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DOE OSTI2024

Spectroscopic Insight on Neodymium Solvation in Lithium Borohydride-Supported Electrolyte

Borohydride-based electrolytes have recently emerged as promising media for the electrodeposition of electropositive metals, including rare earth (RE) elements. While the presence of supporting alkali metal cations and RE counteranions provides essential electrochemical conductivity for achieving fast metal electrodeposition, interactions between the host ligand and solvated neodymium (Nd) complexes remain unclear. This study provides insights into the coordination structure of a concentrated and directly solvated Nd salt in a lithium borohydride-supported electrolyte. Our spectroscopic results indicate that the RE coordination environment is significantly influenced by the solvation mechanism, which can vary between metathesis and complexation pathways, primarily dictated by stoichiometric factors. Under dilute conditions, nearly complete metathesis of anions leads to a high coordination number for the host ligand (borohydride), consistent with the previously reported solvated Nd speciation in chlorine-free electrolytes. In contrast, concentrated dissolution of the Nd salt in the supported electrolyte is dominated by a complexation pathway featuring a Li-ion-paired complex with a low coordination number of the host ligand. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that the observed blue shift in the borohydride vibration was the result of an increase in electron density drawn into the terminal B–H interbond region from the hydride as the coordination changed from Li to Nd. In conjunction with DFT results, vibrational analyses allowed correlation of the experimental shifts associated with changes in Nd ligation and coordination spheres, further consolidating the prevalence of highly chloride-coordinated species under concentrated conditions. In conclusion, the outcomes of this work illuminate the distinctive and heterogeneous coordination structures that the electroactive RE species can adopt at high concentrations in lithium borohydride-supported electrolytes, as a key step to comprehend the reported metal electrodeposition performance in these media.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2014

The Influence of the Second and Outer Coordination Spheres on Rh(diphosphine)2 CO2 Hydrogenation Catalysts

A series of [Rh(PCH2XRCH2P)2]+ complexes were prepared to investigate second and outer coordination sphere effects on CO2 hydrogenation catalysis, where X is CH2 (dppp) or X-R is N-CH3, N-CH2COOH (glycine), N-CH2COOCH3 (Gly-OMe) or N-CH2C(O)N-CH(CH3)COOCH3 (GlyAla-OMe). All of these modified complexes were active for CO2 reduction to formate, with the N-CH3 derivative offering an eight-fold enhancement over dppp, which is consistent with decreased electron density around the phosphorous (and corresponding increase in electron density around the metal) observed in the 31P NMR spectrum. Despite the increase in rate with the addition of the pendant nitrogen, the addition of electron withdrawing amino acids and dipeptides to the amine resulted in complexes with reductions in rate of one to two orders of magnitude, most consistent with a change in pKa of the pendant amine resulting in lower activity. Collectively, the data suggests multiple contributions of the pendant amine in this catalytic system. This work was supported by the US Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is a multiprogram national laboratory operated for the DOE by Battelle. A portion of this research was performed using EMSL, a national scientific user facility sponsored by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research and located at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

bioinspired↗

DOE OSTI2013

Molecular, crystal, and electronic structure of the cobalt(II) complex with 10-(2-benzothiazolylazo)-9-phenanthrol

The reaction of 10-(2-benzothiazolylazo)-9-phenanthrol (HL) with cobalt(II) acetate gives the coordination compound [CoL{sub 2}] {center_dot} CHCl{sub 3} (I). The molecular and crystal structure of I is determined by X-ray diffraction. The coordination polyhedron of the Co atom in complex I is an octahedron. The anion L acts as a tridentate chelating ligand and is coordinated to the Co atom through the phenanthrenequinone O1 atom and the benzothiazole N1 atom of the moieties L and the N3 atom of the azo group to form two five-membered metallocycles. The molecular and electronic structures of the compounds HL, L, and CoL{sub 2} are studied at the density functional theory level. The results of the quantum-chemical calculations are in good agreement with the values determined by X-ray diffraction.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2018

Trapping intermediates in metal transfer reactions of the CusCBAF export pump of Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli CusCBAF represents an important class of bacterial efflux pump exhibiting selectivity towards Cu(I) and Ag(I). The complex is comprised of three proteins: the CusA transmembrane pump, the CusB soluble adaptor protein, and the CusC outer-membrane pore, and additionally requires the periplasmic metallochaperone CusF. Here we used spectroscopic and kinetic tools to probe the mechanism of copper transfer between CusF and CusB using selenomethionine labeling of the metal-binding Met residues coupled to RFQ-XAS at the Se and Cu edges. The results indicate fast formation of a protein–protein complex followed by slower intra-complex metal transfer. An intermediate coordinated by ligands from each protein forms in 100 ms. Stopped-flow fluorescence of the capping CusF-W44 tryptophan that is quenched by metal transfer also supports this mechanism. The rate constants validate a process in which shared-ligand complex formation assists protein association, providing a driving force that raises the rate into the diffusion-limited regime.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2016

Systematic design and research on a series of cadmium coordination polymers assembled due to tetracarboxylate ligands

A series of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been prepared by tetracarboxylate ligands and Cd(II) ions under the hydrothermal or solvothermal conditions with the formulas of {[Cd_2(L_1)(H_2O)_4]·H_2O}{sub n} (1), {[(CH_3)_2NH_2]_2[Cd(L_1)]}{sub n} (2), [Cd(L{sub 2}){sub 0.5}(H{sub 2}O)]{sub n} (3), {[(CH_3)_2NH_2]_2 [Cd(L_2)]·2DMF}{sub n} (4), [Cd(L{sub 3}){sub 0.5}(H{sub 2}O)]{sub n} (5), {[Cd(L_3)_0_._5(H_2O)]·CH_3OH}{sub n} (6), {[(CH_3)_2NH_2]_2[Cd_3(L_4)_2]}{sub n} (7) (H{sub 4}L{sub 1}=[1,1′:4′,1″-terphenyl]-2,2″,5,5″-tetracarboxylic acid; H{sub 4}L{sub 2}=[1,1′:4′,1″-terphenyl]-2′,4,4″,5′-tetracarboxylic acid; H{sub 4}L{sub 3}=[1,1′:3′,1″-terphenyl]-2′,3,3″,5′-tetracarboxylic acid; H{sub 4}L{sub 4}=[1,1′:4′,1″-terphenyl]-3,3″,5,5″-tetracarboxylic acid), which are characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analyses, IR, TGA and PXRD. Complex 1 exhibits a three-dimensional (3D) supramolecular framework based on two-dimensional (2D) coordination networks. Complexes 2 and 4 possess 3D framework based on the 1D right-handed helix channels. Complexes 3 and 7 are a 3D architecture containing two different channels. Isostructural complexes 5 and 6 display 3D framework. The different synthetic methods and coordination modes of the tetracarboxylates ligands have effect on formation of various MOFs. Moreover, the luminescent properties and N{sub 2} adsorption behaviors have been reported. - Graphical abstract: A series of cadmium(II) high-dimensional coordination polymers constructed from four different kinds of tetracarboxylate ligands have been successfully prepared under hydrothermal or solvothermal conditions. The effect of solvents, the coordination modes of the tetracarboxylates and positions of carboxylate groups on the architectures of complexes 1–7 have been investigated in detail. The luminescent properties of the part of complexes, N{sub 2} adsorption behaviors of complexes 2, 4–7 have also been studied. - Highlights: • Tetracarboxylate ligands based on terphenyl moiety have been used. • Several factors that influenced the architecture have been discussed. • Luminescent properties have been investigated.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2026

Coordination-Induced Weakening of N–H Bonds Driven by Bimetallic Cooperativity in Zr/Co Compounds

The bond dissociation free energy (BDFE) of the element-hydrogen bonds of protic substrates have been found to decrease upon metal coordination. Herein, an early/late heterobimetallic complex is used to examine the impact on the BDFE N−H when the substrate binding site and the redox-active site are two different metals that are spatially separated. A tris- (phosphinoamide) framework is used to link a d 0 ZrIV center with an accessible substrate binding site to a coordinatively saturated redox-active Co center, which serves as an appended electron reservoir. A series of aniline, amido, and imido Zr/Co model compounds were synthesized starting from the Zr IV /Co −I aniline adduct PhH 2 N−Zr(MesNP i Pr 2 ) 3 CoCN t Bu (2). 2,4,6-tristert- butylphenoxyl radical ( t Bu 3 ArO • ) was used to abstract one or two H atoms and produce the amido and imido complexes PhHNZr( MesNP i Pr 2 ) 3 CoCN t Bu (3) and PhN≡Zr(MesNP i Pr 2 ) 3 CoCNtBu (4), respectively. Using open-circuit potential measurements, the BDFE N−H within 2 and 3 were determined to be 37 kcal/mol (2) and 55 kcal/mol (3). Cyclic voltammetry measurements were conducted to determine the Co I/0 and Co 0/−I redox potentials. The pK a s were then estimated using the Bordwell equation to provide further insight into the thermochemical aspects of the observed proton coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions.

Bond dissociation free energy↗

DOE OSTI2017

Thermodynamic, Spectroscopic, and Computational Studies of f -Element Complexation by N -Hydroxyethyl-diethylenetriamine- N,N ', N ", N "-tetraacetic Acid

Potentiometric and spectroscopic techniques were combined with DFT calculations to probe the coordination environment and determine thermodynamic features of trivalent f-element complexation by N-hydroxyethyl-diethylenetriamine-N,N',N",N"-tetraacetic acid, HEDTTA. Ligand protonation constants and lanthanide stability constants were determined using potentiometry. Five protonation constants were accessible in I = 2.0 M (H + /Na + )ClO 4 . UV–vis spectroscopy was used to determine stability constants for Nd 3+ and Am 3+ complexation with HEDTTA. Luminescence spectroscopy indicates two water molecules in the inner coordination sphere of the Eu/HEDTTA complex, suggesting HEDTTA is heptadentate. Luminescence data was supported by DFT calculations, which demonstrate that substitution of the acetate pendant arm by a N-hydroxyethyl group weakens the metal–nitrogen bond. This bond elongation is reflected in HEDTTA’s ability to differentiate trivalent actinides from trivalent lanthanides. The trans-lanthanide Ln/HEDTTA complex stability trend is analogous to Ln/DTPA complexation; however, the loss of one chelate ring resulting from structural substitution weakens the complexation by ~3 orders of magnitude. Successful separation of trivalent americium from trivalent lanthanides was demonstrated when HEDTTA was utilized as aqueous holdback complexant in a liquid–liquid system. Time-dependent extraction studies for HEDTTA were compared to diethylenetriamine-N,N,N',N",N"-pentaacetic acid (DTPA) and N-hydroxyethyl-ethylenediamine-N,N',N'-triacetic acid (HEDTA). The results presented here indicate substantially enhanced phase-transfer kinetic rates for mixtures containing HEDTTA.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

DOE OSTI2017

Synthesis, structure, and magnetic properties of magnesium bis-3,6-di-tert-butyl-о-benzosemiquinonate complexes with N-donor ligands

A series of six-coordinate magnesium bis-3,6-di-tert-butyl-о-benzosemiquinonate complexes with different N-donor ligands (2,2´-dipyridyl, 1,10-phenanthroline, 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline, pyridine, N-phenyl-1-(4-pyridinyl)methanimine) were synthesized. The molecular and crystal structures of these complexes were determined by X-ray diffraction. In the complexes with bidentate N-donor ligands, the O,O-diolate o-semiquinone ligands are cis to each other, whereas the compounds with monodentate ligands contain organic radical anions in trans positions. The specific features of magnetic exchange coupling between organic radical ligands were studied by temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility measurements.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2015

Synthesis and structural characterization of two half-sandwich nickel(II) complexes with the scorpionate ligands

The synthesis and characterization of two new halfsandwich mononuclear nickel(II) complexes with the scorpionate ligands, [k{sup 3}-N, N',N''-Tp{sup t-Bu}, {sup Me}NiI] (1) and [k{sup 3}-N,N',N''-Tp{sup t-Bu}, {sup Me}NiNO{sub 3}] (2), are reported. These complexes have been fully characterized by elemental analyses and infrared spectra. Their molecular structures were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The nickel(II) ion of complex 1 is in a four-coordinate environment, in which the donor atoms are provided by three nitrogen atoms of a hydrotris(pyrazolyl) borate ligand and one iodide atom, while that of complex 2 is in a five-coordinate environment with three nitrogen atoms from a hydrotris(pyrazolyl)borate ligand and two oxygen atoms from a nitrate ion.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2017

Iron speciation in peats: Chemical and spectroscopic evidence for the co-occurrence of ferric and ferrous iron in organic complexes and mineral precipitates

The speciation of iron (Fe) in organic matter (OM)-rich environments under in situ variable redox conditions is largely unresolved. Peatlands provide a natural setting to study Fe–OM interactions. Utilizing chemical, spectroscopic and theoretical modeling approaches, we report the chemical forms, oxidation states and local coordination environment of naturally occurring Fe in the vertically redox-stratified Manning peatlands of western New York. In addition, we report dominant carbon, sulfur and nitrogen species that can potentially stabilize the various Fe species present in these peatlands. Our results provide clear direct and indirect evidence for the co-occurrence of ferrous (Fe 2+ ) and ferric (Fe 3+ ) iron species in peats under both oxic and anoxic conditions. Iron is mostly present within the operationally defined organic and amorphous (i.e., short range ordered, SRO) fractions; ferric iron primarily as magnetically isolated paramagnetic Fe 3+ in Fe(III)-organic complexes, but also in mineral forms such as ferrihydrite; ferrous iron in tetrahedral coordination in Fe(II)-organic complexes with minor contribution from pyrite. All of the Fe species identified stabilize Fe(III) and/or Fe(II) in anoxic and oxic peats. Fundamental differences are also observed in the relative proportion of C, S and N functionalities of OM in oxic and anoxic peats. Aromatic C=C, ester, phenol and anomeric C (R-O-C-O-R), as well as thiol, sulfide and heterocyclic N functionalities are more prevalent in anoxic peats. Collectively, our experimental evidence suggests iron forms coordination complexes with O-, S- and N-containing functional groups of OM. We posit the co-occurrence of organic and mineral forms of Fe(II) and Fe(III) in both oxic and anoxic peat layers results from dynamic complexation and hydrolysis-precipitation reactions that occur under variable redox conditions. In conclusion, our findings aid in understanding the crucial role OM plays in determining Fe species in soils and sediments.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2026

Improving productivity and stability for CO 2 hydrogenation by using pincer-ligated Mn complexes with hemilabile ligands

Pincer ligands are widely used to support transition metal catalysts, but first-row systems often deactivate too quickly for widespread use. Here, pincer ligands bearing an additional hemilabile donor were designed to stabilize Mn catalysts for CO 2 hydrogenation to formate. Ligands of the type (RCH 2 CH 2 )N(CH 2 CH 2 P i Pr 2 ) 2 ( iPr PN R P; R = OMe, CH 2 OMe, NMe 2 , P i Pr 2 ) were synthesized and coordinated to Mn to form complexes of the type ( iPr PN R P)Mn(CO) 2 H. Their performance was compared to {MeN(CH 2 CH 2 P i Pr 2 ) 2 }Mn(CO) 2 H, which lacks a pendant donor. The pendant donor identity and arm length strongly influenced catalytic activity, but all pendant arm containing systems extended catalyst lifetime. Notably, ( iPr PN CH2OMe P)Mn(CO) 2 H achieved turnover frequencies of 158,000 h -1 and turnover numbers of 838,000, exceeding most state-of-the-art catalysts. Mechanistic studies revealed that hemilabile coordination enhances stability by avoiding deactivation, although excessive binding can lead to inactive states. Here, this work demonstrates hemilabile donors dramatically improve pincer-based Mn catalysts and provides design principles for broader applications.

CO2 hydrogenation↗

DOE OSTI2025

Spectroscopy and crystallography define carotenoid oxygenases as a new subclass of mononuclear non-heme Fe II enzymes

Carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases (CCDs) are non-heme Fe II enzymes that catalyze the oxidative cleavage of alkene bonds in carotenoids, stilbenoids, and related compounds. How these enzymes control the reaction of dioxygen (O 2 ) with their alkene substrates is unclear. Here, we apply spectroscopy in conjunction with X-ray crystallography to define the iron coordination geometry of a model CCD, CAO1 (Neurospora crassa carotenoid oxygenase 1), in its resting state and following substrate binding and coordination sphere substitutions. Resting CAO1 exhibits a five-coordinate (5C), square pyramidal Fe II center that undergoes steric distortion toward a trigonal bipyramidal geometry in the presence of piceatannol. Titrations with the O 2 -analog, nitric oxide, show a >100-fold increase in iron–nitric oxide affinity upon substrate binding, defining a crucial role for the substrate in activating the Fe II site for O 2 reactivity. The importance of the 5C Fe II structure for reactivity was probed through mutagenesis of the second-sphere Thr151 residue of CAO1, which occludes ligand binding at the sixth coordination position. A T151G substitution resulted in the conversion of the iron center to a six-coordinate state and a 135-fold reduction in apparent catalytic efficiency toward piceatannol compared with the wildtype enzyme. Substrate complexation resulted in partial six-coordinate to 5C conversion, indicating solvent dissociation from the iron center. Additional substitutions at this site demonstrated a general functional importance of the occluding residue within the CCD superfamily. Taken together, these data suggest an ordered mechanism of CCD catalysis occurring via substrate-promoted solvent replacement by O 2 . CCDs thus represent a new class of mononuclear non-heme Fe II enzymes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2021

Water Interplays during Dysprosium Electrodeposition in Pyrrolidinium Ionic Liquid: Deconvoluting the Pros and Cons for Rare Earth Metallization

The electrochemical production of rare earth metals (REMs) in ionic liquids (ILs) has received much attention as a promising, sustainable and replacement to the molten salt electrolysis. Water additives have been recently suggested as a strategy to overcome the limitations of the ionic liquid process, but without complete assessment of its overall viability for the REMs production. In this regard, a full investigation of water impact on dysprosium (Dy) electrodeposition in pyrrolidinium triflate (BMPyOTf) ionic liquid was carried out. Water introduction was revealed to involve an interplay of implications on the electrodeposition process, including coordination, speciation, reduction pathways, interfacial dynamics, nucleation and metal stability and purity. In highly dry conditions, the reduction occurs at very negative potentials (-3.3V) in a consecutive pathway, resulting in negligible metal electrodeposition (low rate and efficiency) at the electrode surface. Initial water introduction (<30% molar fraction) leads to partitioning of the Dy complex between water and IL coordinated speciation, giving rise to an additional wave at more positive potentials (-2.4V). Probing and quantification of the heterogeneous Dy speciation by spectroscopic analyses enabled the uncovering of the reduction mechanism and accurate evaluation of the mass transport properties. While lowering the reduction thermodynamics, water addition also improved the nucleation, deposition rate and faradaic efficiency. In spite of these benefits, stripping voltammetric analysis also indicated substantial chemical reactivity of the deposited Dy metal with water additives and/or electrolyte components, under extended timescales. Surface characterization of the obtained product confirmed limited Dy metal stability (mostly oxidized/fluorinated) and purity (~60%) in the studied system. Moreover, high water introduction (>30% molar fraction) was shown to trigger a fast hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), downgrading the robustness of system efficiency. We report the overall impact of water additives seems to engender both promoting and mitigating effects on the Dy electrodeposition process, making the case for more innovative strategies to be sought.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2020

Localized High Concentration Electrolytes for High Voltage Lithium-Metal Batteries: Correlation between the Electrolyte Composition and Its Reductive/Oxidative Stability

We demonstrate a first-principles screening methodology as an effective tool to explore electrolyte formulations for the new generation of high energy density rechargeable batteries. We study the liquid structure and electronic properties in dilute electrolytes, high concentration electrolytes (HCE), and localized high concentration electrolytes (LHCE), with focus on electrolyte formulations based on lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), and bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) ether (BTFE) as a diluent. We describe the solvation complexes in the dilute electrolyte and explore structural changes triggered by the increase in lithium salt concentration for HCEs and the diluent effects in LHCEs. In HCE formulations, there is a 4-fold coordination environment of lithium-ions as in the dilute electrolyte, but the number of lithium-ion interactions with O atoms from FSI- anions dominates. In these solutions, the ability of the FSI- anions to interact with multiple lithium-ions allows complex 3D network formation and influences the reductive/oxidative behavior of the electrolyte. Interestingly, in LHCEs, the BTFE diluent molecules do not change the 3D solution structure when diluting the HCE formulation from 5.49 to 3.83 M. However, there is a composition threshold where the structural and electronic behavior may change. We show that diluting the HCE electrolyte with BTFE down to 1.77 M breaks the three-dimensional solution structure into an island-like solvation complex. We relate these structural changes to the electronic properties of the electrolytes finding a causal relationship between the reductive/oxidative behavior and the lithium-oxygen interaction mechanisms in the solvated complexes. The coordination with lithium-ions lowers the electrolyte LUMO and HOMO levels: the higher is the number of interactions with lithium-ions, the more likely the solvent molecule, FSI- anion, or diluent molecule is to be reduced and the less likely it is to become oxidized. The evolution of the solvated ion structure in HCE and LHCE suggests a close connection to a corresponding change in the lithium-ion transport mechanisms for these electrolytes.

anions, molecules, oxygen, solvents, electrolytes↗

DOE OSTI2019

Cooperative H 2 Activation across a Metal–Metal Multiple Bond and Hydrogenation Reactions Catalyzed by a Zr/Co Heterobimetallic Complex

In the quest for active and selective catalysts featuring nonprecious metals, bimetallic cooperativity poses a unique opportunity to promote catalytic reactions and influence selectivity. While examples of stoichiometric H 2 activation across metal–metal bonds have been reported, there have been limited advances toward the incorporation of a well-defined cooperative bimetallic H 2 activation process into a catalytic cycle for the hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons. We demonstrate that facile activation of H 2 by two nonprecious metals is facilitated by metal–metal cooperativity in the coordinatively unsaturated Zr/Co bis(phosphinoamide) complexes (THF)(I)Zr(XylNP i Pr 2 ) 2 CoPR 3 (3-PMe 3 and 3-PMePh 2 , Xyl =3,5-dimethylphenyl), which feature highly polar Zr–Co triple bonds. Owing to the stabilizing nature of the metal–metal bond, the H 2 activation products (THF)(I)Zr(μ-H)(XylNP i Pr 2 ) 2 Co(H)(PR 3 ) (4-PMe 3 and 4-PMePh 2 ), which feature one terminally bound Co hydride and one hydride bridging the two metals, have been isolated and crystallographically characterized. The Zr/Co bimetallic complex 3-PMePh 2 is an active catalyst for the hydrogenation of alkenes and semihydrogenation of alkynes, and relevant intermediates including 4-PMePh 2 and alkene (5) and alkyne (6) adducts have been identified spectroscopically in situ and isolated and characterized through independent synthesis. The alkyne semihydrogenation reaction catalyzed by 3-PMePh 2 exhibits high selectivity for alkene over alkane products and generates an unselective distribution of (E)- and (Z)-alkenes via direct formation of both stereoisomers. These findings lend insight into the roles that metal–metal bonding and cooperativity play in the activation of small molecules and the promotion and selectivity of subsequent catalytic transformations.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2024

Binding of Sulfates and Water to Monovalent Cations

The binding of the sulfate ligand group to monovalent cations in the presence of water is important for many systems. To understand the structure and energetics of sulfate complexes, we use density functional theory to study ethyl sulfate binding to the monovalent cations Li + , Na + , and K + , and to water. The free energies of binding and optimal structures are calculated for a range of the number of ethyl sulfates and waters. Without water, the most optimal structure for all the cations is bidentate binding by two ethyl sulfates, yielding a 4-fold coordination. With water, the lowest free energy structures also have two ethyl sulfates, but the coordination varies with cations. For complexes with water, the four oxygen atoms in the sulfate group enable multiple binding geometries for the cations and for hydrogen bonding with water. Many of these geometries differ in free energy by only a small amount (1–2 kcal/mol), meaning there will be multiple binding configurations in bulk solution. In comparison to the optimal structures for binding to the carboxylate group, there is more variation for binding to the sulfate group as a function of cation type and the number of waters. Further, the polarization of the atoms is significant and varies among the sulfate oxygen atoms. The water oxygen charge is often larger than that of sulfate oxygen, which plays a role in the preference for monodentate ligand binding to cations in the presence of water.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2022

2.2.2-Cryptand complexes of neptunium(III) and plutonium(III)

New coordination environments are reported for Np(III) and Pu(III) based on pilot studies of U(III) in 2.2.2-cryptand (crypt). The U(III)-in-crypt complex, [U(crypt)I 2 ][I], obtained from the reaction between UI 3 and crypt, is treated with Me 3 SiOTf (OTf = O 3 SCF 3 ) in benzene to form the [U(crypt)(OTf) 2 ][OTf] complex. Similarly, the isomorphous Np(III) and Pu(III) complexes were obtained similarly starting from [AnI 3 (THF) 4 ]. All three complexes (1-An; An = U, Np, Pu) contain an encapsulated actinide in a THF-soluble complex. Finally, absorption spectroscopy and DFT calculations are consistent with 5f 3 U(III), 5f 4 Np(III), and 5f 5 Pu(III) electron configurations.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2016

Retention mechanisms of citric acid in ternary kaolinite-Fe(III)-citrate acid systems using Fe K-edge EXAFS and L 3,2 -edge XANES spectroscopy

Organic carbon (OC) stability in tropical soils is strongly interlinked with multivalent cation interaction and mineral association. Low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOAs) represent the readily biodegradable OC. Therefore, investigating retention mechanisms of LMWOAs in mineral-cation-LMWOAs systems is critical to understanding soil C cycling. Given the general acidic conditions and dominance of kaolinite in tropical soils, we investigated the retention mechanisms of citric acid (CA) in kaolinite-Fe(III)-CA systems with various Fe/CA molar ratios at pH ~3.5 using Fe K-edge EXAFS and L- 3,2 -edge XANES techniques. With Fe/CA molar ratios >2, the formed ferrihydrite mainly contributed to CA retention through adsorption and/or coprecipitation. With Fe/CA molar ratios from 2 to 0.5, ternary complexation of CA to kaolinite via a five-coordinated Fe(III) bridge retained higher CA than ferrihydrite-induced adsorption and/or coprecipitation. With Fe/CA molar ratios ≤ 0.5, kaolinite-Fe(III)-citrate complexation preferentially occurred, but less CA was retained than via outer-sphere kaolinite-CA complexation. This study highlighted the significant impact of varied Fe/CA molar ratios on CA retention mechanisms in kaolinite-Fe(III)-CA systems under acidic conditions, and clearly showed the important contribution of Fe-bridged ternary complexation on CA retention. In conclusion, these findings will enhance our understanding of the dynamics of CA and other LMWOAs in tropical soils.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗