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1. Oxo dicopper anchored on carbon nitride for selective oxidation of methane

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28987-1  

   Xie, Pengfei; Ding, Jing; Yao, Zihao; Pu, Tiancheng; Zhang, Peng; Huang, Zhennan; Wang, Canhui; Zhang, Junlei; Zecher-Freeman, Noah; Zong, Han; et al (December 2022, Nature Communications)

   Abstract Selective conversion of methane (CH 4 ) into value-added chemicals represents a grand challenge for the efficient utilization of rising hydrocarbon sources. We report here dimeric copper centers supported on graphitic carbon nitride (denoted as Cu 2 @C 3 N 4 ) as advanced catalysts for CH 4 partial oxidation. The copper-dimer catalysts demonstrate high selectivity for partial oxidation of methane under both thermo- and photocatalytic reaction conditions, with hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and oxygen (O 2 ) being used as the oxidizer, respectively. In particular, the photocatalytic oxidation of CH 4 with O 2 achieves >10% conversion, and >98% selectivity toward methyl oxygenates and a mass-specific activity of 1399.3 mmol g Cu −1 h −1 . Mechanistic studies reveal that the high reactivity of Cu 2 @C 3 N 4 can be ascribed to symphonic mechanisms among the bridging oxygen, the two copper sites and the semiconducting C 3 N 4 substrate, which do not only facilitate the heterolytic scission of C-H bond, but also promotes H 2 O 2 and O 2 activation in thermo- and photocatalysis, respectively. 

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2. Comparison of two Mn ^IV Mn ^IV -bis-μ-oxo complexes {[Mn ^IV (N ₄ (6-Me-DPEN))] ₂ (μ-O) ₂ } ²⁺ and {[Mn ^IV (N ₄ (6-Me-DPPN))] ₂ (μ-O) ₂ } ²⁺

   https://doi.org/10.1107/S2056989020004557  

   Coggins, Michael K.; Downing, Alexandra N.; Kaminsky, Werner; Kovacs, Julie A. (July 2020, Acta Crystallographica Section E Crystallographic Communications)

   null (Ed.)

   The addition of tert -butyl hydroperoxide ( t BuOOH) to two structurally related Mn II complexes containing N,N -bis(6-methyl-2-pyridylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine (6-Me-DPEN) and N,N -bis(6-methyl-2-pyridylmethyl)propane-1,2-diamine (6-Me-DPPN) results in the formation of high-valent bis-oxo complexes, namely di-μ-oxido-bis{[ N , N -bis(6-methyl-2-pyridylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine]manganese(II)}( Mn — Mn ) bis(tetraphenylborate) dihydrate, [Mn(C 16 H 22 N 4 ) 2 O 2 ](C 24 H 20 B) 2 ·2H 2 O or {[Mn IV (N 4 (6-Me-DPEN))] 2 ( μ -O) 2 }(2BPh 4 )(2H 2 O) ( 1 ) and di-μ-oxido-bis{[ N , N -bis(6-methyl-2-pyridylmethyl)propane-1,3-diamine]manganese(II)}( Mn — Mn ) bis(tetraphenylborate) diethyl ether disolvate, [Mn(C 17 H 24 N 4 ) 2 O 2 ](C 24 H 20 B) 2 ·2C 4 H 10 O or {[Mn IV (N 4 (6-MeDPPN))] 2 ( μ -O) 2 }(2BPh 4 )(2Et 2 O) ( 2 ). Complexes 1 and 2 both contain the `diamond core' motif found previously in a number of iron, copper, and manganese high-valent bis-oxo compounds. The flexibility in the propyl linker in the ligand scaffold of 2 , as compared to that of the ethyl linker in 1 , results in more elongated Mn—N bonds, as one would expect. The Mn—Mn distances and Mn—O bond lengths support an Mn IV oxidation state assignment for the Mn ions in both 1 and 2 . The angles around the Mn centers are consistent with the local pseudo-octahedral geometry. 

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3. 10 ⁶ -fold faster C–H bond hydroxylation by a Co ^III,IV ₂ (µ-O) ₂ complex [via a Co ^III ₂ (µ-O)(µ-OH) intermediate] versus its Fe ^III Fe ^IV analog

   https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2307950120  

   Li, Yan; Abelson, Chase; Que, Lawrence; Wang, Dong (December 2023, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

   The hydroxylation of C–H bonds can be carried out by the high-valent Co^III,IV₂(µ-O)₂complex2asupported by the tetradentate tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine ligand via a Co^III₂(µ-O)(µ-OH) intermediate (3a). Complex3acan be independently generated either by H-atom transfer (HAT) in the reaction of2awith phenols as the H-atom donor or protonation of its conjugate base, the Co^III₂(µ-O)₂complex1a. Resonance Raman spectra of these three complexes reveal oxygen-isotope-sensitive vibrations at 560 to 590 cm⁻¹associated with the symmetric Co–O–Co stretching mode of the Co₂O₂diamond core. Together with a Co•••Co distance of 2.78(2) Å previously identified for1aand2aby Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) analysis, these results provide solid evidence for their “diamond core” structural assignments. The independent generation of3aallows us to investigate HAT reactions of2awith phenols in detail, measure the redox potential and pK_aof the system, and calculate the O–H bond strength (D_O–H) of3ato shed light on the C–H bond activation reactivity of2a. Complex3ais found to be able to transfer its hydroxyl ligand onto the trityl radical to form the hydroxylated product, representing a direct experimental observation of such a reaction by a dinuclear cobalt complex. Surprisingly, reactivity comparisons reveal2ato be 10⁶-fold more reactive in oxidizing hydrocarbon C–H bonds than corresponding Fe^III,IV₂(µ-O)₂and Mn^III,IV₂(µ-O)₂analogs, an unexpected outcome that raises the prospects for using Co^III,IV₂(µ-O)₂species to oxidize alkane C–H bonds. 

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4. DFT Analysis of Methane C−H Activation and Over‐Oxidation by [Cu ₂ O] ²⁺ and [Cu ₂ O ₂ ] ²⁺ Sites in Zeolite Mordenite: Intra‐ versus Inter‐site Over‐Oxidation

   https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.202100580  

   Panthi, Dipak; Adeyiga, Olajumoke; Odoh, Samuel_O (October 2021, ChemPhysChem)

   Abstract Methane over‐oxidation by copper‐exchanged zeolites prevents realization of high‐yield catalytic conversion. However, there has been little description of the mechanism for methane over‐oxidation at the copper active sites of these zeolites. Using density functional theory (DFT) computations, we reported that tricopper [Cu₃O₃]²⁺active sites can over‐oxidize methane. However, the role of [Cu₃O₃]²⁺sites in methane‐to‐methanol conversion remains under debate. Here, we examine methane over‐oxidation by dicopper [Cu₂O]²⁺and [Cu₂O₂]²⁺sites using DFT in zeolite mordenite (MOR). For [Cu₂O₂]²⁺, we considered the μ‐(η²:η²) peroxo‐, and bis(μ‐oxo) motifs. These sites were considered in the eight‐membered (8MR) ring of MOR. μ‐(η²:η²) peroxo sites are unstable relative to the bis(μ‐oxo) motif with a small interconversion barrier. Unlike [Cu₂O]²⁺which is active for methane C−H activation, [Cu₂O₂]²⁺has a very large methane C−H activation barrier in the 8MR. Stabilization of methanol and methyl at unreacted dicopper sites however leads to over‐oxidation via sequential hydrogen atom abstraction steps. For methanol, these are initiated by abstraction of the CH₃group, followed by OH and can proceed near 200 °C. Thus, for [Cu₂O]²⁺and [Cu₂O₂]²⁺species, over‐oxidation is an inter‐site process. We discuss the implications of these findings for methanol selectivity, especially in comparison to the intra‐site process for [Cu₃O₃]²⁺sites and the role of Brønsted acid sites. 

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5. Editors’ Choice—Vibrational Properties of Oxygen-Hydrogen Centers in H ⁺ - and D ⁺ -Implanted Ga ₂ O ₃

   https://doi.org/10.1149/2162-8777/abd458  

   Portoff, Amanda; Venzie, Andrew; Qin, Ying; Stavola, Michael; Fowler, W. Beall; Pearton, Stephen J. (December 2020, ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology)

   The ion implantation of H⁺and D⁺into Ga₂O₃produces several O–H and O–D centers that have been investigated by vibrational spectroscopy. These defects include the dominant V_Ga(1)-2H and V_Ga(1)-2D centers studied previously along with additional defects that can be converted into this structure by thermal annealing. The polarization dependence of the spectra has also been analyzed to determine the directions of the transition moments of the defects and to provide information about defect structure. Our experimental results show that the implantation of H⁺(or D⁺) into Ga₂O₃produces two classes of defects with different polarization properties. Theory finds that these O–H (or O–D) centers are based on two shifted configurations of a Ga(1) vacancy that trap H (or D) atom(s). The interaction of V_Ga(1)-nD centers with other defects in the implanted samples has also been investigated to help explain the number of O–D lines seen and their reactions upon annealing. Hydrogenated divacancy V_Ga(1)-V_Ocenters have been considered as an example. 

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