Nonaqueous Electrocatalytic Oxidation of the Alkylaromatic Ethylbenzene by a Surface Bound Ru V (O) Catalyst
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
The catalyst [Ru(Mebimpy)(4,4'-((HO)2OPCH2)2bpy(OH2)]2+, where Mebimpy is 2,6-bis(1-methylbenzimidazol-2-yl)pyridine and 4,4'-((HO)2OPCH2)2bpy is 4,4'-bis-methlylenephosphonato-2,2'-bipyridine, attached to nanocrystalline Sn(IV)-doped In2O3 (nanoITO) electrodes (nanoITO|RuII–OH22+) has been utilized for the electrocatalytic oxidation of the alkylaromatics ethylbenzene, toluene, and cumene in propylene carbonate/water mixtures. Oxidative activation of the surface site to nanoITO|RuV(O)3+ is followed by hydrocarbon oxidation at the surface with a rate constant of 2.5 ± 0.2 M–1 s–1 (I = 0.1 M LiClO4, T = 23 ± 2 °C) for the oxidation of ethylbenzene. Electrocatalytic oxidation of ethylbenzene to acetophenone occurs with a faradic efficiency of 95%. H/D kinetic isotope effects determined for oxidation of ethylbenzene point to a mechanism involving oxygen atom insertion into a C–H bond of ethylbenzene followed by further 2e–/2H+ oxidation to acetophenone.
- Research Organization:
- Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for Solar Fuels (UNC EFRC)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE SC Office of Basic Energy Sciences (SC-22)
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0001011
- OSTI ID:
- 1387110
- Journal Information:
- ACS Catalysis, Journal Name: ACS Catalysis Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 2; ISSN 2155-5435
- Publisher:
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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synthesis (novel materials)
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