Precursor complex formation oxide surface sites

Rates of reductive dissolution of transition metal oxide/hydroxide minerals are controlled by rates of surface chemical reactions under most conditions of environmental and geochemical interest. This paper examines the mechanisms of reductive dissolution through a discussion of relevant elementary reaction processes. Reductive dissolution occurs via (i) surface precursor complex formation between reductant molecules and oxide surface sites, (ii) electron transfer within this surface complex, and (iii) breakdown of the successor complex and release of dissolved metal ions. Surface speciation is an important determinant of rates of individual surface chemical reactions and overall rates of reductive dissolution. 

Similarly, inner-sphere and outer-sphere mechanisms can be postulated for the reductive dissolution of metal oxide surface sites, as shown in Figure 2. Precursor complex formation, electron transfer, and breakdown of the successor complex can still be distinguished. The surface chemical reaction is unique, however, in that participating metal centers are bound within an oxide/hydroxide... 

In this case, precursor complex formation depends upon the lability of the incoming metal ion, rather than that of the oxide surface site, since the inner coordination ligands of the surface site are not exchanged (26). 

The most direct evidence for surface precursor complex formation prior to electron transfer comes from a study of photoreduc-tive dissolution of iron oxide particles by citrate (37). Citrate adsorbs to iron oxide surface sites under dark conditions, but reduces surface sites at an appreciable rate only under illumination. Thus, citrate surface coverage can be measured in the dark, then correlated with rates of reductive dissolution under illumination. Results show that initial dissolution rates are directly related to the amount of surface bound citrate (37). Adsorption of calcium and phosphate has been found to inhibit reductive dissolution of manganese oxide by hydroquinone (33). The most likely explanation is that adsorbed calcium or phosphate molecules block inner-sphere complex formation between metal oxide surface sites and hydroquinone. 

It should also be pointed out that the rate of each of the reaction steps (precursor complex formation, electron transfer, and breakdown of successor complex) is affected by the chemical characteristics of the metal oxide surface sites and the nature of the reductant molecules. These aspects are discussed in detail in an excellent review by Stone (1986), and the reader is encouraged to refer to this article. 

An extensive literature exists on the characterization and structure—activity correlation of industrial copper-alumina oxychlorination catalysts [95-120]. At least two different major copper species have been identified. At low concentrations of copper (below ca 5 %), a well-dispersed copper species in intimate interaction with the alumina surface is formed. This species has a very low oxychlorination activity. At higher concentrations, a second species, probably formed by the de-position/precipitation of the copper chloro complexes, is observed. The latter gives rise to the active sites during the oxychlorination reaction. On the basis of an FTIR study of the oxychlorination reaction Finocchio et al. [42] postulated the formation of surface copper chloride-ethylene r-complex intermediates (which lead eventually to EDC) and weakly adsorbed HCl during oxychlorination. Formate species associated with copper and probable precursors for formation of the oxides of carbon by combustion were also identified. 

Vanadium phosphates have been established as selective hydrocarbon oxidation catalysts for more than 40 years. Their primary use commercially has been in the production of maleic anhydride (MA) from n-butane. During this period, improvements in the yield of MA have been sought. Strategies to achieve these improvements have included the addition of secondary metal ions to the catalyst, optimization of the catalyst precursor formation, and intensification of the selective oxidation process through improved reactor technology. The mechanism of the reaction continues to be an active subject of research, and the role of the bulk catalyst structure and an amorphous surface layer are considered here with respect to the various V-P-O phases present. The active site of the catalyst is considered to consist of V and V couples, and their respective incidence and roles are examined in detail here. The complex and extensive nature of the oxidation, which for butane oxidation to MA is a 14-electron transfer process, is of broad importance, particularly in view of the applications of vanadium phosphate catalysts to other processes. A perspective on the future use of vanadium phosphate catalysts is included in this review. 

The rate-controlling step for dissolution of an oxide or primary silicate mineral generally involves a surface reaction. For surface-controlled dissolution, the rate-controlling step is either the detachment of silica or a metal ion from the surface or the attack of the surface to form precursor sites for detachment. Surface detachment controlled kinetics can be modelled using the surface complexation rate model (Wieland et al., 1988) that models rates as a function of the surface concentration of surface complexation sites that are precursors for dissolution. In this model, the formation of precursor sites is rapid compared to the rate of detachment and the concentration of sites can be described by surface complexation theory (Sposito, 1983). 

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