Ionic liquids-SBA-15 hybrid catalysts for highly efficient and solvent-free synthesis of diphenyl carbonate

Diphenyl carbonate(DPC)is one of the versatile carbonates,and is often used for the production of polycarbonates.In recent years,the catalytic synthesis of DPC has become an important topic but the development of a highly active metal-free catalyst is a great challenge.Herein,a series of ionic liquids-SBA-15 hybrid catalysts with different functional groups have been developed for the synthesis of DPC under solventfree condition,which are effective and clean instead of the metal-containing catalysts.It is found that in the presence of[SBA-15-IL-OH]Br catalyst,methyl phenyl carbonate(MPC)conversion of 80.5%along with 99.6%DPC selectivity is achieved,the TOF value is thrice higher than the best value reported by using transition metal-based catalysts.Moreover,the catalyst displays remarkable stability and recyclability.This work provides a new idea to design and prepare eco-friendly catalysts in a broad range of applications for the green synthesis of carbonates.

Field-assisted conductive substrate sparks the redox kinetics of Co_(9)S_(8) in Li-and Na-ion batteries

As a promising candidate electrode material in both Li-and Na-ion batteries(L/SIBs),the application of Co_(9)S_(8) is being hindered by its unsatisfactory electrochemical performance caused by the sluggish ion diffusion kinetics and drastic volume expansion.Herein,a hybrid material composed of Co_(9)S_(8-x),N-doped carbon foam that seeded with Co nanoparticles(Co_(9)S_(8-x)@Co-NC) is constructed.Particularly,theoretical and experimental results imply that a built-in electric field at the interface of Co and NC is observed due to the variation of Fermi levels,forming rich Mott-Schottky-like heterointerfaces,which can significantly enhance the charge transfer capability between the active materials of Co_(9)S_(8) and conductive NC skeleton.Moreover,the sulfur defects in Co_(9)S_(8-x)can not only effectively lower the energy barrier of the ion diffusion and charge transfer processes,but also endow the target sample with more storage/adsorption/active sites for Li^(+)/Na^(+) ions,thus improving the rate performance of the Co_(9)S_(8-x)@Co-NC composite.As a result,the Co_(9)S_(8-x)@Co-NC exhibits fast surface-controlled redox kinetics and robust cycling stability.For instance,the Co_(9)S_(8-x)@Co-NC displays impressive Li-storage properties in both half and full cells with a high reversible capacity of 1007.4 mA h g^(-1)at 0.1 A g^(-1)after 100 cycles and superior rate capability up to 5 A g^(-1).Moreover,based on these comprehensive merits,the Co_(9)S_(8-x)@Co-NC composite shows decent electrochemical performance(472.2 and 311.1 mA h g^(-1)at 0.1 and 10 A g^(-1),respectively) as an anode for SIBs.This work presents an effective strategy for the construction of Mott-Schottky-like heterointerfaces in Co_(9)S_(8) based materials and provides specific inspiration for future works designing high-performance electrodes via interfacial engineering.

Optimizing 3d spin polarization of CoOOH by in situ Mo doping for efficient oxygen evolution reaction

Transition-metal oxyhydroxides are attractive catalysts for oxygen evolution reactions(OERs).Further studies for developing transition-metal oxyhydroxide catalysts and understanding their catalytic mechanisms will benefit their quick transition to the next catalysts.Herein,Mo-doped CoOOH was designed as a high-performance model electrocatalyst with durability for 20 h at 10 mAcm−2.Additionally,it had an overpotential of 260 mV(glassy carbon)or 215 mV(nickel foam),which was 78 mV lower than that of IrO_(2)(338 mV).In situ,Raman spectroscopy revealed the transformation process of CoOOH.Calculations using the density functional theory showed that during OER,doped Mo increased the spin-up density of states and shrank the spin-down bandgap of the 3d orbits in the reconstructed CoOOH under the electrochemical activation process,which simultaneously optimized the adsorption and electron conduction of oxygen-related intermediates on Co sites and lowered the OER overpotentials.Our research provides new insights into the methodical planning of the creation of transition-metal oxyhydroxide OER catalysts.

Sulfide-Based All-Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries:Challenges and Perspectives

Lithium-sulfur batteries with liquid electrolytes have been obstructed by severe shuttle effects and intrinsic safety concerns.Introducing inorganic solid-state electrolytes into lithium-sulfur systems is believed as an effective approach to eliminate these issues without sacrificing the high-energy density,which determines sulfidebased all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries.However,the lack of design principles for high-performance composite sulfur cathodes limits their further application.The sulfur cathode regulation should take several factors including the intrinsic insulation of sulfur,well-designed conductive networks,integrated sulfur-electrolyte interfaces,and porous structure for volume expansion,and the correlation between these factors into account.Here,we summarize the challenges of regulating composite sulfur cathodes with respect to ionic/electronic diffusions and put forward the corresponding solutions for obtaining stable positive electrodes.In the last section,we also outlook the future research pathways of architecture sulfur cathode to guide the develop high-performance all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries.

Nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanosheets as both anode and cathode for advanced potassium-ion hybrid capacitors

Potassium-ion hybrid capacitors(PIHCs)as a burgeoning research hotspot are an ideal replacement for lithium-ion hybrid capacitors(LIHCs).Here,we report nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanosheets(NPCNs)with enlarged interlayer spacing,abundant defects,and favorable mesoporous structures.The structural changes of NPCNs in potassiation and depotassiation processes are analyzed by using Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy.Due to the unique structure of NPCNs,the PIHC device assembled using NPCNs as both the anode and cathode material(double-functional self-matching material)exhibits a superior energy density of 128 Wh kg^(-1)with a capacity retention of 90.8%after 9000 cycles.This research can promote the development of double-functional self-matching materials for hybrid energy storage devices with ultra-high performance.

Solvent Effects on Preparation of Pd-Based Catalysts: Influence on Properties of Palladium and Its Catalytic Activity for Benzyl Alcohol Oxidation

Solvent effects are important for the solution preparation of nanoscale metal materials, in which the sizes and properties of the nanomaterials are greatly influenced by the solvents. In this study, a series of Pd/XC-72 catalysts were synthesized by a facile solvothermal method in solvents with different numbers of hydroxyl groups, including ethanol, ethylene glycol, and glycerine. The as-prepared catalysts Pd/XC-72(EA), Pd/XC-72(EG) and Pd/XC-72(GI) were characterized by XRD, TEM, TGA, ICP-MS and multipoint nitrogen adsorption-desorption experiments. It was found that Pd/XC-72(GI) had the highest metallic dispersion and the smallest particle size (4.9 nm). Furthermore, Pd/XC-72(GI) exhibited the best catalytic performance for solvent-free selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol while the catalytic activities of Pd/XC-72 catalysts decreased in the order: Pd/XC-72(GI) > Pd/XC-72(EG) > Pd/XC-72(EA).

Synergy in magnetic Ni_(x)Co_(1)O_(y) oxides enables base-free selective oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural on loaded Au nanoparticles

The base-free aerobic oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural(HMF) to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid(FDCA)in water is recognized as an important and sustainable upgrading process for cellulosic carbohydrates.However,selectivity control still remains a challenge.Here,we disclose that the unique synergy in magnetic Ni_(x)Co_(1)O_(y)(x=1,3 and 5) bimetallic oxides can induce reactive oxygen defects and simultaneously stabilize small-sized metallic Au nanoparticles in the Au/Ni_(x)Co_(1)O_(y)catalysts.Such catalytic features render effective adsorption and activation of O_(2),OH and C=O groups,realizing selective oxidation of HMF to FDCA.On a series of magnetic Au/Ni_(x)Co_(1)O_(y)catalysts with almost identical Au loadings(ca.0.5 wt%) and particle sizes(ca.2.7 nm),the variable Ni/Co molar ratios give rise to the tunable electron density of Au sites and synergistic effect between NiO and CoO_(y).The initial conversion rates of HMF and its derived intermediates(i.e., DFF,HMFCA and FFCA) show a volcano-like dependence on the number of oxygen defects(i.e.,O_(2)^(-)and O^(-)) and electron-rich Au0sites.The optimum Au/Ni3Co1Oycatalyst exhibits a highest productivity of FDCA(12.5 mmol_(FDCA)mol_(Au)^(-1)h^(-1)) among all the Au catalysts in the literature and achieves> 99% yield of FDCA at 120℃ and 10 bar of O_(2).In addition,this catalyst can be easily recovered by a magnet and show superior stability and reusability during six consecutive cycling tests.This work may shed a light on Au catalysis for the base-free oxidation of biomass compounds by smartly using the synergy in bimetallic oxide carriers.

Regulated adsorption-diffusion and enhanced charge transfer in expanded graphite cohered with N,B bridge-doping carbon patches to boost K-ion storage

The great challenges are remained in constructing graphite-based anode with well built-in structures to accelerate kinetics and enhance stability in the advanced K-ion batteries(KIBs).Here,we firstly report the design of expanded graphite cohered by N,B bridge-doping carbon patches(NBEG)for efficient K-ion adsorption/diffusion and long-term durability.It is the B co-doping that plays a crucial role in maximizing doping-site utilization of N atoms,balancing the adsorption-diffusion kinetics,and promoting the charge transfer between NBEG and K ions.Especially,the robust lamellar structure,suitable interlayer distance,and rich active sites of the designed NBEG favor the rapid ion/electron transfer pathways and high K-ion storage capacity.Consequently,even at a low N,B doping concentration(4.36 at%,2.07 at%),NBEG anode shows prominent electrochemical performance for KIBs,surpassing most of the advanced carbon-based anodes.Kinetic studies,density functional theory simulations,and in-situ Raman spectroscopy are further performed to reveal the K-ion storage mechanism and confirm the critical actions of co-doping B.This work offers the new methods for graphite-electrode design and the deeper insights into their energy storage mechanisms in KIBs.

Intercalation assisted liquid phase production of disulfide zirconium nanosheets for efficient electrocatalytic dinitrogen reduction to ammonia

Disulfide zirconium(ZrS_(2)) is a two-dimensional(2D) transition metal disulfide and has given rise to extensive attention because of its distinctive electronic structure and properties.However,mass production of high quality of ZrS_(2)nanosheets to realize their practical application remains a challenge.Here,we have successfully exfoliated the bulk ZrS_(2)powder with the thickness of micron into single and few-layer nanosheets through liquid-phase exfoliation in N-methylpyrrolidone(NMP) assisted via aliphatic amines as intercalators.It is found that the exfoliation yield is as high as 27.3%,which is the record value for the exfoliation of ZrS_(2)nanosheets from bulk ZrS_(2)powder,and 77.1% of ZrS_(2)nanosheets are 2-3 layers.The molecular geometric size and aliphatic amine basicity have important impact on the exfoliation.Furthermore,the ZrS_(2)nanosheets have been used as catalyst in the electrocatalytic dinitrogen reduction with the NH3yield of 57.75 μg h^(-1)mg_(cat.)^(-1),which is twice that by ZrS_(2)nanofibers reported in literature and three times that by the bulk ZrS_(2)powder.Therefore,the liquid phase exfoliation strategy reported here has great potential in mass production of ZrS_(2)nanosheets for high activity electrocatalysis.

Selectively reductive amination of levulinic acid with aryl amines to N-substituted aryl pyrroles

Synthesizing nitrogen(N)-containing molecules from biomass derivatives is a new strategy for production of this kind of chemicals.Herein,for the first time we present the synthesis of N-substituted aryl pyrroles via reductive amination/cyclization of levulinic acid(LA)with primary aromatic amines and hydrosilanes(e.g.,PMHS)over Cs F,and a series of N-substituted aryl pyrroles could be obtained in good to excellent yields at 120○C.The mechanism investigation indicates that the reaction proceeds in two steps:the cyclization between amine and LA occurs first to form intermediate 5-methyl-N-alkyl-1,3-dihydro-2H-pyrrolones and their isomeride(B),and then the chemo-and region-selective reduction of intermediates take place to produce the final products.This approach for synthesis of N-substituted aryl pyrroles can be performed under mild and green conditions,which may have promising applications.

Palladium-catalyzed multi components oxy-aminofluorination and aminofluorination of gem-difluoroalkenes

Organofluorine compounds are widely used in the realm of drug discovery and material science.Herein,we developed palladium catalyzed intermolecular aminofluorination and oxy-aminofluorination of gem‑difluoroalkenes with N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide(NFSI),in which NFSI was used as the nitrogen source and oxidant.The reaction provides an efficient and straightforward synthesis route of a series ofα-trifluoromethyl benzylic amines.Notably,three/four components oxy-aminofluorination processes were realized to giveα-trifluoromethyl benzylic ether with a terminal amino group,which proceed through C(sp^(3))-O bond cleavage of easily available ether and simultaneous introduced a fluorine,an amino and an oxy substituent in one pot with excellent regioselectivity.The divergent reactivity not only included the incorporation of one ether molecular,but also much more challenged two ether insertion with excellent selectivity through succession C(sp^(3))-O bonds cleavage.This protocol allows for concise synthesis of high value amines with fluoroalkyl-substituents and selectively transformation of easily available ethers by high-valent palladium catalysis.

Cobalt-Catalyzed Switchable[4+1]and[4+1+1]Spirocyclization of Aromatic Amides with 2-Diazo-1H-indene-1,3(2H)-dione:Access to Spiro Indene-2,1'-isoindolinones and Spiro Isochroman-3,1'-isoindolinones

Herein,we report a condition-controlled divergent synthesis of spiro indene-2,1'-isoindolinones and spiro isochroman-3,1'-isoindolinones through cobalt-catalyzed formal[4+1]and[4+1+1]spirocyclization of aromatic amides with 2-diazo-1H-indene-1,3(2H)-dione.When the reaction is carried out under air in ethyl acetate,spiro indene-2,1'-isoindolinones are formed through Co(II)-catalyzed C—H/N—H[4+1]spirocyclization.When the reaction is run under O2 in CH3CN,on the other hand,spiro isochroman-3,1'-isoindolinones are generated through Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of the in situ formed spiro indene-2,1'-isoindolinones with O2 as a cheaper and environmental-friendly oxygen source.In general,these protocols have advantages such as using non-precious and earth-abundant metal catalyst,no extra additive,high efficiency and regioselectivity.A gram-scale synthesis and the removal of the directing group further highlight its utility.

Anion cascade reactions Ⅲ:Synthesis of 3-isoquinuclidone bridged polycyclic lactams

Bridged polycyclic lactams are important structural units in organic functional materials,natural products,and pharmaceuticals.A flexible and efficient anion cascade reaction was developed for the preparation of bridged polycyclic lactams from readily available malonamides and 1,4‑dien-3-ones.Various highly substituted bridged polycyclic lactams were synthesized in good to excellent yields by tandem nucleophilic sequences in the presence of t BuOK in commercially available EtOH solvent at 60℃.Notably,the simple reactions can be run on a gram scale.Mechanistically,bis-Michael addition reaction and hemiaminalization reactions are involved in the tandem transformation.

Electrocatalytic CO_(2)reduction to syngas

While carbon dioxide(CO_(2))is a major greenhouse gas,it is also an important C1 resource.In the trend of energy conservation and emission reduction,electrocatalytic reduction has become a very promising strategy for CO_(2)utilization because it can convert CO_(2)directly to high-valued chemicals and fuels under mild conditions.In particular,the product CO and by-product H_(2)can be combined into syngas by an electrocatalytic CO_(2)reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR)in an aqueous medium.Different molar ratios of CO and H_(2)may be used to produce essential bulk chemicals or liquid fuels such as methanol,alkanes,and olefins through thermochemical catalysis,Fischer-Tropsch synthesis,microbial fermentation,and other techniques.This work discusses the latest strategies in controlling the molar ratio of CO/H_(2)and improving the yield of CO_(2)RR-to-syngas.The challenges of electrocatalytic syngas production are analyzed from an industrial application perspective,and the possible measures to overcome them are proposed in terms of new catalyst design,electrolyte innovation,flow reactor optimization,anodic reaction coupling,and operando technique application.

Exploring the Cation Regulation Mechanism for Interfacial Water Involved in the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction by In Situ Raman Spectroscopy

Interfacial water molecules are the most important participants in the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).Hence,understanding the behavior and role that interfacial water plays will ultimately reveal the HER mechanism.Unfortunately,investigating interfacial water is extremely challenging owing to the interference caused by bulk water molecules and complexity of the interfacial environment.Here,the behaviors of interfacial water in different cationic electrolytes on Pd surfaces were investigated by the electrochemistry,in situ core-shell nanostructure enhanced Raman spectroscopy and theoretical simulation techniques.Direct spectral evidence reveals a red shift in the frequency and a decrease in the intensity of interfacial water as the potential is shifted in the positively direction.When comparing the different cation electrolyte systems at a given potential,the frequency of the interfacial water peak increases in the specified order:Li+<Na^(+)<K^(+)<Ca^(2+)<Sr^(2+).The structure of interfacial water was optimized by adjusting the radius,valence,and concentration of cation to form the two-H down structure.This unique interfacial water structure will improve the charge transfer efficiency between the water and electrode further enhancing the HER performance.Therefore,local cation tuning strategies can be used to improve the HER performance by optimizing the interfacial water structure.

Nitrogen and sulfur co-doped graphene aerogel with hierarchically porous structure for high-performance supercapacitors

Supercapacitors with unique performance have been widely utilized in many fields. Herein, we report a nitrogen and sulfur co-doped graphene aerogel(N/S-GA-2) prepared using a low toxic precursor for high-performance supercapacitors. The as-obtained material possesses a hierarchically porous structure and a large number of electrochemical active sites. At a current density of 1 Ag^-1, the specific capacitance of the N/S-GA-2 for supercapacitors with the ionic liquid as the electrolyte is 169.4 Fg^-1, and the corresponding energy density is 84.5 Wh kg^-1.At a power density of 8.9 k W kg^-1, the energy density can reach up to 75.7 Wh kg^-1, showing that the N/S-GA-2 has an excellent electrochemical performance. Consequently, the N/S-GA-2 can be used as a promising candidate of electrode materials for supercapacitors with high power density and high energy density.

Anionic structural effect in liquid–liquid separation of phenol from model oil by choline carboxylate ionic liquids

Phenolic compounds exist in crude oil as pollutants, and their removal is vital important for the refining and further application of oils. In traditional separation approaches, strong acid and strong base have to be used to remove these compounds, which may cause serious environmental problems. In this work, 19 kinds of cholinium ionic liquids have been developed to separate phenol from model oil by liquid–liquid extraction. Structural effect of anions of the ionic liquids in the separation is systematically investigated. It is found that depending on the chemical structure of ionic liquids, phenol can be removed from toluene with single-step removal efficiency from 86 to 99% under optimal conditions. The type of substituent groups and the-CH_2 number between two carboxylates have obvious effect on the removal efficiency, and more hydrophilic ionic liquids have a stronger extraction performance for phenol. Furthermore, thermodynamic,^(13) C NMR,~1 H NMR and density functional theory calculations have been performed to characterize the extraction process and to understand the extraction mechanism. It is shown that the extraction of phenol from oil to ionic liquid is a favorable process, and this process is mainly driven by enthalpy change. The formation of the hydrogen bond between anion of the ionic liquid and-OH of phenol is the main driving force for the extraction of phenol from oil to the ionic liquids.

Direct Z-scheme WO_(3-x) nanowire-bridged TiO_(2) nanorod arrays for highly efficient photoelectrochemical overall water splitting

All-solid-state Z-scheme photocatalysts for overall water splitting to evolve H_(2) is a promising strategy for efficient conversion of solar energy.However,most of these strategies require redox mediators.Herein,a direct Z-scheme photoelectrocatalytic electrode based on a WO_(3-x)nanowire-bridged TiO_(2)nanorod array heterojunction is constructed for overall water splitting,producing H_(2).The as-prepared WO_(3-x)/TiO_(2)nanorod array heterojunction shows photoelectrochemical(PEC)overall water splitting activity evolving both H_(2) and O_(2)under UV-vis light irradiation.An optimum PEC activity was achieved over a 1.67-WO_(3-x)/TiO_(2)photoelectrode yielding maximum H_(2) and O_(2)evolution rates roughly 11 times higher than that of pure TiO_(2)nanorods without any sacrificial agent or redox mediator.The role of oxygen vacancy in WO_(3-x)in affecting the H_(2) production rate was also comprehensively studied.The superior PEC activity of the WO_(3-x)/TiO_(2)electrode for overall water splitting can be ascribed to an efficient Z-scheme charge transfer pathway between the WO_(3-x)nanowires and TiO_(2)nanorods,the presence of oxygen vacancies in WO_(3-x),and a bias potential applied on the photoelectrode,resulting in effective spatial charge separation.This study provides a novel strategy for developing highly efficient PECs for overall water splitting.

Transition‐metal‐free three‐component acetalation‐pyridylation of alkenes via photoredox catalysis

A general transition‐metal‐free photoinduced acetalation‐pyridylation of alkenes using diethoxyacetic acid and cyanopyridine was developed under mild conditions.By employing 4CzIPN as the photocatalyst and Cs_(2)CO_(3) as the base,a diverse range of styrene derivatives and cyanopyridines worked well to give the desired products.The versatility of this method is highlighted by its application in the construction of various functional groups and the late‐stage modification of drugs.Importantly,some of the synthesized compounds showed good in vitro antitumor activity,indicating that this protocol is of significance and potential for antitumor drug development.

Beads-on-string hierarchical structured electrocatalysts for efficient oxygen reduction reaction

Rational design of hierarchically structured electrocatalysts is particularly important for electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction(ORR).Here,ZIF-67 crystals are stringed on core-shell Ag@C nanocables using a coordinationmodulated process.Upon pyrolysis,Ag@C strings of Co nanoparticles embedded with three-dimensional porous carbon with beads-on-string hierarchical structures are developed.Due to the advantages of the rich electrochemical active sites of Co-based“beads”and the efficient electron transfer pathways via Ag@C“strings,”the resultant NH_(3)-Ag@C@Co-N-C-700 catalyst shows an improved electrocatalytic activity toward ORR.NH_(3)-Ag@C@Co-N-C-700 shows a high onset potential of 0.99 V versus RHE,a high half-wave potential of 0.88 V versus RHE,and a large limiting current of 5.8 mA cm^(-2),which are better than those of commercial Pt/C electrocatalysts.Additionally,the NH_(3)-Ag@C@Co-N-C-700 catalyst shows high stability and preeminent methanol tolerance,which makes NH_(3)-Ag@C@Co-N-C-700 a promising catalyst for oxygen electrocatalysis in fuel cell applications.