Structure and reactivity of transition metal clusters

<p>A range of computational and experimental techniques have been applied to the study of four metal cluster systems.</p> <p>Decorated rhodium clusters Rh<sub><em>n</em></sub>O<sub><em>m</em></sub>(N<sub>2</sub>O)<sup&g...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hermes, A, Alexander Christoph Hermes
Other Authors: Mackenzie, S
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2013
Subjects:
_version_ 1797082268534046720
author Hermes, A
Alexander Christoph Hermes
author2 Mackenzie, S
author_facet Mackenzie, S
Hermes, A
Alexander Christoph Hermes
author_sort Hermes, A
collection OXFORD
description <p>A range of computational and experimental techniques have been applied to the study of four metal cluster systems.</p> <p>Decorated rhodium clusters Rh<sub><em>n</em></sub>O<sub><em>m</em></sub>(N<sub>2</sub>O)<sup>+</sup> (<em>n</em>=4−8,<em>m</em>=0−2) have been investigated both experimentally by IR-MPD and computationally using DFT. The effect of cluster size as well as oxygen coverage on the spectroscopy of the N<sub>2</sub>O bend are analyzed. The infrared-induced decomposition of N<sub>2</sub>O on Rh<sub><em>n</em></sub>O<sup>+</sup><sub style="position: relative; left: -.6em;">m</sub> is observed on all cluster sizes, with marked differences as a function of size and oxygen coverage, particularly in the case of Rh<sub>5</sub>(N<sub>2</sub>O)<sup>+</sup>.</p> <p>The oxidation of CO was studied on the surface of small platinum cluster cations Pt<sub><em>n</em></sub>O<sup>+</sup><sub style="position: relative; left: -.6em;">m</sub>(<em>n</em>=3−7,<em>m</em>= 2,4) by IR-MPD at 400 – 2100cm<sup>−1</sup>. Spectroscopically, oxygen is found to be bound both dissociatively and molecularly on the cluster surface, while the CO band is found to red shift in cluster size, and blue shift with oxygen coverage. Oxidation of CO proceeds on all cluster sizes, with a constant branching ratio of 40% : 60% . DFT calculations identified key stationary points and barriers on the Pt<sub>4</sub>O<sub>2</sub>CO<sup>+</sup> reaction pathway.</p> <p>The one-colour Ta 2 photodissociation is studied by photoionization and VMI in the range 23500 – 24000cm<sup>−1</sup> , finding clear evidence of a fragmentation process producing Ta , which is interpreted as fragmentation of cationic Ta<sup>+</sup><sub style="position: relative; left: -.5em;">2</sub>at the two photon level. A majority of the observed channels produce either atomic (Ta(<sup>4</sup>F<sub>3/2</sub>)) or cationic (Ta<sup>+</sup>(<sup>5</sup>F<sub>1</sub>)) ground state. An improved value for the dissociation energy <em>D</em><sub>0</sub>(Ta<sup>+</sup><sub style="position: relative; left: -.5em;">2</sub>) is obtained, in agreement with computational predictions. The anisotropies observed show weak evidence of a perpendicular transition being involved in the photodissociation process.</p> <p>Finally, the photodissociation dynamics of Cu<sub>2</sub> are studied by spectroscopy in the range 36000 – 38200cm<sup>−1</sup> as well as VMI. Clear evidence for resonant photolysis of Cu<sub>2</sub> is obtained, as a result of both direct dissociation of the Cu<sup>+</sup><sub style="position: relative; left: -.5em;">2</sub> <sup>2</sup>Π ion state as well as dissociation of doubly excited Cu<sub>2</sub> states, which leads to a determination of dimer dissociation energies. Finally, the production of Cu<sup>+</sup><sub style="position: relative; left: -.5em;">2</sub> is interpreted as evidence of photolysis of Cu<sub>3</sub>, from which a Cu<sub>3</sub> dissociation energy is derived.</p>
first_indexed 2024-03-07T01:25:43Z
format Thesis
id oxford-uuid:91e9449f-8c1e-4955-8c08-d9f24e5bbe6a
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-07T01:25:43Z
publishDate 2013
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:91e9449f-8c1e-4955-8c08-d9f24e5bbe6a2022-03-26T23:21:51ZStructure and reactivity of transition metal clustersThesishttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06uuid:91e9449f-8c1e-4955-8c08-d9f24e5bbe6aPhysical & theoretical chemistryEnglishOxford University Research Archive - Valet2013Hermes, AAlexander Christoph HermesMackenzie, S<p>A range of computational and experimental techniques have been applied to the study of four metal cluster systems.</p> <p>Decorated rhodium clusters Rh<sub><em>n</em></sub>O<sub><em>m</em></sub>(N<sub>2</sub>O)<sup>+</sup> (<em>n</em>=4−8,<em>m</em>=0−2) have been investigated both experimentally by IR-MPD and computationally using DFT. The effect of cluster size as well as oxygen coverage on the spectroscopy of the N<sub>2</sub>O bend are analyzed. The infrared-induced decomposition of N<sub>2</sub>O on Rh<sub><em>n</em></sub>O<sup>+</sup><sub style="position: relative; left: -.6em;">m</sub> is observed on all cluster sizes, with marked differences as a function of size and oxygen coverage, particularly in the case of Rh<sub>5</sub>(N<sub>2</sub>O)<sup>+</sup>.</p> <p>The oxidation of CO was studied on the surface of small platinum cluster cations Pt<sub><em>n</em></sub>O<sup>+</sup><sub style="position: relative; left: -.6em;">m</sub>(<em>n</em>=3−7,<em>m</em>= 2,4) by IR-MPD at 400 – 2100cm<sup>−1</sup>. Spectroscopically, oxygen is found to be bound both dissociatively and molecularly on the cluster surface, while the CO band is found to red shift in cluster size, and blue shift with oxygen coverage. Oxidation of CO proceeds on all cluster sizes, with a constant branching ratio of 40% : 60% . DFT calculations identified key stationary points and barriers on the Pt<sub>4</sub>O<sub>2</sub>CO<sup>+</sup> reaction pathway.</p> <p>The one-colour Ta 2 photodissociation is studied by photoionization and VMI in the range 23500 – 24000cm<sup>−1</sup> , finding clear evidence of a fragmentation process producing Ta , which is interpreted as fragmentation of cationic Ta<sup>+</sup><sub style="position: relative; left: -.5em;">2</sub>at the two photon level. A majority of the observed channels produce either atomic (Ta(<sup>4</sup>F<sub>3/2</sub>)) or cationic (Ta<sup>+</sup>(<sup>5</sup>F<sub>1</sub>)) ground state. An improved value for the dissociation energy <em>D</em><sub>0</sub>(Ta<sup>+</sup><sub style="position: relative; left: -.5em;">2</sub>) is obtained, in agreement with computational predictions. The anisotropies observed show weak evidence of a perpendicular transition being involved in the photodissociation process.</p> <p>Finally, the photodissociation dynamics of Cu<sub>2</sub> are studied by spectroscopy in the range 36000 – 38200cm<sup>−1</sup> as well as VMI. Clear evidence for resonant photolysis of Cu<sub>2</sub> is obtained, as a result of both direct dissociation of the Cu<sup>+</sup><sub style="position: relative; left: -.5em;">2</sub> <sup>2</sup>Π ion state as well as dissociation of doubly excited Cu<sub>2</sub> states, which leads to a determination of dimer dissociation energies. Finally, the production of Cu<sup>+</sup><sub style="position: relative; left: -.5em;">2</sub> is interpreted as evidence of photolysis of Cu<sub>3</sub>, from which a Cu<sub>3</sub> dissociation energy is derived.</p>
spellingShingle Physical & theoretical chemistry
Hermes, A
Alexander Christoph Hermes
Structure and reactivity of transition metal clusters
title Structure and reactivity of transition metal clusters
title_full Structure and reactivity of transition metal clusters
title_fullStr Structure and reactivity of transition metal clusters
title_full_unstemmed Structure and reactivity of transition metal clusters
title_short Structure and reactivity of transition metal clusters
title_sort structure and reactivity of transition metal clusters
topic Physical & theoretical chemistry
work_keys_str_mv AT hermesa structureandreactivityoftransitionmetalclusters
AT alexanderchristophhermes structureandreactivityoftransitionmetalclusters