Steering CO2electroreduction toward ethanol production by a surface-bound Ru polypyridyl carbene catalyst on N-doped porous carbon

Electrochemical reduction of CO2to multicarbon products is a significant challenge, especially for molecular complexes. We report here CO2reduction to multicarbon products based on a Ru(II) polypyridyl carbene complex that is immobilized on an N-doped porous carbon (RuPC/NPC) electrode. The catalyst utilizes the synergistic effects of the Ru(II) polypyridyl carbene complex and the NPC interface to steer CO2reduction toward C2 production at low overpotentials. In 0.5 M KHCO3/CO2aqueous solutions, Faradaic efficiencies of 31.0 to 38.4% have been obtained for C2 production at −0.87 to −1.07 V (vs. normal hydrogen electrode) with 21.0 to 27.5% for ethanol and 7.1 to 12.5% for acetate. Syngas is also produced with adjustable H2/CO mole ratios of 2.0 to 2.9. The RuPC/NPC electrocatalyst maintains its activity during 3-h CO2-reduction periods.

Quest for Compounds at the Verge of Charge Transfer Instabilities: The Case of Silver(II) Chloride †

Electron-transfer processes constitute one important limiting factor governing stability of solids. One classical case is that of CuI2, which has never been prepared at ambient pressure conditions due to feasibility of charge transfer between metal and nonmetal (CuI2 → CuI + ½ I2). Sometimes, redox instabilities involve two metal centers, e.g., AgO is not an oxide of divalent silver but rather silver(I) dioxoargentate(III), Ag(I)[Ag(III)O2]. Here, we look at the particularly interesting case of a hypothetical AgCl2 where both types of redox instabilities operate simultaneously. Since standard redox potential of the Ag(II)/Ag(I) redox pair reaches some 2 V versus Normal Hydrogen Electrode (NHE), it might be expected that Ag(II) would oxidize Cl− anion with great ease (standard redox potential of the ½ Cl2/Cl− pair is + 1.36 V versus Normal Hydrogen Electrode). However, ionic Ag(II)Cl2 benefits from long-distance electrostatic stabilization to a much larger degree than Ag(I)Cl + ½ Cl2, which affects relative stability. Moreover, Ag(II) may disproportionate in its chloride, just like it does in an oxide; this is what AuCl2 does, its formula corresponding in fact to Au(I)[Au(III)Cl4]. Formation of polychloride substructure, as for organic derivatives of Cl3− anion, is yet another possibility. All that creates a very complicated potential energy surface with a few chemically distinct minima i.e., diverse polymorphic forms present. Here, results of our theoretical study for AgCl2 will be presented including outcome of evolutionary algorithm structure prediction method, and the chemical identity of the most stable form will be uncovered together with its presumed magnetic properties. Contrary to previous rough estimates suggesting substantial instability of AgCl2, we find that AgCl2 is only slightly metastable (by 52 meV per formula unit) with respect to the known AgCl and ½ Cl2, stable with respect to elements, and simultaneously dynamically (i.e., phonon) stable. Thus, our results point out to conceivable existence of AgCl2 which should be targeted via non-equilibrium approaches.

Crystal structure of bretylium tosylate (Bretylol®), C18H24BrNO3S

The crystal structure of bretylium tosylate has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data, and optimized using density functional techniques. Bretylium tosylate crystallizes in space group C2/c (#15) with a = 32.6238(4), b = 12.40353(14), c = 9.93864(12) Å, β = 101.4676(10), V = 3941.39(5) Å3, and Z = 8. The sample exhibited visible decomposition in the X-ray beam. The unusual displacement ellipsoid of the Br atom probably indicates that the decomposition in the beam involves the Br atom. The crystal structure can be viewed as layered parallel to the bc plane. The layers are double, the center consisting of the cation/anion polar interactions and the outer surface of the double layers consists of hydrocarbon interactions. In the absence of normal hydrogen bond donors, the only hydrogen bonds in the bretylium tosylate structure are C–H…O hydrogen bonds. The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD® for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™.

Distinct structural and dynamical difference between supercooled and normal liquids of hydrogen molecules

The recently developed quantum molecular dynamics method including nuclear quantum effects demonstrated that supercooled hydrogens exhibit intrinsic properties including a precursor of superfluidity which neither normal hydrogen liquid nor solid possesses.

Enhanced Alcaligenes faecalis Denitrification Rate with Electrodes as the Electron Donor

ABSTRACTThe utilization byAlcaligenes faecalisof electrodes as the electron donor for denitrification was investigated in this study. The denitrification rate ofA. faecaliswith a poised potential was greatly enhanced compared with that of the controls without poised potentials. For nitrate reduction, althoughA. faecaliscould not reduce nitrate, at three poised potentials of +0.06, −0.06, and −0.15 V (versus normal hydrogen electrode [NHE]), the nitrate was partially reduced with −0.15- and −0.06-V potentials at rates of 17.3 and 28.5 mg/liter/day, respectively. The percentages of reduction for −0.15 and −0.06 V were 52.4 and 30.4%, respectively. Meanwhile, for nitrite reduction, the poised potentials greatly enhanced the nitrite reduction. The nitrite reduction rates for three poised potentials (−0.06, −0.15, and −0.30 V) were 1.98, 4.37, and 3.91 mg/liter/h, respectively. When the potentials were cut off, the nitrite reduction rate was maintained for 1.5 h (from 2.3 to 2.25 mg/liter/h) and then greatly decreased, and the reduction rate (0.38 mg/liter/h) was about 1/6 compared with the rate (2.3 mg/liter/h) when potential was on. Then the potentials resumed, but the reduction rate did not resume and was only 2 times higher than the rate when the potential was off.

Superoutburst of a New Sub-Period-Minimum Dwarf Nova CSS130418 in Hercules

Multicolour photometry of a new dwarf nova CSS130418 in Hercules, which underwent superoutburst on April 18, 2013, allow to classified it as a WZ Sge-type dwarf nova. The phase light curves for different stages of superoutburst are presented. The early superhumps were used to determine the orbital period P_orb = 64.84(1) minutes, which is shorter than the period minimum ~78 minutes for normal hydrogen-rich cataclysmic variables. We found the mean period of ordinary superhumps P_sh = 65.559(1) minutes. The quiescent spectrum is rich in helium, showing double peaked emission<br />lines of H I and He I from accretion disk, so the dwarf nova is in a late stage of stellar evolution.

Crystal structure of the Anderson-type heteropolyoxometalate; K2[H7CrIIIMo6O24]·8H2O: a redetermination revealing the position of the extra H atom in the polyanion

The title compound contains a symmetric hydrogen bond in which the H atom does not lie on a crystallographic centre of symmetry. The structure of K2[H7CrIIIMo6O24]·8H2O, namely dipotassium heptahydrogen hexamolybdochromate(III) octahydrate, previously reported by Lee [Acta Cryst. (2007), E63, i5–i7], has been redetermined in order to locate the position of the seventh H atom in the anion. Six of the H atoms are bonded to the six μ3-O atoms and form hydrogen bonds of medium strength either to water molecules or to the terminal O atoms of other polyanions. The seventh H atom forms a very short hydrogen bond between two μ2-O atoms on adjacent polyanions. This short bond, together with two normal hydrogen bonds, link the two crystallographically distinct centrosymmetric polyanions into chains along [011], while the length of this bond [2.461 (3) Å] suggests that the H atom lies at its centre, but unusually for such a bond, this point is not a crystallographic centre of symmetry.

A method to calculate redox potentials relative to the normal hydrogen electrode in nonaqueous solution by using density functional theory-based molecular dynamics

We demonstrate the redox potential calculations relative to the normal hydrogen electrode (NHE) in non-aqueous solution by density functional theory based molecular dynamics (DFT-MD) simulation.