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The Structure of the Homogeneous Oxidation Catalyst, Mn(II)(Br[superscript -1])[subscript x], in Supercritical Water: An X-ray Absorption Fine-Structure Study

Journal Article · · J. Am. Chem. Soc.
OSTI ID:1008591

Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopies were used to probe the first-shell coordination structure about Mn(II) and Br{sup -1} ions that exist as contact ion pairs in supercritical water. This work was performed to clarify why solutions of MnBr{sub 2} in supercritical water are known to effectively catalyze the aerobic oxidative synthesis of terephthalic acid from p-xylene as well as a number of other methylaromatic compounds. The Mn and Br K-edge spectra were collected at the bending magnet beamline (sector 20) at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory. The first-shell coordination structure about the Mn(II) ion changes from octahedral at ambient conditions to tetrahedral at supercritical conditions. Under supercritical conditions, the measured bond distances of Mn-OH{sub 2} and Mn-Br are 2.14 and 2.46 {angstrom}, respectively. Direct contact ion pairs form with about 2 Br{sup -1} ions present in the first coordination shell of the Mn(II) ion. The structure of dissolved MnBr{sub 2}, below 1.0 m, changes from essentially [Mn(II)(H{sub 2}O){sub 6}]{sup +2} to [Mn(II)(H{sub 2}O){sub 2}(Br{sup -1}){sub 2}] in supercritical water (scH{sub 2}O). When an excess of Br{sup -1} ion is added, the bromide coordination number increases and the number of water molecules decreases. The results show that the initial MnBr{sub 2} catalyst in scH{sub 2}O is tetrahedral with two Mn-Br contact ion pairs. The presence of the acetate anion deactivates the catalyst by formation of insoluble MnO.

Research Organization:
Advanced Photon Source (APS), Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
1008591
Journal Information:
J. Am. Chem. Soc., Journal Name: J. Am. Chem. Soc. Journal Issue: (40) ; 09, 2005 Vol. 127; ISSN JACSAT; ISSN 0002-7863
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH