Electronic structure catalysis

Here we try to gain insight into the trends in reactivity of the metals without getting lost in too much detail. We therefore invoke rather crude approximations. The electronic structure of many metals shows numerous similarities with respect to the sp band, with the metals behaving essentially as free-electron metals. Variations in properties are due to the extent of filling of the d band. We completely neglect the lanthanides and actinides where a localized f orbital is filled, as these metals hardly play a role in catalysis. 

Advantages of small metal nanoparticles are (i) short range ordering, (ii) enhanced interaction with environments due to the high number of dangling bonds, (iii) great variety of the valence band electron structure, and (iv) self-structuring for optimum performance in chemisorption and catalysis. 

Figure 2.1 (Plate 2.1) shows a classification of the processes that we consider they aU involve interaction of the reactants both with the solvent and with the metal electrode. In simple outer sphere electron transfer, the reactant is separated from the electrode by at least one layer of solvent hence, the interaction with the metal is comparatively weak. This is the realm of the classical theories of Marcus [1956], Hush [1958], Levich [1970], and German and Dogonadze [1974]. Outer sphere transfer can also involve the breaking of a bond (Fig. 2. lb), although the reactant is not in direct contact with the metal. In inner sphere processes (Fig. 2. Ic, d) the reactant is in contact with the electrode depending on the electronic structure of the system, the electronic interaction can be weak or strong. Naturally, catalysis involves a strong...

In spite of the importance of having an accurate description of the real electrochemical environment for obtaining absolute values, it seems that for these systems many trends and relative features can be obtained within a somewhat simpler framework. To make use of the wide range of theoretical tools and models developed within the fields of surface science and heterogeneous catalysis, we will concentrate on the effect of the surface and the electronic structure of the catalyst material. Importantly, we will extend the analysis by introducing a simple technique to account for the electrode potential. Hence, the aim of this chapter is to link the successful theoretical surface science framework with the complicated electrochemical environment in a model simple enough to allow for the development of both trends and general conclusions. 

Greeley J, N0rskov JK, Mavrikakis M. 2002. Electronic structure and catalysis on metal surfaces. Ann Rev Phys Chem 53 319-348. 

Pacchioni G, Illas F. 2003. Electronic structure and chemisorption properties of supported metal clusters model calculations. In Wieckowski A, Savinova ER, Vayenas CG. editors. Catalysis and Electrocatalysis at Nanoparticle Surfaces. New York Marcel Dekker. 

Examples of STS that are related to catalysis include the work of Goodman and co-workers,18 19 who have studied the electronic structure of palladium and gold nanoparticles on Ti02 as a function of nanoparticle size using I V curves... 

Yu, J., Xiang, Q., and Zhou, M. (2009) Preparation, characterization and visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity of Fe-doped titania nanorods and first-principles study for electronic structures. Applied Catalysis B Environmental,... 

Suppose that by means of an external cause - for example the metal surface of a catalyst - the otherwise empty antibonding orbital of a molecule becomes partially filled. As a result the bond is weakened and may eventually break. Before we discuss the relation between catalysis and electronic structure, we look at bonding in metals. 

Our discussion of electronic structure has been in terms of band filling only. Of course, there is a lot more to know about band structures. The density of states represents only a highly simplified representation of the actual electronic structure, which ignores the three-dimensional structure of electron states in the crystal lattice. Angle-dependent photoemission gives information on this property of the electrons. The interested reader is referred to standard books on solid state physics [9,10] and photoemission [16,17]. The interpretation of photoemission and X-ray absorption spectra of catalysis-oriented questions, however, is usually done in terms of the electron density of states only. 

Ligand affinity series of more bare metal ions and one-coordinate ions are needed to understand the effect of the electronic structure of the ion on ligand strength. The study of catalytic cycles in the gas phase (especially where they relate to condensed phase catalysis) appears to be a growth area for the future. 

In this chapter, we have discussed the application of metal oxides as catalysts. Metal oxides display a wide range of properties, from metallic to semiconductor to insulator. Because of the compositional variability and more localized electronic structures than metals, the presence of defects (such as comers, kinks, steps, and coordinatively unsaturated sites) play a very important role in oxide surface chemistry and hence in catalysis. As described, the catalytic reactions also depend on the surface crystallographic structure. The catalytic properties of the oxide surfaces can be explained in terms of Lewis acidity and basicity. The electronegative oxygen atoms accumulate electrons and act as Lewis bases while the metal cations act as Lewis acids. The important applications of metal oxides as catalysts are in processes such as selective oxidation, hydrogenation, oxidative dehydrogenation, and dehydrochlorination and destructive adsorption of chlorocarbons. 

A.K. Santra and D.W. Goodman, Size-dependent electronic, structural, and catalytic properties of metal clusters supported on ultrathin oxide films, in Catalysis and Electrocatalysis at Nanoparticle Surfaces, eds. A. Wieckowski, E.R. Savinova, and C.G. Vayenas. Marcel Dekker, New York, 2003, pp. 281-309. 

The combined use of the modem tools of surface science should allow one to understand many fundamental questions in catalysis, at least for metals. These tools afford the experimentalist with an abundance of information on surface structure, surface composition, surface electronic structure, reaction mechanism, and reaction rate parameters for elementary steps. In combination they yield direct information on the effects of surface structure and composition on heterogeneous reactivity or, more accurately, surface reactivity. Consequently, the origin of well-known effects in catalysis such as structure sensitivity, selective poisoning, ligand and ensemble effects in alloy catalysis, catalytic promotion, chemical specificity, volcano effects, to name just a few, should be subject to study via surface science. In addition, mechanistic and kinetic studies can yield information helpful in unraveling results obtained in flow reactors under greatly different operating conditions. 

Strassner T (2004) Electronic Structure and Reactivity of Metal Carbenes. 13 1-20 Strassner T (2007) The Role of NHC Ligands in Oxidation Catalysis. 22 125-148 Strong LE, see Kiessling LL (1998) 1 199-231... 

Metal nanoparticles have received much attention in the past because their unique electronic structure makes them interesting materials for nanoelectronics, optics and catalysis [33]. A large body of work has already been published on the preparation [34] and characterization [35] of such particles and will not be the subject of this section. 

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