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Small molecule binding to surface-supported single-site transition-metal reaction centres
M DeJong1,2, A J A Price3, E Mårsell2
1Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1, Canada.
Nature Communications
|December 1, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed single-site molecular catalysts on silver surfaces for industrial processes. Reactants bond to iron-terpyridine sites via surface intermediates, offering insights into substrate roles in catalysis.
Area of Science:
- Surface science
- Catalysis
- Coordination chemistry
Background:
- Heterogeneous catalysts are vital but difficult to control due to diverse active sites.
- Single-site molecular catalysts offer advantages of both heterogeneous and homogeneous systems.
- Surface interactions significantly influence catalytic reaction mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and characterize reactive Fe-terpyridine single-site catalysts on a Ag(111) surface.
- To investigate the catalytic activity towards CO and C2H4.
- To elucidate the role of the metallic substrate in catalytic pathways.
Main Methods:
- Metal-organic coordination for site synthesis.
- Low-temperature ultrahigh-vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy (UHV-STM).
- Scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM).
- Density-functional theory (DFT) modeling.
Main Results:
- Fe-terpyridine sites were successfully synthesized on Ag(111).
- Reactants (CO, C2H4) were observed to bond via surface-bound intermediates.
- The study visualized reaction pathways at a site-by-site level.
- The influence of the Ag(111) substrate on reactivity was investigated.
Conclusions:
- Surface-bound intermediates are crucial in the reaction mechanism of these single-site catalysts.
- Understanding substrate effects is key for designing effective single-site catalysts on metallic supports.
- This work provides a foundation for precise control over molecular catalysis on surfaces.
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