Benzene, toluene, and xylene are three basic raw materials for the production of most aromatic derivatives such as polyesters, plastics and detergents. Xylenes (p-, m- and o-) have the greatest market demand with an increasing annual rate of 6%. Owing to the availability of surplus toluene and low value of C9 aromatics, the transalkylation process is aimed at the production of more valued products, such as xylenes. Catalyst deactivation is a key challenge in transalkylation process. Using industrially relevant operating parameters, the transalkylation of 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene (TMB) with toluene was studied. The effect of zeolite structure and acidity, increased reaction pressure and temperature, and very low levels of platinum (Pt) impregnation has been investigated over both H-form and Pt-loaded zeolites: Beta, Mordenite (MOR), and Y. A fixed bed reactor was used at WHSV of 5 h-1, 400 oC, and a 50:50 wt. % toluene:TMB ratio with the order of activity after 50 h time-on-stream (TOS) of Y > Beta >> MOR at 1 bar. At elevated pressure (10 bar), all catalysts showed better performance with significant improvement in MOR as pore blockage was reduced and the order of activity was Beta > MOR > Y. With varying the Si/Al ratio for zeolites Beta (Si/Al = 12.5, 75 and 150) and Y (Si/Al = 2.6, 6, 15 and 30), the highest stability and xylenes yield were achieved over zeolite Beta with lowest Si/Al ratio at 41 wt. % conversion and 25 wt. % xylenes yield. In contrast, zeolites Y with Si/Al ratio of 2.6 showed the highest deactivation rate, whereas over Y zeolites with Si/Al = 6-30, the conversion was between 25-30 wt. % and xylenes yield around 11 wt. % after 50 h TOS. Incorporation of Pt (0.08 wt. %) further improved the activity of all catalysts with the highest conversion after 50 h TOS over Beta (62 wt. %) where Beta and MOR yielded similar levels of xylenes (40 wt. %). All catalysts were further optimized by reducing Pt levels whilst maintaining the desired stability and highest xylenes yield. In order to further develop a cost-effective and eco-friendly catalyst, the addition of alumina binder to Pt-Beta and the possibility of simplified regeneration of Beta/Pt-Beta catalyst were investigated. Firstly, the alumina binder reduced the conversion and xylenes yield, however, this reduction was small up to 40 wt. % added alumina binder (where xylenes yield only dropped to 35 wt. %). Secondly, the regeneration process was carried out using H2 only and up to four cycles (30 h TOS per cycle). The Pt-Beta catalyst found to be stable and the activity was fully restored by a hydrogenation process at 500 oC. However, the activity of Beta dropped gradually after each cycle suggesting that the H2 alone at 500 oC was insufficient in removing coke precursors. The drop in activity was attributed to the disappearance of Brà ̧nsted acid sites over the spent Beta catalyst due to the growth of coke molecules trapped in cavities leading to highly polyaromatic molecules blocking those active sites.

High-valent iron(IV)-oxo porphyrins are the central oxidizing species in hemecontaining enzymes and synthetic oxidation catalysts. Many transition metal complexes have been extensively studied as models of the ubiquitous cytochrome P450 enzymes to probe the sophisticated oxygen atom transfer (OAT) mechanism as well as to invent enzyme-like oxidation catalysts. In this work, two metalloporphyrin complexes have been successfully synthesized, and spectroscopically characterized. A new photochemical entry to porphyrin-iron(IV)-oxo derivatives, commonly referred to as compound II models, was also investigated in two porphyrin ligands that differ in electronic and steric environments. As determined by their distinct UV-vis spectra and kinetic behaviors, iron(IV)-oxo porphyrins [FeIV(Por)O] were successfully produced by visible light irradiation of highly photo-liable porphyrin-iron(III) bromates. The iron(IV)-oxo porphyrins investigated in this study include 5,10,15,20- tetra(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin-iron(IV)-oxo (4a), and 5,10,15,20-tetra(2,6- difluorophenyl)porphyrin-iron(IV)-oxo (4b).

Zeolite structure can profoundly promote the activity of supported platinum. In addition, catalytic performances of Pt/ZSM-12 catalysts vary dramatically with platinum deposition procedure, namely ion exchange (IE) and impregnation procedure (IMP). Supported platinum prepared by IMP is more active than the Pt prepared by IE. The MCP/MCH ratio in benzene hydrogenation as an indication of bifunctional catalysis is significantly higher for IE Pt than IMP Pt. IE preparing platinum is located inside ZSM-12 pore and IMP preparing platinum is deposited on the external surface of ZSM-12. After steam treatment, it is found that Pt-atom perfectly migrates from internal channel to external surface and agglomerates into larger particle size for Pt(IE,0.100%,c) and Pt(IMP,0.123,a) catalysts. In contrast to the results of pure benzene hydrogenation at lower temperature (210¢J/240¢J), they are found that if all prepared various Pt/ZSM-12 catalysts were above the inversion temperature (Ti) then the benzene hydrogenation conversion over Pt(IE,0.100%,c) sample is higher than over Pt(IMP,0.123%,a) sample owing to latter provides less Pt-H+ active sites, as well as Pt(IMP,0.123%,a) sample is the most effective catalyst for toluene disproportionation and transalkylation with 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene. Owing to transformation generally is performed at higher temperature, such as above 400¢J, their operation temperatures are indeed above the inversion temperature (Ti) for all Pt/ZSM-12 catalysts. In situ comparing their benzene hydrogenation in transformation, including disproportionation and transalkylation, is suitable and valuable for understanding and determinating the characteristics of Pt/ZSM-12 zeolite catalysts. Relative conversion of benzene hydrogenation in transformation is the probe of characterizing the Pt-location onto ZSM-12 zeolite.

archives@tulane.edu / This dissertation is dedicated to the study of the synthesis, crystal structures, properties, and reactivity of heteroleptic metallodithiolene complexes of the Group 10 metals. In this work, we report a systematic survey of the reactivity of [(Ph2C2S2)2M] (M = Ni, Pd, Pt) toward ligand substitution. The upshots of the survey are the clarification of the attributes of the incoming ligand that facilitate ligand displacement, creation of a new set of heteroleptic dithiolene complexes, [M(Ph2C2S2)(C≡NR)2] (M = Ni, Pd, Pt; R = Me, Bn, Cy, tBu, 1-Adamantyl, Ph), and improvement in the efficiency by which mixed-ligand “push-pull” compounds are made. The scope of dithiolene ligand displacement by incoming ligands was expanded beyond the already reported phosphine and diimine ligands. Spectroscopic and physical characterization techniques including S K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used in conjunction with DFT computational methods to establish the properties of the compounds prepared in this study. Representative [(Ph2C2S2)Pt(C≡NR)2] (R = aryl) complexes exihibited low temperature luminscence in frozen solvent glasses with relatively long lifetimes. The relevance of the dithiolene redox non-innocence in the ligand substitution mechanism has also been elucidated, thereby giving an insight into the fate of the displaced dithiolene ligand. Redox disproportionation between two radical monoanionic dithiolene ligands leads to the creation of a dithione, which is an enhanced leaving group and an inherently reactive species. When displacement of dithiolene ligand from [(Ph2C2S2)2Ni] was conducted with a twofold excess of C≡NCy, 4,5-diphenyl-1,3-dithiol-2-cyclohexylimine could be isolated. The identification and characterization of this compound is consistent with the creation of dithiobenzil during the ligand substitution. The reactive α-dithione is also capable of undergoing rapid irreversible polymerization, thereby providing the thermodynamic impetus for the dithiolene ligand substitution. Chemical oxidation of [Pt(Ph2C2S2)(C≡NtBu)2] with [N(C6H4Br-4)3][SbCl6] was undertaken to form [Pt(Ph2C2SˉS‧)(C≡NtBu)2]2[SbCl6]2. Structural determination of the dication revealed appreciable shortening and lengthening of C─S and C─C bond distances, respectively, within the dithiolene ligand as compared to the charge-neutral complex, an observation which confirmed the dithiolene ligand as the locus of the redox activity in the heteroleptic monodithiolene complexes. The utility of [M(Ph2C2S2)(C≡NMe)2] (M= Ni, Pd, Pt) as synthons in their own right for heteroleptic compounds not directly attainable by ligand substitution from [M(Ph2C2S2)2] was also explored. The panorama of outcomes when [M(S2C2Ph2)(CNMe)2] (M = Ni2+, Pd2+, Pt2+) are introduced to new ligands intended to substitute for CNMe has been thoroughly defined. The most significant breakthrough was the isolation of the dicyanide complex, [Et4N]2[Ni(S2C2Ph2)(C≡N)2], which is a potentially useful precursor toward cyanide-bridged multimetallic architectures. Finally, the synthesis and structural characterization of multimetallic complexes bridged by bis(diphenylphosphine) ligands and redox active dithiolenes as end capping ligands are described. The electrochemistry study revealed that the dimetallic compounds support reversible oxidation to dications, which likely have singlet diradical - triplet states in close equilibrium. The use of dithiolene ligands as electron spin hosts offers new possibilities for the application of metallodithiolene complexes in molecule-based spintronic devices, such as quantum bits (qubits). / 1 / Antony Obanda

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第23228号 / 工博第4872号 / 新制||工||1760(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院工学研究科高分子化学専攻 / (主査)教授 山子 茂, 教授 大内 誠, 教授 中村 正治 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DGAM

This research aimed at improving p-xylene selectivity in toluene disproportionation over ZSM-5 zeolite by exploring the effect of crystal size and various post synthetic modification methods. A comprehensive study of the effect of different modifications on the physicochemical properties of ZSM-5 was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), pyridine adsorption, Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR), 29Si magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR), BET surface area by N2 adsorption, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The catalytic performance of each catalyst was studied in a fixed bed reactor at a temperature 475 °C, WHSV 3-83 h-1 and two different pressures (1 and 10 bar). ZSM-5 zeolites with different crystal sizes (5, 50 and 100 ÂÂμm) were synthesized in house and compared with the commercially obtained ZSM-5 having a crystal size of 0.5 ÂÂμm. The increase in crystal size improved p-xylene selectivity which was attributed to the diffusion constraints imposed by the longer diffusion path lengths of large crystals. The highest p-xylene selectivity (58 %) was achieved over ZSM-5 with the largest crystal size 100 ÂÂμm at the highest WHSV 83 h-1. However, it was accompanied by a low conversion (2 wt. %). ZSM-5 with crystal size of 5 ÂÂμm delivered the best results in terms of the combination of para-selectivity (40 %) and toluene conversion (15 wt. %). The p-xylene produced in the channels of ZSM-5 can quickly isomerise to o-xylene and m-xylene on the external unselective acid sites. Different post modification methods were applied in this study in attempt to suppress the fast isomerization reaction by deactivating the external acid sites. This was achieved to some extent by depositing an inert silica layer using different silica agents, amounts and number of modification cycles and as a result p-xylene selectivity was significantly improved (84 %), especially over large crystals 5 ÂÂμm. The decrease in Brà̧nsted acidity (FTIR) suggested the success of the silylation method. Furthermore, impregnation of lanthanum and phosphorus on ZSM-5 improved p-xylene selectivity (40 %). FTIR measurements showed a drastic drop in the number of Brà̧nsted and Lewis acid sites after loading phosphorus which led to a large reduction in toluene conversion. Lanthanum impregnation had less effect on conversion and increased selectivity with decreased Brà̧nsted sites and pore volume reduction showed by N2 adsorption suggesting some pore narrowing. There are several approaches that can be considered in future to further improve p-xylene selectivity. Improving the synthesis of large crystals to balance acidity and crystal size can lead to the enhancement of p-xylene selectivity. Also, performing toluene disproportionation on optimised pre-coked ZSM-5 large crystals at high pressure can help to maintain the conversion while increasing p-xylene selectivity. Another approach would be to apply silylation modification to extruded large crystals ZSM-5.

Homolytic dissociation of the N-NO2 bond represents primary fission process of energetic materials under the influence of heat, impact, vibration and electric spark. The fission of nitramide bonds is characterized by homolytic bond dissociation energy BDE(RCON-NO2) or disproportionation bond energy DISP(RCON-NO2), which is expressed by an isodesmic reaction RCON-NO2 + SCON-H › RCON-H + SCON NO2, where SCON NO2 is a standard nitramide (1-nitropiperidin-2-on, NPO). This kind of virtual chemical calculation cancels the effect of electron correlation, accompanying the theoretical calculations of free radicals. In this thesis, the homolytic dissociation bond energy BDE(RCON-NO2) and disproportionation bond energy DISP(RCON-NO2) were evaluated for 13 cyclic nitramides using the DFT B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) method and at the same time the total charges of corresponding nitro groups Q(NO2) were calculated by DFT B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) method. The evaluated BDE and DISP energies were correlated with detonation parameters as squares of detonation velocities and detonation heats. The resulting relationships allow a more detailed description of dependence between the molecular structure of evaluated nitramides and their explosive properties.

De grandes quantités de méthane sont générées dans les sédiments marins, mais l'émission dans l'atmosphère de ce gaz à effet de serre important est en partie contrôlé par oxydation anaérobie de méthane couplé à la réduction de sulfate (SR AOM). AOM-SR est médiée par des méthanotrophes anaérobies (ANME) et bactéries sulfato-réductrices (SRB). AOM-SR est non seulement la régulation du cycle du méthane, mais il peut être utile appliquée pour la désulfuration des eaux usées industrielles au détriment du méthane comme source de carbone. Cependant, il a une bouilloire jambe pour contrôler et comprendre pleinement ce processus, principalement en raison de la lenteur croissante de l'ANME. Cette recherche a étudié de nouvelles approches pour contrôler et enrichiront ANME AOM SR et SRB dans le but final de la conception d'un bioréacteur approprié pour AOM SR à la pression ambiante et la température. Ceci a été réalisé en étudiant l'effet de (i) la pression et (ii) l'utilisation de différents composés du soufre comme accepteurs d'électrons sur AOM, (iii) la caractérisation de la communauté microbienne et (iv) L'identification des facteurs contrôlant la croissance des ANME et SRB .Théoriquement, le méthane des pressions partielles élevées favorisent AOM-SR, en plus de méthane sera dissoute et biodisponible. La première approche impliquait l'incubation d'un sédiments marins peu profonds (lac marin Gravelines) sous des gradients de pression. De manière surprenante, la plus haute AOM-SR activité a été obtenue à basse pression (MPa 00:45), montrant l'actif ANME méthane préféré faible disponibilité sur haute pression (10, 20, 40 MPa). Fait intéressant, ook l'abondance et la structure des différents types de ANME et CVN Piloté par pression.En outre, les micro-organismes présents dans les sédiments d'oxydation anaérobie de méthane ont été enrichies avec du méthane en tant que substrat dans le filtre de percolateur (BTF) aux conditions ambiantes. Autres composés de soufre (sulfate, thiosulfate et en soufre élémentaire) ont été utilisés comme accepteurs d'électrons. Quand a été utilisé comme thiosulfate accepteur d'électrons, son dismutation en sulfate et de sulfure a été la conversion de soufre dominant, mais les taux les plus élevés UTILE AOM-SR ont été enregistrés dans ce BTF. Par conséquent, AOM peut être directement couplé à la réduction ou thiosulfate, ou à la réduction du sulfate produit par le thiosulfate de dismutation. De plus, l'utilisation de thiosulfate a déclenché l'enrichissement ou SRB. D'autres termes, on a obtenu le plus haut ou l'enrichissement ANME Lorsque seul le sulfate a été utilisé comme accepteur d'électrons.Dans un BTF avec du sulfate en tant qu'accepteur d'électrons, tous deux ANME et SRB ont été enrichies à partir de sédiments marins et les flux de carbone à l'intérieur des micro-organismes enrichis ont été étudiés par fluorescence in situ échelle hybridation nanomètres spectrométrie de masse d'ions secondaires (SIMS Nano-FISH). Les résultats préliminaires montrent l'absorption du méthane par un groupe spécifique de SRB.ANME et SRB adaptée aux conditions de sédiments profonds ont été enrichis dans un BTF à la pression ambiante et de la température. Le BTF est une combinaison bioréacteur de démarrage pour l'enrichissement ou lente des micro-organismes en croissance. De plus, peut être utilisé thiosulfate pour activer les sédiments et enrichir la communauté SRB plus d'enrichir la population stratégie ANME pour obtenir une haute AOM SR et plus rapide taux de croissance ANME et SRB pour les applications futures / Large amounts of methane are generated in marine sediments, but the emission to the atmosphere of this important greenhouse gas is partly controlled by anaerobic oxidation of methane coupled to sulfate reduction (AOM-SR). AOM-SR is mediated by anaerobic methanotrophs (ANME) and sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB). AOM-SR is not only regulating the methane cycle but it can also be applied for the desulfurization of industrial wastewater at the expense of methane as carbon source. However, it has been difficult to control and fully understand this process, mainly due to the slow growing nature of ANME. This research investigated new approaches to control AOM-SR and enrich ANME and SRB with the final purpose of designing a suitable bioreactor for AOM-SR at ambient pressure and temperature. This was achieved by studying the effect of (i) pressure and of (ii) the use of different sulfur compounds as electron acceptors on AOM, (iii) characterizing the microbial community and (iv) identifying the factors controlling the growth of ANME and SRB.Theoretically, elevated methane partial pressures favor AOM-SR, as more methane will be dissolved and bioavailable. The first approach involved the incubation of a shallow marine sediment (marine Lake Grevelingen) under pressure gradients. Surprisingly, the highest AOM-SR activity was obtained at low pressure (0.45 MPa), showing that the active ANME preferred scarce methane availability over high pressure (10, 20, 40 Mpa). Interestingly, also the abundance and structure of the different type of ANME and SRB were steered by pressure.Further, microorganisms from anaerobic methane oxidizing sediments were enriched with methane gas as the substrate in biotrickling filters (BTF) at ambient conditions. Alternative sulfur compounds (sulfate, thiosulfate and elemental sulfur) were used as electron acceptors. When thiosulfate was used as electron acceptor, its disproportionation to sulfate and sulfide was the dominating sulfur conversion, but also the highest AOM-SR rates were registered in this BTF. Therefore, AOM can be directly coupled to the reduction of thiosulfate, or to the reduction of sulfate produced by thiosulfate disproportionation. Moreover, the use of thiosulfate triggered the enrichment of SRB. Differently, the highest enrichment of ANME was obtained when only sulfate was used as electron acceptor.In a BTF with sulfate as electron acceptor, both ANME and SRB were enriched from marine sediment and the carbon fluxes within the enriched microorganisms were studied through fluorescence in-situ hybridization-nanometer scale secondary ion mass spectrometry (FISH-NanoSIMS). Preliminary results showed the uptake of methane by a specific group of SRB.ANME and SRB adapted to deep sediment conditions were enriched in a BTF at ambient pressure and temperature. The BTF is a suitable bioreactor for the enrichment of slow growing microorganisms. Moreover, thiosulfate can be used to activate the sediment and enrich the SRB community to further enrich the ANME population as strategy to obtain high AOM-SR and faster ANME and SRB growth rates for future applications

The chemistry of mineral surfaces is of great importance in many different areas including natural processes occurring in oceans, rivers, lakes and soils. Manganese (hydr)oxides are one important group to these natural processes, and the thermodynamically most stable trivalent manganese (hydr)oxide, manganit (γ-MnOOH), is studied in this thesis. This thesis summarises six papers in which the surface chemistry of synthetic manganite has been investigated with respect to surface acid-base properties, dissolution, and adsorption of Cd(II) and the herbicide N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine (glyphosate, PMG). In these papers, a wide range of analysis techniques were used, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), potentiometry, electrophoretic mobility measurements and wet chemical techniques, in order to obtain a more complete understanding of the different processes occurring at the manganite-water interface. From the combined use of these techniques, a 1-pKa acid-base model was established that is valid at pH>6. The model includes a Na+ interaction with the surface: =MnOH2+½ --> =MnOH-½ + H+ log β0 (intr.) = -8.20 = -pHiep =MnOH2+½ + Na+ --> =MnOHNa+½ + H+ log β0 (intr.) = -9.64 At pH<6 the manganite crystals dissolve and disproportionate into pyrolusite (β-MnO2) and Mn(II)-ions in solution according to: 2 γ-MnOOH + 2H+ --> β-MnO2 + Mn2+ + 2H2O log K0 = 7.61 ± 0.10 The adsorption and co-adsorption of Cd(II) and glyphosate at the manganite surface was studied at pH>6. Cd(II) adsorption displays an adsorption edge at pH~8.5. Glyphosate adsorbs over the entire pH range, but the adsorption decreases with increasing pH. When the two substances are co-adsorbed, the adsorption of Cd(II) is increased at low pH but decreased at high pH. The adsorption of glyphosate is increased in the entire pH range in the presence of Cd(II). From XPS, FTIR and EXAFS it was found that glyphosate and Cd(II) form inner sphere complexes. The binary Cd(II)-surface complex is bonded by edge sharing of Mn and Cd octahedra on the (010) plane of manganite. Glyphosate forms inner-sphere complexes through an interaction between the phosphonate group and the manganite surface. The largest fraction of this binary glyphosate complex is protonated throughout the pH range. A ternary surface complex is also present, and its structure is explained as type B ternary surface complex (surface-glyphosate-Cd(II)). The chelating rings between the Cd(II) and glyphosate, found in aqueous complexes, are maintained at the surface, and the ternary complex is bound to the surface through the phosphonate group of the ligand.

This article has been published online on 21st May 2014, in Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A: Vac (Vol.32, Issue 4): http://scitation.aip.org/content/avs/journal/jvsta/32/4/10.1116/1.4878815?aemail=author DOI: 10.1116/1.4878815 This article may be accessed via the issue's table of contents at this link: http://scitation.aip.org/content/avs/journal/jvsta/32/4?aemail=author The surface chemistry of the bis(tri-n-butylphosphane) copper(I) acetylacetonate, [(nBu3P)2Cu(acac)], and the thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Cu2O using this Cu precursor as reactant and wet oxygen as co-reactant on SiO2 substrates are studied by in-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The Cu precursor was evaporated and exposed to the substrates kept at temperatures between 22 °C and 300 °C. The measured phosphorus and carbon concentration on the substrates indicated that most of the [nBu3P] ligands were released either in the gas phase or during adsorption. No disproportionation was observed for the Cu precursor in the temperature range between 22 °C and 145 °C. However, disproportionation of the Cu precursor was observed at 200 °C, since C/Cu concentration ratio decreased and substantial amounts of metallic Cu were present on the substrate. The amount of metallic Cu increased, when the substrate was kept at 300 °C, indicating stronger disproportionation of the Cu precursor. Hence, the upper limit for the ALD of Cu2O from this precursor lies in the temperature range between 145 °C and 200 °C, as the precursor must not alter its chemical and physical state after chemisorption on the substrate. 500 ALD cycles with the probed Cu precursor and wet O2 as co reactant were carried out on SiO2 at 145 °C. After ALD, in situ XPS analysis confirmed the presence of Cu2O on the substrate. Ex-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry indicated an average film thickness of 2.5 nm of Cu2O deposited with a growth per cycle of 0.05 Å/cycle. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) investigations depicted a homogeneous, fine, and granular morphology of the Cu2O ALD film on SiO2. AFM investigations suggest that the deposited Cu2O film is continuous on the SiO2 substrate.