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Stephens, Peter W.

Publications and source records attributed to Stephens, Peter W..

5 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

In situ studies of reversible solid–gas reactions of ethylene responsive silver pyrazolates

Solid–gas reactions and in situ powder X-ray diffraction investigations of trinuclear silver complexes {[3,4,5-(CF 3 ) 3 Pz]Ag} 3 and {[4-Br-3,5-(CF 3 ) 2 Pz]Ag} 3 supported by highly fluorinated pyrazolates reveal that they undergo intricate ethylene-triggered structural transformations in the solid-state producing dinuclear silver–ethylene adducts. Despite the complexity, the chemistry is reversible producing precursor trimers with the loss of ethylene. Less reactive {[3,5-(CF 3 ) 2 Pz]Ag} 3 under ethylene pressure and low-temperature conditions stops at an unusual silver–ethylene complex in the trinuclear state, which could serve as a model for intermediates likely present in more common trimer–dimer reorganizations described above. Complete structural data of three novel silver–ethylene complexes are presented together with a thorough computational analysis of the mechanism.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Molecular Compound for Highly Selective Purification of Ethylene

Purification of C 2 H 4 from an C 2 H 4 /C 2 H 6 mixture is one of the most challenging separation processes, which is achieved mainly through energy-intensive, cryogenic distillation in industry. Sustainable, non-distillation methods are highly desired as alternatives. We discovered that the fluorinated bis(pyrazolyl)borate ligand supported copper(I) complex {[(CF 3 ) 2 Bp]Cu} 3 has features very desirable in an olefin–paraffin separation material. It binds ethylene exclusively over ethane generating [(CF 3 ) 2 Bp]Cu(C 2 H 4 ). This molecular compound exhibits extremely high and record ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST) C 2 H 4 /C 2 H 6 gas separation selectivity, affording high purity (>99.5 %) ethylene that can be readily desorbed from separation columns. In-situ PXRD provides a “live” picture of the reversible conversion between [(CF 3 ) 2 Bp]Cu(C 2 H 4 ) and the ethylene-free sorbent in the solid-state, driven by the presence or removal of C 2 H 4 . As a result, molecular structures of trinuclear {[(CF 3 ) 2 Bp]Cu} 3 and mononuclear [(CF 3 ) 2 Bp]Cu(C 2 H 4 ) are also presented.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗