filtration, and reused several times with the maintenance of the catalytic performance.

The Lu2.98Ce0.01Y0.01Al5O12 and Y2.99Ce0.01Al5O12 phosphors were synthesized by solid state reaction at temperature 1623 K and pressure 1.5 × 10(7) Pa in (95% N2 + 5% H2) atmosphere. Under the conditions, the compounds crystallize in the form of isolated euhedral partly faceted microcrystals ∼19 μm in size. The crystal structures of the Lu2.98Ce0.01Y0.01Al5O12 and Y2.99Ce0.01Al5O12 garnets have been obtained by Rietveld analysis. The photoluminescence (PL) and X-ray excited luminescence (XL) spectra obtained at room temperature indicate broad asymmetric bands with maxima near 519 and 540 nm for Y2.99Ce0.01Al5O12 and Lu2.98Ce0.01Y0.01Al5O12, respectively. The light source was fabricated using the powder Lu2.98Ce0.01Y0.01Al5O12 phosphor and commercial blue-emitting n-UV LED chips (λ(ex) = 450 nm). It is found that the CIE chromaticity coordinates are (x = 0.388, y = 0.563) with the warm white light emission correlated color temperature (CCT) of 6400 K and good luminous efficiency of 110 lm/W.

Ein großes H2-Sorptionsvermögen und eine große Oberfläche kennzeichnen ein metall-organisches poröses Material, das leicht ausgehend von gut verfügbaren Reaktanten synthetisiert werden kann. Das starre Gerüst von [Zn2(1,4-bdc)2(dabco)] (1,4-H2bdc=1,4-Benzoldicarbonsäure, dabco=Diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octan) ist zudem noch ausreichend flexibel, um ein ungewöhnliches, gastabhängiges dynamisches Verhalten zu zeigen (siehe Schema, DMF=Dimethylformamid).

Over the past decade, nanosized metal oxides, metals, and bimetallic particles have been actively researched as enzyme mimetic nanomaterials. However, the common issues with individual nanoparticles (NPs) are stabilization, reproducibility, and blocking of active sites by surfactants. These problems promote further studies of composite materials, where NPs are spread on supports, such as graphene derivatives or dichalcogenide nanosheets. Another promising type of support for NPs is the few-layered hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). In this study, we develop surfactant-free nanocomposites containing Pt NPs dispersed on chemically modified hydrophilic hBN nanosheets (hBNNSs). Ascorbic acid was used as a reducing agent for the chemical reduction of the Pt salt in the presence of hBNNS aqueous colloid, resulting in Pt/hBNNS nanocomposites, which were thoroughly characterized with X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and X-ray photoelectron and infrared spectroscopies. Similar to graphene oxide binding the metal NPs more efficiently than pure graphene, hydrophilic hBNNSs well stabilize Pt NPs, with particle size down to around 8 nm. We further demonstrate for the first time that Pt/hBNNS nanocomposites exhibit peroxidase-like catalytic activity, accelerating the oxidation of the classical colorless peroxidase substrate 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to its corresponding blue-colored oxidized product in the presence of H2O2. Kinetic and mechanism studies involving terephthalic acid and isopropanol as a fluorescent probe and an •OH radical scavenger, respectively, proved that Pt/hBNNSs assist H2O2 decomposition to active oxygen species (•OH), which are responsible for TMB oxidation. The Pt/hBNNS nanocomposite-assisted oxidation of TMB provides an effective platform for the colorimetric detection of dopamine, an important biomolecule. The presence of increased amounts of dopamine gradually inhibits the catalytic activity of Pt/hBNNSs for the oxidation of TMB by H2O2, thus enabling selective sensing of dopamine down to 0.76 μM, even in the presence of common interfering molecules and on real blood serum samples. The present investigation on Pt/hBNNSs contributes to the knowledge of hBN-based nanocomposites and discovers their new usage as nanomaterials with good enzyme-mimicking activity and dopamine-sensing properties.

Easily soluble expanded graphite (see figure) is synthesized in a one-step exfoliation process that can be used for the lowcost mass production of graphene for various applications because of the simplicity and speed of the process. The graphene obtained is sufficiently expanded to be dispersed in aqueous solutions with an ordinary surfactant and in organic solvents. Detailed facts of importance to specialist readers are published as ”Supporting Information”. Such documents are peer-reviewed, but not copy-edited or typeset. They are made available as submitted by the authors. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.