Polyoxometalates represent a diverse range of molecular clusters with an almost unmatched range of physical properties and the ability to form structures that can bridge several length scales. The new building block principles that have been discovered are beginning to allow the design of complex clusters with desired properties and structures and several structural types and novel physical properties are examined. In this critical review the synthetic and design approaches to the many polyoxometalate cluster types are presented encompassing all the sub-types of polyoxometalates including, isopolyoxometalates, heteropolyoxometalates, and reduced molybdenum blue systems. As well as the fundamental structure and bonding aspects, the final section is devoted to discussing these clusters in the context of contemporary and emerging interdisciplinary interests from areas as diverse as anti-viral agents, biological ion transport models, and materials science.

Polyoxometalate clusters, nanostructures and materials: From self assembly to designer materials and devices

Polyoxometalates (POMs) are a subset of metal oxides that represent a diverse range of molecular clusters with an almost unmatched range of physical properties and the ability to form dynamic structures that can range in size from the nano- to the micrometer scale Herein we present the very latest developments from synthesis to structure and function of POMs We discuss the possibilities of creating highly sophisticated functional hierarchical systems with multiple, interdependent, functionalities along with a critical analysis that allows the non-specialist to learn the salient features We propose and present a "periodic table of polyoxometalate building blocks" We also highlight some of the current issues and challenges that need to be addressed to work towards the design of functional systems based upon POM building blocks and look ahead to possible emerging application areas

Polyoxometalates: Building Blocks for Functional Nanoscale Systems

Conversion of Biomass into Chemicals over Metal Catalysts

Recent Advances in Polyoxometalate-Catalyzed Reactions

Increasing energy demand, especially in the transportation sector, and soaring CO2 emissions necessitate the exploitation of renewable sources of energy. Despite the large variety of new energy carriers, liquid hydrocarbon still appears to be the most attractive and feasible form of transportation fuel taking into account the energy density, stability and existing infrastructure. Biomass is an abundant, renewable source of energy; however, utilizing it in a cost-effective way is still a substantial challenge. Lignocellulose is composed of three major biopolymers, namely cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Fast pyrolysis of biomass is recognized as an efficient and feasible process to selectively convert lignocellulose into a liquid fuel—bio-oil. However bio-oil from fast pyrolysis contains a large amount of oxygen, distributed in hundreds of oxygenates. These oxygenates are the cause of many negative properties, such as low heating value, high corrosiveness, high viscosity, and instability; they also greatly limit the application of bio-oil particularly as transportation fuel. Hydrocarbons derived from biomass are most attractive because of their high energy density and compatibility with the existing infrastructure. Thus, converting lignocellulose into transportation fuels via catalytic fast pyrolysis has attracted much attention. Many studies related to catalytic fast pyrolysis of biomass have been published. The main challenge of this process is the development of active and stable catalysts that can deal with a large variety of decomposition intermediates from lignocellulose. This review starts with the current understanding of the chemistry in fast pyrolysis of lignocellulose and focuses on the development of catalysts in catalytic fast pyrolysis. Recent progress in the experimental studies on catalytic fast pyrolysis of biomass is also summarized with the emphasis on bio-oil yields and quality.

Catalytic fast pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass

Caesium 12-tungstophosphate, Cs2.5H0.5PW12O40 (CsPW), possessing strong Bronsted acid sites is an active catalyst for the dehydration of glycerol to acrolein in the gas-phase process at 275 °C and 1 bar pressure. The initial glycerol conversion amounts to 100% at 98% acrolein selectivity, however, decreases significantly with the time on stream (∼40% after 6 h) due to catalyst coking, without impairing acrolein selectivity. Doping CsPW with platinum group metals (PGM) (0.3–0.5%) together with co-feeding hydrogen improve catalyst stability to deactivation, while maintaining high selectivity to acrolein. The enhancing effect of PGM was found to increase in the order: Ru ∼ Pt < Pd. The catalyst 0.5%Pd/CsPW gives 96% acrolein selectivity at 79% glycerol conversion, with a specific rate of acrolein production of 23 mmol h−1 gcat−1 at 275 °C and 5 h time on stream, exceeding that reported previously for supported heteropoly acids (5–11 mmol h−1 gcat−1 per total catalyst mass). Evidence is presented regarding the nature of acid sites required for the dehydration of glycerol to acrolein, supporting the importance of strong Bronsted sites for this reaction.

Gas-phase dehydration of glycerol to acrolein catalysed by caesium heteropoly salt

Ruthenium-doped (5 wt%) acidic heteropoly salt Cs2.5H0.5[PW12O40] (CsPW) is an active bifunctional catalyst for the one-pot hydrogenolysis of glycerol to 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PDO) in liquid phase, providing 96% selectivity to 1,2-PDO at 21% glycerol conversion at 150 °C and an unprecedented low hydrogen pressure of 5 bar. Rhodium catalyst, 5%Rh/CsPW, although less active, shows considerable selectivity to 1,3-PDO (7.1%), with 1,2-PDO being the main product (65%).

Hydrogenolysis of Glycerol to Propanediol Over Ru: Polyoxometalate Bifunctional Catalyst

Esterification of hexanoic acid and transesterification of ethyl propanoate and ethyl hexanoate with excess methanol (1:20 molar ratio) are tested at 60 °C and ambient pressure with a range of HPA catalysts in homogeneous and heterogeneous systems in comparison with conventional homogeneous and solid acid catalysts such as H2SO4, Amberlyst-15 and zeolites HY and H-Beta. The intrinsic catalytic activity (turnover frequency, TOF) of HPA catalysts is significantly higher than that of the conventional acid catalysts in these reactions. The TOF values decrease with decreasing catalyst acid strength in the order: H3PW12O40 ≈ Cs2.5H0.5PW12O40 > H4SiW12O40 > 15%H3PW12O40/Nb2O5, 15%H3PW12O40/ZrO2, 15%H3PW12O40/TiO2 > H2SO4 > HY, H-Beta > Amberlyst-15. The activity per unit catalyst weight falls in a different order: H2SO4 > H3PW12O40 ≈ H4SiW12O40 > Amberlyst-15 ≥ Cs2.5H0.5PW12O40 > supported H3PW12O40 > HY, H-Beta. Bulk cesium salt Cs2.5H0.5PW12O40 exhibits high catalytic activity as well as high stability to leaching. Supported HPA catalysts suffer from leaching and exhibit significant contribution of homogeneous catalysis by the leached HPA.

Heteropoly acids as catalysts for liquid-phase esterification and transesterification

Keggin-type heteropoly acids supported on activated carbon (HPA/C) are active catalysts for oxidative desulfurization (ODS) of diesel fuel under mild conditions in a biphasic system composed of a benzothiophene-containing model diesel fuel (heptane) and aqueous 30% H2O2. The catalytic activity of HPA/C was found to decrease in the order of HPA: H3PMo12O40 > H3PW12O40 > H4SiW12O40. The most active catalyst, H3PMo12O40/C, exhibited 100% removal of benzothiophenes from model diesel fuel at 60 °C, and could be recovered and reused without loss of activity. This catalyst outperforms other recently reported heterogeneous catalysts for ODS in similar systems. Kinetic and DRIFTS studies provide new insights into the mechanism of ODS reaction on carbon-supported HPAs.

Oxidative desulfurization of model diesel fuel catalyzed by carbon-supported heteropoly acids

Keggin-type polyoxometalates (POM) immobilized on alkylaminophosphazene (RPN)-functionalized silica (POM/RPN-SiO2) are new effective single-site solid catalysts for oxidative desulfurization (ODS) of diesel fuel under mild conditions in a biphasic system composed of a benzothiophene-containing model diesel fuel (heptane) and aqueous 30% H2O2. The catalytic activity of POM/RPN-SiO2 was found to be influenced by the choice of POM and the amine R group in RPN, decreasing in the order PMo > PW > SiW and Bz > iBu > iPr, respectively. The most effective catalyst, PMo/BzPN-SiO2 (PMo = PMo12O403−), exhibited 100% removal of dibenzothiophene from model diesel fuel at 60 °C and ambient pressure and could be reused without loss of activity. This catalyst outperforms other recently reported heterogeneous catalysts for ODS in similar systems. 13C, 29Si and 31P MAS NMR, FTIR, SEM, BET and elemental analysis were used to characterize the structure of surface phosphazene and POM species in the new catalysts.

Elena F. Kozhevnikova

Papers

Gas-phase dehydration of glycerol to acrolein catalysed by caesium heteropoly salt

Hydrogenolysis of Glycerol to Propanediol Over Ru: Polyoxometalate Bifunctional Catalyst

Heteropoly acids as catalysts for liquid-phase esterification and transesterification

Oxidative desulfurization of model diesel fuel catalyzed by carbon-supported heteropoly acids

Oxidative desulfurization of diesel fuel catalyzed by polyoxometalate immobilized on phosphazene-functionalized silica