How to modulate catalytic properties in nanosystems: The case of iron-ruthenium nanoparticles

Vinciane Kelsen (1) , Anca Meffre (1) , Pier-Francesco Fazzini (1) , Pierre Lecante (2, 3) , Bruno Chaudret (1)

1 LPCNO - Laboratoire de physique et chimie des nano-objets
2 CEMES - Centre d'élaboration de matériaux et d'études structurales
3 CEMES-SINanO - Surfaces, Interfaces et Nano-Objets

Ultrasmall FeRu bimetallic nanoparticles were prepared by co-decomposition of two organometallic precursors, Fe[N(Si(CH3)3) 2]22 and (η4-1,5- cyclooctadiene)(η6-1,3,5-cyclooctatriene)ruthenium(0) (Ru(COD)(COT)), under dihydrogen at 150 °C in mesitylene. A series of FeRu nanoparticles of sizes of approximately 1.8 nm and incorporating different ratios of iron to ruthenium were synthesized by varying the quantity of the ruthenium complex introduced (Fe/Ru=1:1, 1:0.5, 1:0.2, and 1:0.1). FeRu nanoparticles were characterized by TEM, high-resolution TEM, and wide-angle X-ray scattering analyses. Their surface was studied by hydride titration and IR spectroscopy after CO adsorption and their magnetic properties were analyzed by using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). The FeRu nanoparticles were used as catalysts in the hydrogenation of styrene and 2-butanone. The results indicate that the selectivity of the nanoparticle catalysts can be modulated according to their composition and therefore represent a case study on fine-tuning the reactivity of nanocatalysts and adjusting their selectivity in a given reaction. Singing a bimetallic tune: The selectivity of FeRu nanocatalysts in hydrogenation reactions can be tuned by adjusting the Ru content in bimetallic FeRu ultrasmall nanoparticles.

Mots clés: Hydrogenation reactions; Wide angle X-ray scattering; Ruthenium complexes; Catalyst selectivity; Electron microscopy; Hydrogenation; Iron; Iron compounds; Nanoparticles; Organometallics; Ruthenium; Ruthenium compounds; SQUIDs; Styrene; Bimetallic nanoparticles; Catalytic properties; High-resolution TEM; Synthesis (chemical); Nanoparticle catalysts; Organometallic precursors

Domaines: Physique [physics]

Vinciane Kelsen, Anca Meffre, Pier-Francesco Fazzini, Pierre Lecante, Bruno Chaudret. How to modulate catalytic properties in nanosystems: The case of iron-ruthenium nanoparticles. ChemCatChem, 2014, 6 (6), pp.1714-1720. ⟨10.1002/cctc.201300907⟩. ⟨hal-01766219⟩