Surface adsorbed alkenes

Figure 12-1 Mechanism of catalytic hydrogenation of ethene to produce ethane. The hydrogens bind to the catalyst surface and are delivered to the carbons of the surface-adsorbed alkene.

Although this type of reaction is symmetry forbidden in an unadsorbed molecule, theoretical calculations showed that in a molecule adsorbed on transition metals, such a shift is allowed [3-5], Later, other theoretical calculations suggested another type of 1,3-hydrogen shift, one in which the allylic cxo-hydrogen is abstracted by the surface fi-om an adsorbed alkene (either 1,2-diadsorbed or n-complexed) and the resulting 7i-allyl species moves over the abstracted hydrogen in such a way that it adds to the former vinylic position and causes, in effect, a stepwise intramolecular 1,3-hydrogen shift (bottom shift) [6],... 

The actual spacings of the metal atoms in the surface will clearly be of importance in making one face of a metal crystal catalytically effective, and another not, depending on how closely the actual atom spacings approximate to the bond distances in alkene and hydrogen molecules. In practice only a relatively sma l proportion of the total metal surface is found to be catalytically effective—the so-called active points . These adsorb alkene strongly, and then desorb immediately the resultant alkane, thus becoming free for further alkene adsorption. 

Operando DRIFTS measurements suggest that bridged hydroxyl groups are in extensive interaction with hexane molecules during the reaction even at 553 K. However adsorbed alkene or surface alkoxide could not be detected. These findings questions, whether the Haag-Dessau mechanism [4] gives true description of the alkane activation process over zeolite catalysts. 

It should be stated here that the discussion to be followed would remain the same if the selectivity-determining step is the reaction of an adsorbed alkene formed from a surface alkyl. In that case, dehydrogenation products are observed if the alkene desorbs, and oxygen-containing products are observed if it further reacts with a lattice oxygen. (See Scheme III.)... 

A Stern-Volmer plot obtained in the presence of donors for the stilbene isomerization has both curved and linear components. Two minimal mechanistic schemes were proposed to explain this unforeseen complexity they differ as to whether the adsorption of the quencher on the surface competes with that of the reactant or whether each species has a preferred site and is adsorbed independently. In either mechanism, quenching of a surface adsorbed radical cation by a quencher in solution is required In an analogous study on ZnS with simple alkenes, high turnover numbers were observed at active sites where trapped holes derived from surface states (sulfur radicals from zinc vacancies or interstitial sulfur) play a decisive role... 

Further studies led to the suggestion of other types of surface species, such as the ir-adsorbed intermediate (1) and dissociatively adsorbed alkenes [a-vinyl (2), a-allyl (3) and Jt-allyl (4)] ... 

The effect of alkene structure on relative reactivity indicates that a much greater structural change in the alkenic moiety occurs on adsorption than in the change from adsorbed alkene to the transition state of the rate controlling surface reaction. Moreover, where measures indicate appreciable differences in adsorption energy, the more strongly adsorbed compound often exhibits the smaller zero order rate. 

An alternative termination reaction to hydrogenation of the growing alkyl chain is p-CH cleavage. Computations by Cheng et al. (31) indicated low activation energy barriers for the equilibration between adsorbed alkyl species and adsorbed alkene reported barriers are approximately 50 kj/mol. On the Co(OOOl) surface, the alkene is slightly more stable than the adsorbed alkyl (by about 10 kJ/mol). If desorption of the alkene into the gas phase is included, an overall barrier of 70 kJ/mol results for... 

Use of Halide Ions to Improve Selectivity. Earlier work has claimed that enhanced selectivities for alkene oxidation can be achieved by the inclusion of electronegative elements such as S, Se, or halogens. This has been reviewed elsewhere. " More recent work has demonstrated substantial improvements in selectivity for propene (25—70%) and isobutene (35—80%) oxidation when either chloride or bromide is present. Both elements are added to the catalyst in the form of trace levels of organo-halide in the process gas stream. The selectivity increase is the result of a decrease in the rate of complete oxidation rather than an increase in the partial oxidation rate. Since the reaction is first order in oxygen pressure and zero order with respect to alkene in the presence and absence of halide, the reaction mechanism is probably similar in both cases. In the light of Anshits recent work, the effect of the halide is presumably to reduce the relative number and/or reactivity of surface lattice oxygen species and thus reduce the amount of irreversibly adsorbed alkene. 

The differences in selectivity between catalysts cannot be explained only in terms of the strength of reactant adsorption. A tentative explanation lies in the preference of platinum for concerted addition of protons to adsorbed alkenes with simultaneous electron transfer (25). The electronic structure of the surface intermediate of the concerted step appears to lead to halide cleavage. Palladium, on the other hand, can participate in insertion reactions (305) and promotes surface reaction between hydrogen atoms and adsorbed alkenes 4Sa. It is possible that palladium adsorbs vinyl halides on two different sites or at two different states, dependent on potential, one of which... 

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