The roles of entropy and enthalpy in stabilizing ion-pairs at transition states in zeolite acid catalysis

Acidic zeolites are indispensable catalysts in the petrochemical industry because they select reactants and their chemical pathways based on size and shape. Voids of molecular dimensions confine reactive intermediates and transition states that mediate chemical reactions, stabilizing them by van der Waals interactions. This behavior is reminiscent of the solvation effects prevalent within enzyme pockets and has analogous consequences for catalytic specificity. Voids provide the "right fit" for certain transition states, reflected in their lower free energies, thus extending the catalytic diversity of zeolites well beyond simple size discrimination. This catalytic diversity is even more remarkable because acid strength is essentially unaffected by confinement among known crystalline aluminosilicates. In this Account, we discuss factors that determine the "right fit" for a specific chemical reaction, exploring predictive criteria that extend the prevailing discourse based on size and shape. We link the structures of reactants, transition states, and confining voids to chemical reactivity and selectivity. Confinement mediates enthalpy-entropy compromises that determine the Gibbs free energies of transition states and relevant reactants; these activation free energies determine turnover rates via transition state theory. At low temperatures (400-500 K), dimethyl ether carbonylation occurs with high specificity within small eight-membered ring (8-MR) voids in FER and MOR zeolite structures, but at undetectable rates within larger voids (MFI, BEA, FAU, and SiO(2)-Al(2)O(3)). More effective van der Waals stabilization within 8-MR voids leads to lower ion-pair enthalpies but also lower entropies; taken together, carbonylation activation free energies are lower within 8-MR voids. The "right fit" is a "tight fit" at low temperatures, a consequence of how temperature appears in the defining equation for Gibbs free energy. In contrast, entropy effects dominate in high-temperature alkane activation (700-800 K), for which the "right fit" becomes a "loose fit". Alkane activation turnovers are still faster on 8-MR MOR protons because these transition states are confined only partially within shallow 8-MR pockets; they retain higher entropies than ion-pairs fully confined within 12-MR channels at the expense of enthalpic stability. Selectivities for n-alkane dehydrogenation (relative to cracking) and isoalkane cracking (relative to dehydrogenation) are higher on 8-MR than 12-MR sites because partial confinement preferentially stabilizes looser ion-pair structures; these structures occur later along reaction coordinates and are higher in energy, consistent with Marcus theory for charge-transfer reactions. Enthalpy differences between cracking and dehydrogenation ion-pairs for a given reactant are independent of zeolite structure (FAU, FER, MFI, or MOR) and predominantly reflect the different gas-phase proton affinities of alkane C-C and C-H bonds, as expected from Born-Haber thermochemical cycles. These thermochemical relations, together with statistical mechanics-based treatments, predict that rotational entropy differences between intact reactants and ion-pair transition states cause intrinsic cracking rates to increase with n-alkane size. Through these illustrative examples, we highlight the effects of reactant and catalyst structures on ion-pair transition state enthalpies and entropies. Our discussion underscores the role of temperature in mediating enthalpic and entropic contributions to free energies and, in turn, to rates and selectivities in zeolite acid catalysis.     

Solid-state NMR for metal-containing zeolites: from active sites to reaction mechanism

Metal-containing zeolite catalysts have found a wide range of applications in heterogeneous catalysis. To understand the nature of metal active sites and the reaction mechanism over such catalysts is of great importance for the establishment of structure-activity relationship. The advanced solid-state NMR (SSNMR) spectroscopy is robust in the study of zeolites and zeolite-catalyzed reactions. In this review, we summarize recent developments and applications of SSNMR for exploring the structure and property of active sites in metal-containing zeolites. Moreover, detailed information on host-guest interactions in the relevant zeolite catalysis obtained by SSNMR is also discussed. Finally, we highlight the mechanistic understanding of catalytic reactions on metal-containing zeolites based on the observation of key surface species and active intermediates.     

Adsorbed carbocations as transition states in heterogeneous acid catalyzed transformations of hydrocarbons

Ab initio quantum chemical calculations indicated that adsorbed carbenium and carbonium ion active intermediates of acid-catalyzed transformations of hydrocarbons on zeolites are not the really existing highly reactive species but the transition states of the corresponding elementary steps. Adsorbed carbenium ion-like activated complexes can be formed both via proton addition to the double bonds of olefins or as energetically excited unstable ion pairs resulting from partial dissociation of the carbonyl bonds in more stable alkoxy species. In contrast, the highly energetically excited adsorbed carbonium ion-like transition states result only from proton attack at the C–C or C–H bonds of paraffins. The quantum chemical calculations provided the information on geometry and electronic structure of these activated complexes which depend on the elementary reactions in which these transition states are involved. The calculated heat effects and activation energies for the main elementary steps in acid catalyzed transformations of hydrocarbons on zeolites, i.e. of double bond shift, skeletal isomerization and cracking of olefins or protolytic dehydrogenation, protolytic cracking of paraffins and hydride transfer from isoparaffins to carbenium ions are in a reasonable agreement with the experiment.     

Site requirements and elementary steps in dimethyl ether carbonylation catalyzed by acidic zeolites

Steady-state, transient, and isotopic-exchange studies of dimethyl ether (DME) carbonylation, combined with adsorption and desorption studies of probe molecules and infrared (IR) spectroscopy, were used to identify methyl and acetyl groups as surface intermediates within specific elementary steps involved in the synthesis of methyl acetate from DME–CO mixtures with >99% selectivity on H-zeolites. Carbonylation rates increased linearly with CO pressures but did not depend on DME pressures, suggesting that the addition of CO to CH₃ groups present at saturation coverage controls catalytic carbonylation rates. These reactions lead to acetyl groups that subsequently react with DME to form methyl acetate (423–463 K; >99% selectivity) and regenerate methyl intermediates, consistent with kinetic studies of CO reactions with CH₃ groups previously formed from DME and with kinetic and IR studies of DME reactions with acetyl groups formed by stoichiometric reactions of acetic anhydride. These studies show that CO reacts with DME-derived intermediates bound on zeolitic Al sites from the gas phase or via weakly held CO species adsorbed non-competitively with CH₃ groups. These reactions, in contrast with similar reactions of methanol, occur under anhydrous conditions and avoid the formation of water, which strongly inhibits carbonylation reactions.     

Quantum chemical studies of zeolite proton catalyzed reactions

Theoretical chemistry applied to zeolite acid catalysis is becoming an important tool in the understanding of the adsorption and interaction of guest molecules with the zeolitic lattice. Especially the understanding of the mechanisms by which zeolite catalyzed chemical reactions proceed becomes possible. It is shown here that the old interpretation of carbonium and carbenium ions as intermediates for zeolite catalyzed reactions has to be replaced by a new approach in terms of positively charged transition states that are strongly stabilized by the zeolitic lattice. The large deprotonation energy of the acidic zeolite is overcome by stabilization of the intermediate or transition state positive charge by the negative charge left in the lattice. The zeolitic sites responsible for the adsorption and/or reaction of guest molecules are the Brønsted-acid and Lewis-base sites. We also show that different transition states are responsible for different kinds of reactions, such as cracking, dehydrogenation, etc.     

甲醇和异丁烯在HBT6分子筛上的反应机理

研究了甲醇、异丁烯和甲基叔丁基醚 (MTBE)在HBT6分子筛上的吸附 ,探讨了HBT6分子筛催化剂上合成MTBE反应的机理 ,并结合本征动力学实验结果 ,提出了反应的机理动力学模型 .结果表明 ,甲醇、异丁烯、MTBE均吸附在催化剂的酸性OH基上 ,其中异丁烯主要以π络合形式吸附 ,这种吸附态容易转变为叔丁基正碳离子 .甲醇与异丁烯在HBT6分子筛催化剂上的醚化反应按照L -H机理进行 ,表面反应为速度控制步骤     

Adsorption of benzothiophene on Y zeolites investigated by infrared spectroscopy and flow calorimetry

Diffuse reflectance infrared spectra of benzothiophene adsorbed on different Y zeolites reveal that the cations and protons in the zeolites are the sites responsible for the adsorption of benzothiophene. On NaY, benzothiophene was molecularly adsorbed on the cations through the electrophilic interaction between the cations and the thiophenic rings. On the transition metal ion exchanged NiY and CuY zeolites, because of the presence of the d-electrons in the cations, the thiophenic rings interact with the cations to form the π-complexes through the σ–π electron donations. In the presence of hydroxyl species in the zeolites, the adsorbed sulfur compounds attach to the protons molecularly via the electrophilic interaction and undergo the opening of the thiophenic rings depending on the acidity of the zeolites and the adsorption amount. The apparent heat of adsorption of benzothiophene in normal octane on the Y zeolites determined by flow calorimetry shows that the adsorption strength based on the measured heat for each mole sulfur adsorbed on the Y zeolite is in the order of CuY > NiY > NaY  USY. For USY, due to the endothermic breakage of the thiophenic ring of benzothiophene induced by the acid sites of the zeolite, the apparent heat of adsorption is similar to that obtained from the adsorption on NaY. This work demonstrates that the transition metal ion exchanged zeolites exhibit excellent properties for sulfur adsorption because of the formation of the π-complexes and that the acidity of the zeolites is not advantageous for sulfur removal due to the strong adsorption and decomposition of the adsorbed species.     

Synthesis of Dihydropyrimidinones Using Large Pore Zeolites

Abstract  

A series of dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one (DHPM) belongs to one of the important class of therapeutic and pharmacological active compound, were synthesized through the multicomponent reactions (MCRs) of aldehydes, ethyl acetoacetate and urea, followed by the heterogeneous catalyzed Biginelli reaction. In the present endeavour, medium (ZSM-5) and large pore zeolites (Y, BEA and MOR) as well as dealuminated zeolites BEA, were studied as catalysts. An excellent activity for DHPMs synthesis is achieved by optimizing accessibility of the reactants to the active sites and the surface polarity of zeolite catalysts. Moreover, the mechanism of Biginelli reaction was studied by means of GAUSSVIEW energy calculations of adsorbed acylimine intermediate on zeolite by using the density functional method (DFT).     

Directions of theoretical and experimental investigations into the mechanisms of heterogeneous catalysis

The roles of the atomic structure and the electronic structure of the active surface sites in bonding of reactants and causing bond breaking or bond formation have been the focus of theoretical studies. In addition to calculations on static systems, usually clusters, modelling of the transition states and the dynamics of elementary reaction steps (adsorption, dissociation, surface diffusion, desorption) have been performed. Variations of electronic structure of elements across the periodic table have been shown to be responsible for the unique importance of transition metals in catalysis.Experimental studies utilize catalysts with well-characterized structure (zeolites, crystal surfaces) and information about surface structure, composition and chemical bonding of adsorbates becomes available on the molecular level. Deliberate alteration of catalyst structure, surface composition by alloying and electronic structure by addition of electron donor and electron acceptor promoters have been utilized to modify reaction rates and selectivity. This way many of the molecular ingredients of heterogeneous catalytic reactions have been identified.In recent years evidence has been accumulating that indicates periodic and long term restructuring of the catalyst surface as necessary for chemical change and reaction turnover. These findings point to the need of time resolved studies and in-situ investigations of both the substrate and the adsorbate sides of the surface chemical bonds simultaneously on a time scale shorter than the reaction turnover frequency.Close collaboration between theorists and experimentalists is essential if we are to succeed in designing heterogeneous catalysts.     

Zeolite membranes: microstructure characterization and permeation mechanisms

Since their first synthesis in the 1940s, zeolites have found wide applications in catalysis, ion-exchange, and adsorption. Although the uniform, molecular-size pores of zeolites and their excellent thermal and chemical stability suggest that zeolites could be an ideal membrane material, continuous polycrystalline zeolite layers for separations were first prepared in the 1990s. Initial attempts to grow continuous zeolite layers on porous supports by in situ hydrothermal synthesis have resulted in membranes with the potential to separate molecules based on differences in molecular size and adsorption strength. Since then, further synthesis efforts have led to the preparation of many types of zeolite membranes and better quality membranes. However, the microstructure features of these membranes, such as defect size, number, and distribution as well as structure flexibility were poorly understood, and the fundamental mechanisms of permeation (adsorption and diffusion), especially for mixtures, were not clear. These gaps in understanding have hindered the design and control of separation processes using zeolite membranes. In this Account, we describe our efforts to characterize microstructures of zeolite membranes and to understand the fundamental adsorption and diffusion behavior of permeating solutes. This Account will focus on the MFI membranes which have been the most widely used but will also present results on other types of zeolite membranes. Using permeation, x-ray diffraction, and optical measurements, we found that the zeolite membrane structures are flexible. The size of defects changed due to adsorption and with variations in temperature. These changes in defect sizes can significantly affect the permeation properties of the membranes. We designed methods to measure mixture adsorption in zeolite crystals from the liquid phase, pure component adsorption in zeolite membranes, and diffusion through zeolite membranes. We hope that better understanding can lead to improved zeolite membranes and eventually facilitate the large-scale application of zeolite membranes to industrial separations.     

Effects of zeolite structure and aluminum content on thiophene adsorption, desorption, and surface reactions

The adsorption and desorption of thiophene and the reactions of thiophene-derived adsorbed species in He, H₂, and O₂ were examined on H-ZSM5, H-Beta, and H-Y with varying Si/Al ratios. Thiophene adsorption uptakes (per Al) were independent of Al content, but were above unity and influenced by zeolite structure (1.7, 2.2, and 2.9 on H-ZSM5, H-Beta, and H-Y). These data indicate that thiophene oligomers form during adsorption and that their size depends on spatial constraints within zeolite channels. Adsorption and oligomerization occur on Brønsted acid sites at 363 K. Thiophene/toluene adsorption from their mixtures show significant thiophene selectivity ratios (10.3, 7.9, and 6.4, for H-ZSM5, H-Beta, and H-Y zeolites), which exceed those expected from van der Waals interactions and reflect specific interactions with Brønsted acid sites and formation of toluene–thiophene reaction products. Treatment of thiophene-derived adsorbed species above 363 K in He or H₂ led to depolymerization of thiophene oligomers and to the formation of unsaturated adsorbed species with a 1:1 thiophene/Al stoichiometry on all zeolites and at all Si/Al ratios. These unsaturated species desorb as stable molecules, such as H₂S, hydrocarbons, and larger organosulfur compounds, formed via ring opening and hydrogen transfer from H₂ or co-adsorbed species, and also form stranded unsaturated organic deposits. Smaller channels and higher Al contents preferentially formed H₂S, benzotiophenes, and arene products during treatment in He or H₂, as a result of diffusion-enhanced of secondary reactions of desorbed thiophene molecules with adsorbed thiophene-derived species. Only oxidative regeneration treatments led to full recovery of thiophene uptake capacities. A preceding treatment in H₂, however, led to the partial recovery of thiophene-derived carbon atoms as useful hydrocarbons and decreased the amount of CO₂ and SO₂ formed during subsequent oxidative treatments required for regeneration.     

Transition states for surface-catalyzed chemistry

Fluorine substituent effects have been used to probe the nature of the transition states for the several elementary reaction steps occurring on metal surfaces. The reactions described include beta-hydrogen elimination in adsorbed alkoxide and alkyl groups, coupling of alkyl groups, and dehalogenation of alkyl chloride and iodides. The substituent effect method can provide a connection between heterogeneous catalysis, surface science, and computational molecular simulation of surface reactions.     

多级孔分子筛在重油加氢裂化催化剂的应用进展

分子筛是加氢裂化催化剂关键组分,其性质影响着加氢裂化反应效率和产品分布。微孔分子筛的孔结构降低了大分子反应物的扩散效率和酸中心的可及性,不宜直接用作加氢裂化催化剂的载体。本文从分子筛的孔结构和酸中心可及性的角度出发,介绍了具有多级孔体系的分子筛和具有核壳结构分子筛的加氢裂化性能。与相应的参比剂比较,分子筛的多级孔结构能大幅提高反应物种的扩散效率和酸中心的可及性,呈现出更好的催化活性、稳定性以及目标产物选择性。此外,金属加氢活性中心与分子筛裂化活性中心的合理调配,也是多级孔分子筛在重油加氢裂化应用中面临的挑战。     

On the exceptional time-on-stream stability of HZSM-12 zeolite: relation between zeolite pore structure and activity

ZSM-12 and several other 12-membered ring large-pore zeolites have been tested for the reforming of naphthenic hydrocarbon mixtures. It was found that ZSM-12 possesses a surprisingly higher coking resistance than other large pore zeolites tested such as USY, L-zeolite, mordenite, and β=zeolite for reforming of hydrocarbon mixtures. This superior performance is due to the unique non-interconnecting tubular-like linear channels of ZSM-12, which do not allow trapping/accumulation of coking precursors. ZSM-12 zeolite also demonstrated excellent structural stability even under severe acid dealumination. From this work, we found that the decrease of the aluminum content of a zeolite is not sufficient to ensure low rates of coke deposition. We also concluded that zeolites with channel intersections (cavities) of comparable size with the zeolite apertures do not favor coke formation. For these types of zeolites the strong acid sites carry out other acid-catalyzed reactions, rather than forming coke. In contrast, zeolites with relatively large supercages are inherently favorable to coking reactions, which in turn lead to the fast deactivation. The appropriate combination of the zeolite pore structure and acidity (controlled via dealumination) showed superior TOS behavior (time-stable activity and product selectivities). For zeolites which are susceptible to coking due to pore structure, the increase of the Brønsted acid strength results in fast deactivation. Contrary to what one would commonly expect and previous reports, we found that one-dimensional zeolites, such as, ZSM-12, can exhibit significantly higher tolerance to coking than multidirectional zeolites.     

Catalytic hydrogenation of alkenes on acidic zeolites: Mechanistic connections to monomolecular alkane dehydrogenation reactions

Brønsted acid sites in zeolites (H-FER, H-MFI, H-MOR) selectively hydrogenate alkenes in excess H₂ at high temperatures (>700 K) and at rates proportional to alkene and H₂ pressures. This kinetic behavior and the De Donder equations for non-equilibrium thermodynamics show that, even away from equilibrium, alkene hydrogenation and monomolecular alkane dehydrogenation occur on predominantly uncovered surfaces via microscopically reverse elementary steps, which involve kinetically-relevant (C–H–H)⁺ carbonium-ion-like transition states in both directions. As a result, rate constants, activation energies and activation entropies for these two reactions are related by the thermodynamics of the overall stoichiometric gas-phase reaction. The ratios of rate constants for hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions do not depend on the identity or reactivity of active sites; thus, sites within different zeolite structures (or at different locations within a given zeolite) that favor alkane dehydrogenation reactions, because of their ability to stabilize the required transition states, also favor alkene hydrogenation reactions to the exact same extent. These concepts and conclusions also apply to monomolecular alkane cracking and bimolecular alkane–alkene reaction paths on Brønsted acids and, more generally, to any forward and reverse reactions that proceed via the same kinetically-relevant step on vacant surfaces in the two directions, even away from equilibrium. The evidence shown here for the sole involvement of Brønsted acids in the hydrogenation of alkoxides with H₂ is unprecedented in its mechanistic clarity and thermodynamic rigor. The scavenging of alkoxides via direct H-transfer from H₂ indicates that H₂ can be used to control the growth of chains and the formation of unreactive deposits in alkylation, oligomerization, cracking and other acid-catalyzed reactions.     

Electrocatalysis and charge-transfer reactions at redox-modified zeolites

When aluminosilicate zeolites, which are microporous crystalline scaffolds, intersect with electrochemistry, new opportunities arise for control of ion- and electron-transfer reactions. In this Account, we describe how zeolites modified with either redox solutes or nanocrystalline particles (which when electrified behave as nanoelectrodes) give rise to new reaction products for old catalytic schemes, improve catalytic turnovers relative to the zeolite-free electrocatalyst, and generate practical amounts of electrosynthesized product at nanoelectrode-modified zeolites. The electrochemical reactions driven at redox-modified zeolites demonstrate the ability of the truncated topography of the zeolite boundary to affect charge-transfer reactions.     

几种沸石分子筛的催化裂化性能研究:1孔结构和酸性

采用X-射线衍射、X射线荧光光谱、N2吸附、吡啶吸附红外光谱和NH3程序升温热脱附研究了分子筛RE-HY,HZSM-5和Hβ的基本物理化学性质。N2吸附结果表明,三维孔道结构的REHY分子筛和Hβ分子筛具有相近的孔半径和吸附量;与HZSM-5和Hβ分子筛相比,高温条件下,REHY分子筛具有较多的Brφsted酸中心和较少Lewis酸中心。NH3程序升温热脱附表明,三种分子筛中,HZSM-5分子筛的强酸中心最多。     

Acid Zeolites: An Attempt to Develop Unifying Concepts (P. H. Emmett Award Address, 1981)

The recent developments of zeolite chemistry are characterized by the appearance of attempts to explain certain properties of these porous crystalline solids in terms of general chemical properties developed for other solids or even for other states of matter. Transition metal complexes in zeolites sometimes exhibit the same properties as in more conventional solvents [1]. Thus the zeolite behaves as a mono to polydentate macroligand of the transition metal ion [2]. Although numerous observations [2] underline the role of the zeolite as a solid solvent or as a common solid matrix, its unique properties in terms of structure or cage geometry should not be overlooked. Indeed, the appropriate activation of Ru(III) hexammine in faujasite-type zeolites gives a very active water gas-shift catalyst [3]. A cationic Ru-complex seemed to be formed under these conditions, having no homogeneous equivalent, and its stabilization requires the specific geometry of a faujasite supercage.     

Carbonium ion formation in zeolite catalysis

Based on data ofn-butane conversion over HZSM5, different transition states are proposed for the Brønsted acid catalyzed reactions of alkanes involving carbonium ions as intermediates. Hydrogen-deuterium exchange, dehydrogenation and cracking are proposed to proceed via pentacoordinated carbonium ions that are stabilized by the zeolite lattice.