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C3H6 oxidation over a Pt/Al2O3 catalyst with or without NOx present was investigated. In particular, its reaction mechanism was studied using diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy (DRIFTS), a reactor system designed for monolith-supported catalysts and a micro-reactor system designed for powder catalysts referred to as CATLAB. These experiments reveal that C3H6 oxidation is inhibited by the presence of NO, NO oxidation is inhibited by the presence of CeH6, and that adsorbed NOx can react with gas phase C3H6. DRIFTS and CATLAB results confirm the reaction between C3H6 and nitrates, which are formed during NOx adsorption, with linear nitrites observed as reaction products. Therefore, a reaction route is proposed for C3H6 oxidation in the presence of NOx, namely, nitrates acting as oxidants. Using NO2 instead of NO, or using a high NOx/C3H6 ratio, which is beneficial for nitrate formation, favors this reaction pathway. Data also showed that Pt is required for this reaction, which suggests the nitrates in proximity to the Pt particles are affected/relevant. Reaction kinetics studies of C3H6 oxidation over Pt/Al2O3 and Pt/SiO2 catalysts were performed in CATLAB using a temperature-programmed oxidation method with different oxidants: O2, NO2 and nitrates. The reaction kinetics of these possible reactions were compared in order to determine which reaction is more important. NOx adsorption does not occur on the SiO2 surface so the reaction between C3H6 and NO2 could be isolated and the effect of nitrates could be observed as well when compared to the results from Pt/Al2O3. The Pt dispersions were determined using H2 chemisorption and were 1.3 and 1.6% for Pt/Al2O3 and Pt/SiO2, respectively. C3H6 oxidation starts at a lower temperature with O2 than with NO2 but the activation energy was lower with NO2. This gives indication that hydrocarbons must be activated first for NO2 to be favored in hydrocarbon oxidation. When the experiment was done with C3H6 and nitrates, the reaction did not occur until NOx started to desorb from the catalyst at higher temperatures, when nitrates become unstable and decompose. Therefore, O2 was added to the system and the reaction began at even lower temperature than with just C3H6 and O2. This proved that hydrocarbons need to be activated in order for surface nitrates to affect C3H6 oxidation and this reaction also resulted in a lower activation energy than with just C3H6 and O2. Nitrate consumption was also observed as less NOx desorbed from the catalyst at the later stage of the temperature ramp compared to the amount desorbed when the catalyst was not exposed to C3H6.

C3H6 oxidation over a Pt/Al2O3 catalyst with or without NOx present was investigated. In particular, its reaction mechanism was studied using diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy (DRIFTS), a reactor system designed for monolith-supported catalysts and a micro-reactor system designed for powder catalysts referred to as CATLAB. These experiments reveal that C3H6 oxidation is inhibited by the presence of NO, NO oxidation is inhibited by the presence of CeH6, and that adsorbed NOx can react with gas phase C3H6. DRIFTS and CATLAB results confirm the reaction between C3H6 and nitrates, which are formed during NOx adsorption, with linear nitrites observed as reaction products. Therefore, a reaction route is proposed for C3H6 oxidation in the presence of NOx, namely, nitrates acting as oxidants. Using NO2 instead of NO, or using a high NOx/C3H6 ratio, which is beneficial for nitrate formation, favors this reaction pathway. Data also showed that Pt is required for this reaction, which suggests the nitrates in proximity to the Pt particles are affected/relevant. Reaction kinetics studies of C3H6 oxidation over Pt/Al2O3 and Pt/SiO2 catalysts were performed in CATLAB using a temperature-programmed oxidation method with different oxidants: O2, NO2 and nitrates. The reaction kinetics of these possible reactions were compared in order to determine which reaction is more important. NOx adsorption does not occur on the SiO2 surface so the reaction between C3H6 and NO2 could be isolated and the effect of nitrates could be observed as well when compared to the results from Pt/Al2O3. The Pt dispersions were determined using H2 chemisorption and were 1.3 and 1.6% for Pt/Al2O3 and Pt/SiO2, respectively. C3H6 oxidation starts at a lower temperature with O2 than with NO2 but the activation energy was lower with NO2. This gives indication that hydrocarbons must be activated first for NO2 to be favored in hydrocarbon oxidation. When the experiment was done with C3H6 and nitrates, the reaction did not occur until NOx started to desorb from the catalyst at higher temperatures, when nitrates become unstable and decompose. Therefore, O2 was added to the system and the reaction began at even lower temperature than with just C3H6 and O2. This proved that hydrocarbons need to be activated in order for surface nitrates to affect C3H6 oxidation and this reaction also resulted in a lower activation energy than with just C3H6 and O2. Nitrate consumption was also observed as less NOx desorbed from the catalyst at the later stage of the temperature ramp compared to the amount desorbed when the catalyst was not exposed to C3H6.

The photo-oxygenation of 2-methylpropane and cyclohexane using visible light in aqueous acidic uranyl ion solutions at ambient temperature and pressure has been undertaken. For 2-methylpropane in the absence of oxygen, the main product (≈90%) is 2-methyl-2-propanol with a quantum yield of 0.021 ± 0.001. In the presence of molecular oxygen, both 2-methyl-2-propanol and 2-propanone (acetone) are found. Based on this, and results of gamma radiolysis of aqueous 2-methylpropane to give 'tert'-butyl radical by electronically excited uranyl ion is proposed. In the absence of oxygen, the quantum yield of 2-methyl-2-propanol shows a sigmoidal dependence on the concentration of perchloric acid. A two-species kinetic model involving an acid-base dissociation of the uranyl ion in the excited state accounts for the observed features. The addition of sodium perchlorate to the 2-methylpropane system has an inhibitory effect on the quantum yield. Excited-state ion pairing between the uranyl ion and perchlorate anion is proposed. Consequently, the two-species acid-base model is expanded upon to yield a three-species acid-base-perchlorate model that seems to account for the results from 0.01-0.4 M perchloric acid concentration. Potassium peroxydisulfate is proven effective to increase the quantum yield of 2-methyl-2-propanol from 0.021 ± 0.001 to greater than unity (1.5 ± 0.1) indicating the existence and importance of thermal chain reactions involving sulfate radical anion. The quantum yield of 2-methyl-2-propanol is found to be dependent on the concentrations of 2-methylpropane, perchloric acid and potassium peroxydisulfate, and inversely dependent on the light intensity. The net consumption of uranyl ion is zero in the presence of potassium peroxydisulfate meaning that the uranyl ion is regenerated, making this a catalytic cycle in terms of uranyl ion. The oxygenation of cyclohexane using photo-excited aqueous uranyl ion gives cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone as the two main isolated products (54%). The overall mechanism is expected to be similar to that for the 2-methylpropane system. Refluxing of this substrate with a reducing agent (CaH2 or LiAlH4) is required prior to photolysis to achieve consistent quantum yields of both products due to thermal autoxidation reactions. The presence of molecular oxygen is found to be important in determining the ratio of alcohol to ketone in the product distribution. Potassium peroxydisulfate significantly enhances the quantum yield of cyclohexanone, leaving the quantum yield of cyclohexanol relatively unchanged (as compared to without added potassium peroxydisulfate), while uranyl ion is not consumed. Possible reactions involving cyclohexyl and cyclohexyl peroxyl radicals are given to account for the experimental results.