Using performance reference compound-corrected polyethylene passive samplers and caged bivalves to measure hydrophobic contaminants of concern in urban coastal seawaters.

Low-density polyethylene (PE) passive samplers containing performance reference compounds (PRCs) were deployed at multiple depths in two urban coastal marine locations to estimate dissolved concentrations of hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs), including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, and polybrominated flame retardants. PE samplers pre-loaded with PRCs were deployed at the surface, mid-column, and near bottom at sites representing the nearshore continental shelf off southern California (Santa Monica Bay, USA) and a mega commercial port (Los Angeles Harbor). After correcting for fractional equilibration using PRCs, concentrations ranged up to 100 pg L(-1) for PCBs and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), 500 pg L(-1) for DDMU and 300 pg L(-1) for DDNU, and to 1000 pg L(-1) for p,p'-DDE.

A zeolite-supported molecular ruthenium complex with eta6-C6H6 ligands: chemistry elucidated by using spectroscopy and density functional theory.

An essentially molecular ruthenium-benzene complex anchored at the aluminum sites of dealuminated zeolite Y was formed by treating a zeolite-supported mononuclear ruthenium complex, [Ru(acac)(eta(2)-C(2)H(4))(2)](+) (acac=acetylacetonate, C(5)H(7)O(2)(-)), with (13)C(6)H(6) at 413 K. IR, (13)C NMR, and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra of the sample reveal the replacement of two ethene ligands and one acac ligand in the original complex with one (13)C(6)H(6) ligand and the formation of adsorbed protonated acac (Hacac). The EXAFS results indicate that the supported [Ru(eta(6)-C(6)H(6))](2+) incorporates an oxygen atom of the support to balance the charge, being bonded to the zeolite through three Ru-O bonds.

Zeolite-supported organorhodium fragments: essentially molecular surface chemistry elucidated with spectroscopy and theory.

Structures of zeolite-anchored organorhodium complexes undergoing conversions with gas-phase reactants were characterized by infrared spectra bolstered by calculations with density functional theory and analysis of the gas-phase products. Structurally well-defined zeolite-supported rhodium diethylene complexes were synthesized by chemisorption of Rh(C(2)H(4))(2)(acac) (acac = CH(3)COCHCOCH(3)) on dealuminated Y zeolite, being anchored by two Rh-O bonds, as shown by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. In contrast to the nonuniformity of metal complexes anchored to metal oxides, the near uniformity of the zeolite-supported species allowed precise determination of their chemistry, including the role of the support as a ligand.

Molecular heterogeneous catalysis: a single-site zeolite-supported rhodium complex for acetylene cyclotrimerization.

By anchoring metal complexes to supports, researchers have attempted to combine the high activity and selectivity of molecular homogeneous catalysis with the ease of separation and lack of corrosion of heterogeneous catalysis. However, the intrinsic nonuniformity of supports has limited attempts to make supported catalysts truly uniform. We report the synthesis and performance of such a catalyst, made from [Rh(C(2)H(4))(2)(CH(3)COCHCOCH(3))] and a crystalline support, dealuminated Y zeolite, giving {Rh(C(2)H(4))(2)} groups anchored by bonds to two zeolite oxygen ions, with the structure determined by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy and the uniformity of the supported complex demonstrated by (13)C NMR spectroscopy.

Functionalization of zeolite ZSM-5 by hydrosilylation and acetone coupling: synthesis, MAS NMR, and theory.

We report a two-step postsynthetic functionalization reaction of zeolite HZSM-5 that proceeds with high selectivity at room temperature. In the first step the framework acid sites of the zeolite are reacted with phenylsilane to replace the acidic proton with a hydrosilyl (-SiH3) group covalently linked to the framework. This group readily couples to acetone in a second step to form a framework-bound hydrosilyl isopropyl ether that is thermally stable at 473 K, but decomposes in the presence of moisture.

Structural and mechanistic investigation of a phosphate-modified HZSM-5 catalyst for methanol conversion.

Phosphorus modification of a HZSM-5 (MFI) zeolite by wet impregnation has long been known to decrease aromatic formation in methanol conversion chemistry. We prepared and studied a catalyst modified by introducing trimethylphosphine under reaction conditions followed by oxidation. Magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR shows that extensive dealumination occurs, resulting in a catalyst with a much higher framework SiO2/Al2O3 ratio, as well as extraframework aluminum and approximately 1.

Reactions of halobenzenes with methanol on the microporous solid acids hbeta, HZSM-5, and HSAPO-5: halogenation does not improve the hydrocarbon pool.

The reactions of fluorobenzene, 3-fluorotoluene, and three isomers of difluorotoluene, chlorobenzene, and bromobenzene with excesses of methanol were investigated on the large-pore catalysts HBeta (*BEA) and HSAPO-5 (AFI), and on the medium-pore HZSM-5 (MFI). Flow reactor studies in pulse mode with GC-MS detection revealed that the fluorobenzene derivatives were readily methylated at, for example, 375 degrees C, but not even pentamethylfluorobenzene was obviously active as a reaction center for methanol-to-olefin (MTO) catalysis. Carbon-labeling studies revealed that small amounts of methylbenzenes were formed by defluorination, and these aromatic hydrocarbons seemed to account for the small yields of olefins (and their secondary reaction products) observed.

Rhodium complex with ethylene ligands supported on highly dehydroxylated MgO: synthesis, characterization, and reactivity.

Mononuclear rhodium complexes with reactive olefin ligands, supported on MgO powder, were synthesized by chemisorption of Rh(C(2)H(4))(2)(C(5)H(7)O(2)) and characterized by infrared (IR), (13)C MAS NMR, and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopies. IR spectra show that the precursor adsorbed on MgO with dissociation of acetylacetonate ligand from rhodium, with the ethylene ligands remaining bound to the rhodium, as confirmed by the NMR spectra. EXAFS spectra give no evidence of Rh-Rh contributions, indicating that site-isolated mononuclear rhodium species formed on the support.

A site-isolated rhodium-diethylene complex supported on highly dealuminated Y zeolite: synthesis and characterization.

The reaction of Rh(C2H4)2(acac) with the partially dehydroxylated surface of dealuminated zeolite Y (calcined at 773 K) and treatments of the resultant surface species in various atmospheres (He, CO, H2, and D2) were investigated with infrared (IR), extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), and 13C NMR spectroscopies. The IR spectra show that Rh(C2H4)2(acac) reacted readily with surface OH groups of the zeolite, leading to loss of acac ligands from the Rh(C2H4)2(acac) and formation of supported mononuclear rhodium complexes, confirmed by the lack of Rh-Rh contributions in the EXAFS spectra; each Rh atom was bonded on average to two oxygen atoms of the zeolite surface with a Rh-O distance of 2.19 A.

Theoretical study of the methylbenzene side-chain hydrocarbon pool mechanism in methanol to olefin catalysis.

Recent experimental work has shown that methanol to olefin (MTO) catalysis on microporous solid acids proceeds through a hydrocarbon pool mechanism with methylbenzenes frequently acting as the most important reaction centers. Other recent experimental evidence suggests that side-chain methylation is more important than an alternative paring (ring contraction-expansion) mechanism. The present investigation uses density functional theory B3LYP/cc-pVTZ//B3LYP/6-311G and G3(MP2) calculations to model many of the features of the side-chain mechanism.

Trimethylsilylation of framework Brønsted acid sites in microporous zeolites and silico-aluminophosphates.

Framework-bound alkoxy groups are well-studied intermediates in zeolite chemistry, but their low stability complicates their spectroscopic study in high-temperature reactions such as alkylation or dealkylation. Taking advantage of the much higher bond strength of Si-O versus C-O, we synthesized trimethylsilylated zeolites by reacting them with phenyltrimethylsilane in a catalytic flow reactor at 648 K. In favorable cases, the reaction accurately titrated the acid sites, and 29Si and 13C MAS NMR spectra of the derivatized catalysts measured at room temperature confirmed the proposed reaction.

The mechanism of methanol to hydrocarbon catalysis.

The process of converting methanol to hydrocarbons on the aluminosilicate zeolite HZSM-5 was originally developed as a route from natural gas to synthetic gasoline. Using other microporous catalysts that are selective for light olefins, methanol-to-olefin (MTO) catalysis may soon become central to the conversion of natural gas to polyolefins. The mechanism of methanol conversion proved to be an intellectually challenging problem; 25 years of fundamental study produced at least 20 distinct mechanisms, but most did not account for either the primary products or a kinetic induction period.

UV Raman spectrum of 1,3-dimethylcyclopentenyl cation adsorbed in zeolite H-MFI.

The first Raman spectrum of an adsorbed carbenium ion has been measured: The 1,3-dimethylcyclopentenyl cation adsorbed in zeolite H-MFI. 1,3-Dimethylcyclopentenyl cation has been observed as a component of the hydrocarbon pool formed during the methanol-to-gasoline process catalyzed by zeolite H-MFI. The Raman shifts recorded for 1,3-dimethylcyclopentenyl cation are in remarkable agreement with computer calculations of the vibrational band positions for the isolated cation.

Theoretical and experimental investigation of the effect of proton transfer on the (27)al MAS NMR line shapes of zeolite-adsorbate complexes: an independent measure of solid Acid strength.

Assessing the degree of proton transfer from a Brønsted acid site to one or more adsorbed bases is central to arguments regarding the strength of zeolites and other solid acids. In this regard certain solid-state NMR measurements have been fruitful; for example, some (13)C, (15)N, or (31)P resonances of adsorbed bases are sensitive to protonation, and the (1)H chemical shift of the Brønsted site itself reflects hydrogen bonding. We modeled theoretically the structures of adsorption complexes of several bases on zeolite HZSM-5, calculated the quadrupole coupling constants (Q(cc)) and asymmetry parameters (eta) for aluminum in these complexes and then in turn simulated the central transitions of their (27)Al MAS NMR spectra.

An oft-studied reaction that may never have been: direct catalytic conversion of methanol or dimethyl ether to hydrocarbons on the solid acids HZSM-5 or HSAPO-34.

Using highly purified reagents and careful tests, we show that methanol and dimethyl ether are apparently unreactive on the two most important methanol-to-hydrocarbon catalysts, HZSM-5 and HSAPO-34. Thus, none of the "direct" mechanisms involving two to four carbon atoms in intermediates such as oxonium ylides, carbenes, carbocations, and free radicals are applicable. Only the "indirect" route (hydrocarbon pool) is an established mechanism for this chemistry.

Modeling of Benzene Adsorption in Metal-Exchanged Zeolites by Calculation of Li Chemical Shifts.

A 1:1 complex between Li and benzene is formed when benzene is adsorbed into a Li-exchanged zeolite. This was the result of calculations of the Li chemical shifts for several model complexes, including Li ⋅2 H O⋅C H (depicted). After C and H, Li is a further nucleus that can be studied to determine the structure and dynamics of complexes formed between organic species and metal cations in zeolites.

In Situ NMR Investigations of Heterogeneous Catalysis with Samples Prepared under Standard Reaction Conditions.

Only 170 milliseconds are required to cool the catalyst bed by 150 K in the catalytic reactor shown on the right. Thus, NMR spectroscopic investigations can be carried out on products that are formed after very short contact times and under real catalysis conditions.