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Updated: Mar 17, 2026

Quantitative Atomic-Site Analysis of Functional Dopants/Point Defects in Crystalline Materials by Electron-Channeling-Enhanced Microanalysis
Published on: May 10, 2021
Mixed cerium-platinum oxides: Electronic structure of [CeO]Ptn (n = 1, 2) and [CeO2]Pt complex anions and neutrals
Manisha Ray1, Jared O Kafader1, Josey E Topolski1
1Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 East Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA.
Abstract:
The electronic structures of several small Ce-Pt oxide complexes were explored using a combination of anion photoelectron (PE) spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. Pt and Pt2 both accept electron density from CeO diatomic molecules, in which the cerium atom is in a lower-than-bulk oxidation state (+2 versus bulk +4). Neutral [CeO]Pt and [CeO]Pt2 complexes are therefore ionic, with electronic structures described qualitatively as [CeO(+2)]Pt(-2) and [CeO(+)]Pt2 (-), respectively. The associated anions are described qualitatively as [CeO(+)]Pt(-2) and [CeO(+)]Pt2 (-2), respectively. In both neutrals and anions, the most stable molecular structures determined by calculations feature a distinct CeO moiety, with the positively charged Ce center pointing toward the electron rich Pt or Pt2 moiety. Spectral simulations based on calculated spectroscopic parameters are in fair agreement with the spectra, validating the computationally determined structures. In contrast, when Pt is coupled with CeO2, which has no Ce-localized electrons that can readily be donated to Pt, the anion is described as [CeO2]Pt(-). The molecular structure predicted computationally suggests that it is governed by charge-dipole interactions. The neutral [CeO2]Pt complex lacks charge-dipole stabilizing interactions, and is predicted to be structurally very different from the anion, featuring a single Pt-O-Ce bridge bond. The PE spectra of several of the complexes exhibit evidence of photodissociation with Pt(-) daughter ion formation. The electronic structures of these complexes are related to local interactions in Pt-ceria catalyst-support systems.
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