Prof. Richard G. Finke, Colorado State University

Transition-metal Nanoclusters: Synthesis, Kinetics and Mechanism of Formation, Stabilizer Ratings, and Catalysis

Nanoclusters hold tremendous potential to make better size-controlled, compositionally understood and overall more selective, active and long-lived metal particle-as well as multimetallic metal particle-catalysts. However, a significant roadblock at this point is still the selective and controlled synthesis, and then full and unequivocal characterization, of the required nanocluster catalysts. In addition, little was known for certain about the mechanism of formation and then agglomeration of transition-metal nanoclusters until more recently, such mechanistic insights being needed to guide rational synthetic efforts. What stabilizers are best for a given nanocluster is another topic that is causing considerable confusion and unnecessary proliferation of the literature at present.

Recent efforts in the Finke Group in the area of nanoclusters in catalysis will be described, research aimed at accomplishing the reproducible synthesis, characterization, scale-up and "bottleable" storage of nanoclusters. Insights into the kinetics and mechanism of formation and agglomeration of transition-metal nanoclusters-the first such detailed insights in 50 years-will be described. Some of the first results in the nanocluster area aimed at understanding the factors stabilizing transition-metal nanoclusters will also be described, work that has led to insights into how tridentate oxoanions are attached to nanocluster surfaces. In all cases catalytically active nanoclusters are being made and studied, including those able to do, for example, arene hydrogenation. Time permitting, the talk will also describe our recent results on the historically perplexing "Is it homogeneous or heterogeneous catalysis?" question, the high activity and selectivity nanocluster catalysis of acetone reduction (a H2 storage reaction), and the role of N-heterocyclic carbenes in nanocluster stabilization in ionic liquids.

For more information contract Dr. Christoph Fahrni (404-385-1164).