Transition-metal sulfide catalysts density

The carbides of the early transition metals exhibit chemical and catalytic properties that in many aspects are very similar to those of expensive noble metals [1], Typically, early transition metals are very reactive elements that bond adsorbates too strongly to be useful as catalysts. These systems are not stable under a reactive chemical environment and exhibit a tendency to form compounds (oxides, nitrides, sulfides, carbides, phosphides). The inclusion of C into the lattice of an early transition metal produces a substantial gain in stability [2]. Furthermore, in a metal carbide, the carbon atoms moderate the chemical reactivity through ensemble and ligand effects [1-3]. On one hand, the presence of the carbon atoms usually limits the number of metal atoms that can be exposed in a surface of a metal carbide (ensemble effect). On the other hand, the formation of metal-carbon bonds modifies the electronic properties of the metal (decrease in its density of states near the Fermi level metal—>carbon charge transfer) [1-3], making it less chemically active... 

Neumann and co-workers have used sandwich-type polyoxometalates as catalysts for such reactions.305 The sandwich consists of transition metal ions between two Keggin anions, as in Ki2WZnMn(II)2(ZnW9034)2. In some cases, quaternary ammonium salts were used as the cations to take the catalyst into organic solvents. Sulfides were oxidized to sulfoxides with 30% aqueous hydrogen peroxide in 85-90% yields, with some sulfone also being formed. The system was more than 99% selective in the conversion of cyclooctene to its epoxide. The system also shows good selectivity between double bonds (6.57), probably the result of the bulky anion and the increased electron density in alkyl-substituted double bonds. 

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