Photothermal catalytic C-C coupling to ethylene from CO_(2) with high efficiency by synergistic cooperation of oxygen vacancy and half-metallic WTe_(2)

Photothermal catalytic CO_(2) conversion provides an effective solution targeting carbon neutrality by synergistic utilization of photon and heat.However,the C-C coupling initiated by photothermal catalysis is still a big challenge.Herein,a three-dimensional(3D)hierarchical W_(18)O_(49)/WTe_(2) hollow nanosphere is constructed through in-situ embodying of oxygen vacancy and tellurium on the scaffold of WO_(3).The light absorption towards near-infrared spectral region and CO_(2) adsorption are enhanced by the formation of half-metal WTe_(2) and the unique hierarchical hollow architecture.Combining with the generation of oxygen vacancy with strengthened CO_(2) capture,the photothermal effect on the samples can be sufficiently exploited for activating the CO_(2) molecules.In particular,the close contact between W_(18)O_(49)and WTe_(2) largely promotes the photoinduced charge separation and mass transfer,and thus the~*CHO intermediate formation and fixedness are facilitated.As a result,the C-C coupling can be evoked between tungsten and tellurium atoms on WTe_(2).The ethylene production by optimized W_(18)O_(49)/WTe_(2) reaches 147.6μmol g^(-1)with the selectivity of 80%.The in-situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy(DRIFTS)and density functional theory(DFT)calculations are performed to unveil the presence and significance of aldehyde intermediate groups in C-C coupling.The half-metallic WTe_(2) cocatalyst proposes a new approach for efficient CO_(2) conversion with solar energy,and may especially create a new platform for the generation of multi-carbon products.

Boosting C–C coupling to multicarbon products via high-pressure CO electroreduction

Electrochemical CO reduction reaction(CORR) provides a promising approach for producing valuable multicarbon products(C_(2+)), while the low solubility of CO in aqueous solution and high energy barrier of C–C coupling as well as the competing hydrogen evolution reaction(HER) largely limit the efficiency for C_(2+)production in CORR. Here we report an overturn on the Faradaic efficiency of CORR from being HER-dominant to C_(2+)formation-dominant over a wide potential window, accompanied by a significant activity enhancement over a Moss-like Cu catalyst via pressuring CO. With the CO pressure rising from 1 to 40 atm, the C_(2+)Faradaic efficiency and partial current density remarkably increase from 22.8%and 18.9 mA cm^(-2)to 89.7% and 116.7 mA cm^(-2), respectively. Experimental and theoretical investigations reveal that high pressure-induced high CO coverage on metallic Cu surface weakens the Cu–C bond via reducing electron transfer from Cu to adsorbed CO and restrains hydrogen adsorption, which significantly facilitates the C–C coupling while suppressing HER on the predominant Cu(111) surface, thereby boosting the CO electroreduction to C_(2+)activity.

Electric-field promoted C–C coupling over Cu nanoneedles for CO_(2) electroreduction to C_(2) products

Cu-based catalysts are the most promising candidates for electrochemical CO_(2)reduction(CO_(2)RR)to multi-carbon(C_(2))products.Optimizing the C-C coupling process,the rate-determining step for C_(2)product generation,is an important strategy to improve the production and selectivity of the C_(2)products.In this study,we determined that the local electric field can promote the C-C coupling reaction and enhance CO_(2)electroreduction to C_(2)products.First,finite-element simulations indicated that the high curvature of the Cu nanoneedles results in a large local electric field on their tips.Density functional theory(DFT)calculations proved that a large electric field can promote C-C coupling.Motivated by this prediction,we prepared a series of Cu catalysts with different curvatures.The Cu nanoneedles(NNs)exhibited the largest number of curvatures,followed by the Cu nanorods(NRs),and Cu nanoparticles(NPs).The Cu NNs contained the highest concentration of adsorbed K+,which resulted in the highest local electric field on the needles.CO adsorption sensor tests indicated that the Cu NNs exhibited the strongest CO adsorption ability,and in-situ Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR)showed the strongest*COCO and*CO signals for the Cu NNs.These experimental results demonstrate that high-curvature nanoneedles can induce a large local electric field,thus promoting C-C coupling.As a result,the Cu NNs show a maximum FEC_(2)of 44%for CO_(2)RR at a low potential(-0.6 V vs.RHE),which is approximately 2.2 times that of the Cu NPs.This work provides an effective strategy for enhancing the production of multi-carbon products during CO_(2)RR.

Reactive ball-milling synthesis of Co-Fe bimetallic catalyst for efficient hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to value-added hydrocarbons

Catalytic hydrogenation of CO_(2) using renewable hydrogen not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions,but also provides industrial chemicals.Herein,a Co-Fe bimetallic catalyst was developed by a facile reactive ball-milling method for highly active and selective hydrogenation of CO_(2) to value-added hydrocarbons.When reacted at 320℃,1.0 MPa and 9600 mL h^(-1) g_(cat)^(-1),the selectivity to light olefin(C_(2)^(=)-C_(4)^(=)) and C_(5)+ species achieves 57.3% and 22.3%,respectively,at a CO_(2) co nversion of 31.4%,which is superior to previous Fe-based catalysts.The CO_(2) activation can be promoted by the CoFe phase formed by reactive ball milling of the Fe-Co_(3)O_(4) mixture,and the in-situ Co_(2)C and Fe_(5)C_(2) formed during hydrogenation are beneficial for the C-C coupling reaction.The initial C-C coupling is related to the combination of CO species with the surface carbon of Fe/Co carbides,and the sustained C-C coupling is maintained by self-recovery of defective carbides.This new strategy contributes to the development of efficient catalysts for the hydrogenation of CO_(2) to value-added hydrocarbons.

Solar‐energy‐driven photothermal catalytic C–C coupling from CO_(2) reduction over WO_(3–x)

Solar‐energy‐driven catalytic CO_(2) reduction for the production of value‐added carbon‐based materials and chemical raw materials has attracted great interest to alleviate the global climate change and energy crisis.The production of multicarbon(C2)products through CO_(2) reduction is extremely attractive,however,the yield and selectivity of C2 products remain low because of the low reaction temperature required and the low photoelectron density of the substrate.Here,we introduce WO3–x,which contains oxygen vacancies and exhibits an excellent photothermal conversion efficiency,to improve the generation of C2 products(C2H4 and C2H6)under simulated sunlight(UV‐Vis‐IR)irradiation.WO3–x produced 5.30 and 0.93μmol·g^(–1)C2H4 and C2H6,respectively,after 4 h,with a selectivity exceeding 34%.In situ Fourier transform infrared spectra and theoretical calculations showed that the oxygen vacancies enhanced the water activation and hydrogenation of adsorbed CO for the formation of C2 products via C–C coupling from CH2/CH3 intermediates.The findings of this study could assist in the design of highly active solar‐energy‐driven catalysts to produce C–C coupling products through CO2 reduction.

Solar energy‐driven C−H activation of methanol for direct C−C coupling to ethylene glycol with high stability by nitrogen doped tantalum oxide

Direct photocatalytic coupling of methanol to ethylene glycol(EG)is highly attractive.The reported photocatalysts for this reaction are all metal sulfide semiconductors,which may suffer from photocorrosion and have low stability.Thus,the development of non‐sulfide photocatalysts for efficient photocatalytic coupling of methanol to EG and H2 with high stability is urgent but extremely challenging.Herein,the first metal oxide photocatalyst,tantalum‐based semiconductor,is reported for preferential activation of C−H bond within methanol to form hydroxymethyl radical(•CH_(2)OH)and subsequent C−C coupling to EG.Compared with other metal oxide photocatalysts,such as TiO2,ZnO,WO_(3),Nb_(2)O_(5),tantalum oxide(Ta_(2)O_(5))is unique in that it can realize the selective photocatalytic coupling of methanol to EG.The co‐catalyst free nitrogen doped tantalum oxide(2%N‐Ta_(2)O_(5))shows an EG formation rate as high as 4.0 mmol gcat−1 h−1,about 9 times higher than that of Ta_(2)O_(5),with a selectivity higher than 70%.The high charge separation ability of nitrogen doped tantalum oxide plays a key role in its high activity for EG production.This catalyst also shows excellent stability longer than 160 h,which has not been achieved over the reported metal sulfide photocatalysts.Tantalum‐based photocatalyst is an environmentally friendly and highly stable candidate for photocatalytic coupling of methanol to EG.

Construction of bifunctional single-atom catalysts on the optimized β-Mo_(2)C surface for highly selective hydrogenation of CO_(2) into ethanol

Green and economical CO_(2)utilization is significant for CO_(2)emission reduction and energy development.Here,the 1D Mo_(2)C nanowires with dominant(101)crystal surfaces were modified by the deposition of atomic functional components Rh and K.While unmodifiedβMo_(2)C could only convert CO_(2)to methanol,the designed catalyst of K_(0.2)Rh_(0.2)/β-Mo_(2)C exhibited up to 72.1%of ethanol selectivity at 150℃.It was observed that the atomically dispersed Rh could form the bifunctional active centres with the active carrierβMo_(2)C with the synergistic effects to achieve highly specific controlled C–C coupling.By promoting the CO_(2)adsorption and activation,the introduction of an alkali metal(K)mainly regulated the balanced performance of the two active centres,which in turn improved the hydrogenation selectivity.Overall,the controlled modification ofβMo_(2)C provides a new design strategy for the highly efficient,lowtemperature hydrogenation of CO_(2)to ethanol with single-atom catalysts,which provides an excellent example for the rational design of the complex catalysts.

Efficient splitting of alcohols into hydrogen and C–C coupled products over ultrathin Ni‐doped ZnIn_(2)S_(4) nanosheet photocatalyst

Integrating selective organic synthesis with hydrogen(H_(2))evolution in one photocatalytic redox reaction system sheds light on the underlying approach for concurrent employment of photogenerated electrons and holes towards efficient production of solar fuels and chemicals.In this work,a facile one‐pot oil bath method has been proposed to fabricate a noble metal‐free ultrathin Ni‐doped ZnIn_(2)S_(4)(ZIS/Ni)composite nanosheet for effective solar‐driven selective dehydrocoupling of benzyl alcohol into value‐added C–C coupled hydrobenzoin and H_(2) fuel,which exhibits higher performance than pure ZIS nanosheet.The remarkably improved photoredox activity of ZIS/Ni is mainly attributed to the optimized electron structure featuring narrower band gap and suitable energy band position,which facilitates the ability of light harvesting and photoexcited charge carrier separation and transfer.Furthermore,it has been demonstrated that it is feasible to employ ZIS/Ni for various aromatic alcohols dehydrocoupling to the corresponding C–C coupled products.It is expected that this work can stimulate further interest on the establishment of innovative photocatalytic redox platform coupling clean solar fuels synthesis and selective organic conversion in a sustainable manner.

Cooperative NHC/Photoredox Catalysis:Three-Component Reaction of Aroyl Fluorides,Styrenes and Oxalates

Cooperative NHC/photoredox catalysis has emerged as an important research field in recent years.Herein,this article describes the use of cesium salt derivatives of tert-alcohols as alkyl radical precursors in a three-component reaction with styrene and aromatic acyl fluorides to synthesizeα-arylalkyl aryl ketones.The aroyl fluoride reacts with the NHC catalyst,leading to the formation of an acyl azolium ion.This acyl azolium ion can then be reduced by the photoredox catalyst,generating the corresponding ketyl radical anion.The C-radical generated from oxalate oxidation undergoes an addition reaction with the styrene derivative,followed by cross-coupling of the addition radical with the ketone radical,which is fragmented by NHC to give the target ketone.

Supported Atomically Dispersed Pd Catalyzed Direct Alkoxylation and Allylic Alkylation

A new approach to allylic alkylation is realized using an atomically dispersed palladium catalyst(Pd1/TiO2-EG).Unlike conventional methods that require derivation of substrates and utilization of additives,this method allows for direct allylic alkylation from allylic alcohols,producing H2O as the sole by-product.The catalyst's high efficiency is attributed to the local hydrogen bonding at the or-ganic-inorganic interface(Pd-EG interface),facilitating hydroxyl group activation forη3π-allyl complex formation.The system demonstrates successful direct C—O and C—C coupling reactions with high selectivity,requiring no additives.This study highlights the potential of supported atomically dispersed catalysts for greener and more efficient catalysis,meanwhile,offers unique insights into the distinct behavior of atomically dispersed catalysts in comparison to homogeneous or nanoparticle-based catalysts.

Palladium Complexes with N,O-Bidentate Ligands Based on N-Oxide Units from Cyclic Secondary Amines:Synthesis and Catalytic Application in Mizoroki-Heck Reaction

Palladium-catalyzed Mizoroki-Heck reaction is a powerful and efficient method for construction of Csp2–Csp2 bonds.Herein,four palladium complexes(I—IV)with N,O-bidentate ligands(L1—L4)based on N-oxide units from cyclic secondary amines were easily synthesized and successfully applied in Mizoroki-Heck reaction of aryl bromides with electron-deficient olefins.X-ray diffraction analyses indicated the palladium(II)atom of II took the distorted square planar geometry and was four-coordinated by nitrogen and oxygen atoms from two ligands(L2).Two free chloride ions were presented as counter anions in complex II.But the palladium(II)center of IV was coordinated by nitrogen and oxygen atoms from one ligand(L4)as well as two chlorine atoms,which exhibited the nearly square-planar geometry.The study on catalytic properties of palladium complexes revealed that complex II exhibited high activity superior to the other complexes.The coupling reactions of a series of aryl bromides and olefin derivatives proceeded in the presence of 2—5 mol%palladium complex II,giving the desired products in good to excellent yields.The advantages of this method such as good compatibility of functional groups,high yields,and short reaction times made it more attractive for constructing Csp2–Csp2 bonds in the synthesis of functional molecules and materials.

An anthraquinone-based Cu(I) cyclic trinuclear complex for photo-catalyzing C–C coupling reactions

Development of transition metal-based photocatalysts with low cost, strong visible light absorption, and high efficiency is a longstand pursuit for advanced organic synthesis, yet remains highly challenging. In this article, an anthraquinone-based copper(I)cyclic trinuclear complex(1) was designed and it featured strong visible light absorption, high charge separation efficiency and photochemical properties. Complex 1 as a heterogeneous photocatalyst can efficiently catalyze homo-coupling of terminal alkynes and denitrification-oxidative coupling reaction between hydrazinopyridine and terminal alkynes with excellent yield(up to 99%), broad substrate tolerance(27 examples) and superior reusability(up to 10 cycles without loss of performance) under mild conditions.

Plasmonic coupling-enhanced in situ photothermal nanoreactor with shape selective catalysis for C–C coupling reaction

Carbon-carbon(C–C)coupling reactions represent one of the most powerful tools for the synthesis of complex natural products,bioactive molecules developed as drugs and agrochemicals.In this work,a multifunctional nanoreactor for C–C coupling reaction was successfully fabricated via encapsulating the core-shell Cu@Ni nanocubes into ZIF-8(Cu@Ni@ZIF-8).In this nanoreactor,Ni shell of the core-shell Cu@Ni nanocubes was the catalytical active center,and Cu core was in situ heating source for the catalyst by absorbing the visible light.Moreover,benefiting from the plasmonic resonance effect between Cu@Ni nanocubes encapsulated in ZIF-8,the absorption range of nanoreactor was widened and the utilization rate of visible light was enhanced.Most importantly,the microporous structure of ZIF-8 provided shape-selective of reactant.This composite was used for the highly shape-selective and stable photocatalysed C–C coupling reaction of boric acid under visible light irradiation.After five cycles,the nanoreactor still remained high catalytical activity.This Cu@Ni@ZIF-8 nanoreactor opens a way for photocatalytic C–C coupling reactions with shape-selectivity.

Metal^(n+)-Metal^(δ+) pair sites steer C-C coupling for selective CO_(2) photoreduction to C_(2) hydrocarbons

The major obstacle for selective CO_(2)photoreduction to C_(2)hydrocarbons lies in the difficulty of C–C coupling,which is usually restrained by the repulsive dipole–dipole interaction between adjacent carbonaceous intermediates.Herein,we first construct semiconducting atomic layers featuring abundant Metal^(n+)-Metal^(δ+)pair sites(0<δ<n),aiming to tailor asymmetric charge distribution on the carbonaceous intermediates and hence trigger their C–C coupling for selectively yielding C_(2)hydrocarbons.As an example,we first fabricate Co-doped NiS2 atomic layers possessing abundant Ni^(2+)-Ni^(δ+)(0<δ<2)pairs,where Co doping strategy can ensure higher amount of Ni^(2+)-Ni^(δ+)pair sites.In-situ Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy,quasi in-situ Raman spectroscopy and density-functional-theory calculations disclose the Ni^(2+)-Ni^(δ+)pair sites endow the adjacent CO intermediates with distinct charge densities,thus decreasing their dipole–dipole repulsion and hence lowering the rate-limiting C–C coupling reaction barrier.As a result,in simulated flue gas(10%CO_(2)balance 90%N_(2)),the ethylene selectivity for Co-doped NiS_(2)atomic layers reaches up to 74.3%with an activity of 70μg·g^(−1)·h^(−1),outperforming previously reported photocatalysts under similar operating conditions.