Rhodium dissociative pathway

Catalyst cycle of Rh(I)-phosphine system. Most mechanistic studies on ligand-modified rhodium catalysts have been performed with HRh(CO)(PPh3)3. Extensive mechanistic studies have revealed that HRh(CO)2(PPh3)2 (18-electron species) is a key active catalyst species, which readily reacts with ethylene at 25°C [43]. Two mechanisms, an associative pathway and a dissociative pathway, were proposed [43-46], depending on the concentration of the catalyst. 

One computational study see Molecular Orbital Theory) has appeared using RhCl(PH3)2 to model the rhodium-catalyzed hydroboration of ethylene see Hydroboration Catalysis). Both associative and dissociative pathways were examined (equation 47). In the associative path, three possible... 

Numerous quantum mechanic calculations have been carried out to better understand the bonding of nitrogen oxide on transition metal surfaces. For instance, the group of Sautet et al have reported a comparative density-functional theory (DFT) study of the chemisorption and dissociation of NO molecules on the close-packed (111), the more open (100), and the stepped (511) surfaces of palladium and rhodium to estimate both energetics and kinetics of the reaction pathways [75], The structure sensitivity of the adsorption was found to correlate well with catalytic activity, as estimated from the calculated dissociation rate constants at 300 K. The latter were found to agree with numerous experimental observations, with (111) facets rather inactive towards NO dissociation and stepped surfaces far more active, and to follow the sequence Rh(100) > terraces in Rh(511) > steps in Rh(511) > steps in Pd(511) > Rh(lll) > Pd(100) > terraces in Pd (511) > Pd (111). The effect of the steps on activity was found to be clearly favorable on the Pd(511) surface but unfavorable on the Rh(511) surface, perhaps explaining the difference in activity between the two metals. The influence of... 

Different reactions pathways on Rh may explain the intermediate formation of ammonia. NH3 can be obtained via successive reaction steps between adsorbed NHX and dissociated hydrogen species [29]. Alternately, the formation of ammonia may occur via the hydrolysis of isocyanic acid (HNCO) [30]. Isocyanate species are formed by reaction between N and COads on metallic particles. Those species can diffuse onto the support leading to spectator species or alternately react with Hads yielding ultimately HNCO. Previous infrared spectroscopic investigations pointed out that isocyanate species predominantly form over rhodium-based catalysts [31]. 

Fahey (16) suggests that intermediate 3 dissociates formaldehyde he finds supportive evidence in the rhodium-based system by observation of minor yields of 1,3-dioxolane, the ethylene glycol trapped acetal of formaldehyde. For reasons to be discussed later, we believe the formation of free formaldehyde is not on the principal reaction pathway. (c) We have also rejected two aspects of the reaction mechanism proposed by Keim, Berger, and Schlupp (15a) (i) the production of formates via alcoholysis of a formyl-cobalt bond, and (ii) the production of ethylene glycol via the cooperation of two cobalt centers. Neither of these proposals accords with the observed kinetic orders and the time invariant ratios of primary products. 

The hydroformylation mechanism for phosphine-modified rhodium catalysts follows with minor modifications the Heck-Breslow cycle. HRh(CO)(TPP)3 [11] is believed to be the precursor of the active hydroformylation species. First synthesized by Vaska in 1963 [98] and structurally characterized in the same year [99], Wilkinson introduced this phosphine-stabilized rhodium catalyst to hydroformylation five years later [100]. As one of life s ironies, Vaska even compared HRh(CO)(TPP)3 in detail with HCo(CO)4 as an example of structurally related hy-drido complexes [98]. Unfortunately he did not draw the conclusion that the rhodium complex should be used in the oxo reaction. According to Wilkinson, two possible pathways are imaginable the associative and the dissociative mechanisms. Preceding the catalytic cycle are several equilibria which generate the key intermediate HRh(CO)2(TPP)2 (Scheme 4 L = ligand). 

A kinetic description of these reactions is difficult to give, due to the complicated decomposition pathways of the hydrocarbons on noble metal surfaces. The temperature programmed reaction between adsorbed ethylene and NO on rhodium in Fig. 5.16 illustrates some of the many reactions that may occur [58]. As seen before, the NO molecule starts to dissociate aroimd room temperature. Ethylene decomposes in several steps at different temperatures as evidenced by the release of H2 and H2O. The formation of CO and some CO2 between 500 and 600 K is well above the respective desorption temperatures of these gases, and suggests that the C-C bond of the hydrocarbon breaks in this temperature range and limits the rate of the oxidation on rhodium surfaces. Formation of HCN is observed as well. Note that a large reservoir of surface CN species forms at temperatures of 500 K and remains on the surface until 700-800 K, where it decomposes and is followed by the instantaneous desorption of N2. 

A qualitative approach will possibly be more fruitful. Fig. 12 illustrates how the dihydrogen addition step (late with respect to heavy atom locations, early with respect to dihydrogen) might appear for the two diastereomeric pathways of the 16-electron route, with CHIRAPHOS as the ligand. In the alternative 14-electron route, dissociation of the alkene is assumed to occur, followed by irreversible H2 addition. The process in then consummated by reformation of the alkene-rhodium bond, or by a sigma bond metathesis which bypasses the dihydride state. 

These results are best explained if dissociation of PPh3 from one of the intermediates in the above mentioned schemes led to another more reactive intermediate. This type of mechanism was proposed for decarbonylation of / CH2CH2COAT with IrCl(CO)(PPh3)2 and is pre-sented in the lower pathway of Scheme 1. In order to explain phosphine inhibition observed with the rhodium system, a similar mechanism has been tentatively proposed. 

The Gibbs energy pathway of reaction (69) was presented by Jones and Feher, showing that arene activation in the rhodium system is preferred by thermodynamic rather than kinetic reasons (the activation barriers differ by only 2 kJ mol ). The Rh-77 -C6H6 bond dissociation enthalpy is estimated as ca. 70 kJ mol , in line with the above value forZ)//°(Rh-7] -CioH8). 

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