Vol 59, No 5 (2018)

The mechanism of formation of the electronically excited radical OH*(A²Σ⁺) has been studied by analyzing calculations quantitatively describing the results of shock wave experiments carried out in order to determine the moment of maximum OH* radiation at temperatures T < 1500 K and pressures P ≤ 2 atm in the H₂ + O₂ mixtures diluted by argon when the vibrational nonequilibrium is a factor determining the mechanism and rate of the overall process. In kinetic calculations, the vibrational nonequilibrium of the initial H₂ and O₂ components, the HO₂, OH(X²Π), O₂*(¹Δ) intermediates, and the reaction product H₂O were taken into account. The analysis showed that under these conditions the main contribution to the overall process of OH* formation is caused by the reactions OH + Ar → OH* + Ar, H₂ + HO₂ → OH* + H₂O, H₂ + O*(¹D) → OH* + H, HO² + O → OH* + O² and H + H²O → OH* + H², which occur in the vibrational nonequilibrium mode (their activation barrier is overcome due to the vibrational excitation of reactants), and by H + O₃ → OH* + O₂ and H + H₂O₂ → OH* + H₂O, which are reverse to the reactions of chemical quenching.

The kinetics of liquid-phase oxidation by oxygen from sodium sulfide was studied in an aqueous medium in the presence of a catalyst based on 3,3′,5,5′-tetra-tert-butyl-4,4′-stilbenequinone dissolved in kerosene fraction. It was found that 3,3′,5,5′-tetra-tert-butyl-4,4′-stilbenequinone selectively oxidizes sodium sulfide to sodium thiosulfate. The reaction orders in sodium sulfide, oxygen, and the catalyst were determined. The reaction mechanism was proposed.

The catalytic properties of the potassium salts of heteropolytungstates with the general formulas K_m[X₂W₁₁(H₂O)O₃₉] (X = Fe³⁺, Co²⁺, and Zn²⁺) and K₅[H₂W₁₁Cr(H₂O)₂O₃₈] with the Keggin anion structure and K_n[XH_nW₆O₂₄] (X = Ni²⁺ and Mn⁴⁺) with the Anderson anion structure and their thermolysis products were studied in the reaction of isopropanol oxidation to acetone by atmospheric oxygen. Changes in their catalytic properties depending on their constituent 3d elements were established. The test heteropolytungstates and the thermolysis products of their potassium salts—phases with the structures of the types of pyrochlore and hexagonal tungsten bronzes—are promising compounds for the preparation of catalysts for organic synthesis reactions. The results of the studies can be useful for the prognostication of the properties of new catalytic systems based on these compounds.

The effect of the composition of the catalytic system and the size of particles on the properties of palladium catalysts in 2-ethyl-9,10-anthraquinone hydrogenation was studied. It was shown that, depending on the nature of a reducing agent (H₂, AlEt₃), palladium species formed in the absence of a modifying agent catalyze various side processes to a substantial extent together with 2-ethyl-9,10-anthraquinone hydrogenation: mostly hydrogenolysis (in the case of H₂ as a reducing agent) and hydrogenation of aromatic rings in 2-ethyl-9,10-anthrahydroquinone (in the case of AlEt₃ as a reducing agent). Elementary phosphorus was found to have a promoting effect on the selectivity of palladium catalysts in the synthesis of hydrogen peroxide by the anthraquinone method. The main factors that make it possible to control the selectivity of palladium catalysts were discussed.

The structure and catalytic characteristics of a series of Pd–Cu/α-Al₂O₃ catalysts with Pd: Cu ratio varied from Pd₁–Cu_0.5 to Pd₁–Cu₄ were studied. The use of α-Al₂O₃ with a small surface area (S_sp = 8 m²/g) as a support made it possible to minimize the effect of diffusion on the catalytic characteristics and to study the structure of Pd–Cu nanoparticles by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The XRD analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) data indicated the formation of uniform bimetallic Pd–Cu nanoparticles (d = 20–60 nm), whose composition corresponded to a ratio between the metals in the catalyst, and also the absence of monometallic Pd⁰ and Cu⁰ nanoparticles. The study of catalytic properties in the liquid-phase hydrogenation of diphenylacetylene (DPA) showed that the activity of the catalysts rapidly decreased with the Cu content increase; however, in this case, the yield of a desired alkene compound significantly increased. The selectivity of alkene formation on the catalysts with the ratios Pd: Cu = 1: 3 and 1: 4 was superior to the commercial Lindlar catalyst.

A Mo-promoted Zn/HZSM-5 catalyst was prepared by isometric impregnation method (IM). The physicochemical properties of catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, registration of N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherms, transmission electron microscopy, NH₃ temperature-programmed desorption and IR spectroscopic study of pyridine adsorption. The results show that by doping zeolite with Mo species it is possible to tune the microstructures, acidity and crystallinity of the catalyst. Additionally, it was found that the 1%Mo(IM)–5%Zn(IE)/HZSM-5 catalyst had a high catalytic activity and stability for methanol to aromatics (MTA) reaction. The yield of aromatics reached 77.3% at 450°C and TOS = 3 h. When the TOS = 98 h, the yield of total aromatics remains at a 60.4% level. The lifetime of catalysts was influenced by the synergetic effect of Brønsted and Lewis acid sites, so the modification with Mo may bring an opportunity to prolong the lifetime of Zn/HZSM-5 catalyst in the MTA reaction. The metal components are sintered and lost in continuous reaction-regeneration cycles. Accordingly, the activity of deactivated catalyst cannot be completely restored to the initial level.

The methods of synthesis of composite membrane catalysts based on Mо₂C and Al₂O₃ support by a sol–gel method were developed. The samples of membrane catalysts with different architectures were developed. The difference in the catalytic activity of membrane catalysts in carbon dioxide conversion of methane depending on the porous structure and morphology of the catalytic layer was studied.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) (with AlK_α and AgL_α radiations) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) were used to study the interaction of two model samples prepared by vacuum evaporation of platinum on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) with NO₂ at room temperature. According to STM data, platinum evaporation on the graphite surface produced particles of a flattened shape. In the Pt/HOPGS1 sample with a lower concentration of platinum, the average diameter of particles d and the height-to-diameter ratio h/d were 2.8 nm and 0.29, respectively. In the Pt/HOPG-S2 sample with a higher concentration of platinum, the average values of d and h/d were 5.1 nm and 0.32. When the samples interacted with NO₂ (P ≈ 3 × 10^–6 mbar), the particles of metallic platinum completely converted to the particles of PtO_2· Upon oxidation, the shape of larger platinum particles in the Pt/HOPG-S2 sample did not change, although for the dispersed particles in the Pt/HOPG-S1 samples under these conditions, the h/d ratio increases. The reduction of oxide to metal particles on heating the Pt/HOPG-S1 sample in vacuum at 460°С is accompanied by an increase in the size of particles. Their shape became more round compared to the initial one. It was found that X-ray radiation affects the state of platinum in the oxidized sample by reducing the surface layer of PtO₂ to PtO.

Using data form Chemical Abstracts Plus, Web of Science, Scopus, and Russian Science Citation Index, a bibliometric and thematic analysis of scientific publications by V.A. Parmon, full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, is made.

New active catalysts based on niobium pentachloride immobilized on the surface of silica gel or aluminum oxide for the alkylation of aromatic compounds were prepared. The reaction occurs with a high rate at room temperature. Thus, the conversion of 1-hexene in the alkylation of benzene or toluene was close to 100% only 5 min after the onset of the reaction.