V. Van Speybroeck

A switchable domino process for the construction of novel CO2‐sourced sulfur‐containing building blocks and polymers

F. Ouhib, B. Grignard, E. Van den Broeck, A. Luxen, K. Robeyns, V. Van Speybroeck, C. Jerome, C. Detrembleur
Angewandte Chemie int. Ed.
58 (34), 11768-11773
2019
A1

Abstract 

α‐Alkylidene cyclic carbonates (αCCs) recently emerged as attractive CO2‐sourced synthons for the construction of complex organic molecules. Herein, we report the transformation of αCCs into novel families of sulfur‐containing compounds by organocatalyzed chemoselective addition of thiols, following a domino process that is switched on/off depending on the desired product. The process is extremely fast and versatile in substrate scope, provides selectively linear thiocarbonates or elusive tetrasubstituted ethylene carbonates with high yields following a 100 % atom economy reaction, and valorizes CO2 as a renewable feedstock. It is also exploited to produce a large diversity of unprecedented functional polymers. It constitutes a robust platform for the design of new sulfur‐containing organic synthons and important families of polymers.

DOI 

http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/anie.201905969

Insight into the role of water on the methylation of hexamethylbenzene in H-SAPO-34 from first principle molecular dynamics simulations

S. Bailleul, S.M.J. Rogge, L. Vanduyfhuys, V. Van Speybroeck
ChemCatChem
11 (16), 3993-4010
2019
A1

Abstract 

The methylation of hexamethylbenzene with methanol is one of the key reactions in the methanol‐to‐olefins hydrocarbon pool reaction cycle taking place over the industrially relevant H‐SAPO‐34 zeolite. This methylation reaction can occur either via a concerted or via a stepwise mechanism, the latter being the preferred pathway at higher temperatures. Herein, we systematically investigate how a complex reaction environment with additional water molecules and higher concentrations of Brønsted acid sites in the zeolite impacts the reaction mechanism. To this end, first principle molecular dynamics simulations are performed using enhanced sampling methods to characterize the reactants and products in the catalyst pores and to construct the free energy profiles. The most prominent effect of the dynamic sampling of the reaction path is the stabilization of the product region where water is formed, which can either move freely in the pores of the zeolite or be stabilized through hydrogen bonding with the other protic molecules. These protic molecules also stabilize the deprotonated Brønsted acid site, created due to the formation of the heptamethylbenzenium cation, via a Grotthuss‐type mechanism. Our results provide fundamental insight in the experimental parameters that impact the methylation of hexamethylbenzene in H‐SAPO‐34, especially highlighting and rationalizing the crucial role of water in one of the main reactions of the aromatics‐based reaction cycle.

Gold Open Access

DOI 

http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cctc.201900618

Effect of zeolite topology and reactor configuration on the direct conversion of CO2 to light olefins and aromatics

A. Ramirez Galilea, A. Dutta Chowdhury, A. Dokania, P. Cnudde, M. Caglayan, I. Yarulina, E. Abou-Hamad, L. Gevers, S. Ould-Chikh, K. De Wispelaere, V. Van Speybroeck, J. Gascon
ACS Catalysis
9, 6320-6334
2019
A1

DOI 

https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.9b01466

Collective action of water molecules in zeolite dealumination

M. Nielsen, A. Hafreager, R. Brogaard, K. De Wispelaere, H. Falsig, P. Beato, V. Van Speybroeck, S. Svelle
Catalysis Science & Technology
9 (14), 3721-3725
2019
A1

Abstract 

When exposed to steam, zeolite catalysts are irreversibly deactivated by loss of acidity and framework degradation caused by dealumination. Steaming typically occurs at elevated temperatures, making it challenging to investigate the mechanism with most approaches. Herein, we follow the dynamics of zeolite dealumination in situ, in the presence of a realistic loading of water molecules by means of enhanced sampling molecular dynamics simulations. H-SSZ-13 zeolite is chosen as a target system. Monte Carlo simulations predict a loading of more than 3 water molecules per unit cell at representative steaming conditions (450 °C, 1 bar steam). Our results show that a higher water loading lowers the free energy barrier of dealumination, as water molecules cooperate to facilitate hydrolysis of Al–O bonds. We find free energies of activation for dealumination that agree well with the available experimental measurements. Clearly, the use of enhanced sampling molecular dynamics yields a major step forward in the molecular level understanding of the dealumination; insight which is very hard to derive experimentally.

Gold Open Access

DOI 

http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c9cy00624a

Electronic properties of heterogenized Ru(II) polypyridyl photoredox complexes on covalent triazine frameworks

A. De Vos, K. Lejaeghere, F. Muniz-Miranda, C. Stevens, P. Van der Voort, V. Van Speybroeck
Journal of Materials Chemistry A
7, 8433-8442
2019
A1

Abstract 

Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes have been successful for a wide range of photoredox applications thanks to their efficient light-induced metal-to-ligand charge transfer. Using the computational framework of density-functional theory, we report how these complexes can be anchored onto covalent triazine frameworks while maintaining their favorable electronic properties. We moreover show that variation of the nitrogen content of the framework linkers or complex ligands endows the heterogenized catalyst with a unique versatility, spanning a wide range of absorption characteristics and redox potentials. By judiciously choosing the catalyst building blocks, it is even possible to selectively guide the charge transfer toward either the scaffold or the accessible pore sites. Rational design of sustainable and efficient photocatalysts thus comes within reach.

DOI 

http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C9TA00573K

Structure–Mechanical Stability Relations of Metal-Organic Frameworks via Machine Learning

P.Z. Moghadam, S.M.J. Rogge, A. Li, C.-M. Chow, J. Wieme, N. Moharrami, M. Aragones-Anglada, G. Conduit, D.A. Gomez-Gualdron, V. Van Speybroeck, D. Fairen-Jimenez
Matter
1 (1), 219-234
2019
A1

Abstract 

Assessing the mechanical stability of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is critical to bring these materials to any application. Here, we derive the first interactive map of the structure-mechanical landscape of MOFs by performing a multi-level computational analysis. First, we used high-throughput molecular simulations for 3,385 MOFs containing 41 distinct network topologies. Second, we developed a freely available machine-learning algorithm to automatically predict the mechanical properties of MOFs. For distinct regions of the high-throughput space, in-depth analysis based on in operando molecular dynamics simulations reveals the loss-of-crystallinity pressure within a given topology. The overarching mechanical screening approach presented here reveals the sensitivity on structural parameters such as topology, coordination characteristics and the nature of the building blocks, and paves the way for computational as well as experimental researchers to assess and design MOFs with enhanced mechanical stability to accelerate the translation of MOFs to industrial applications.

Gold Open Access

DOI 

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.matt.2019.03.002

On the importance of anharmonicities and nuclear quantum effects in modelling the structural properties and thermal expansion of MOF-5

A. Lamaire, J. Wieme, S.M.J. Rogge, M. Waroquier, V. Van Speybroeck
Journal of Chemical Physics
150 (9), 094503
2019
A1

Abstract 

In this article, we investigate the influence of anharmonicities and nuclear quantum effects (NQEs) in modelling the structural properties and thermal expansion of the empty MOF-5 metal-organic framework. To introduce NQEs in classical molecular dynamics simulations, two different methodologies are considered, comparing the approximate, but computationally cheap, method of generalised Langevin equation thermostatting to the more advanced, computationally demanding path integral molecular dynamics technique. For both methodologies, similar results were obtained for all the properties under investigation. The structural properties of MOF-5, probed by means of radial distribution functions (RDFs), show some distinct differences with respect to a classical description. Besides a broadening of the RDF peaks under the influence of quantum fluctuations, a different temperature dependence is also observed due to a dominant zero-point energy (ZPE) contribution. For the thermal expansion of MOF-5, by contrast, NQEs appear to be only of secondary importance with respect to an adequate modelling of the anharmonicities of the potential energy surface (PES), as demonstrated by the use of two differently parametrised force fields. Despite the small effect in the temperature dependence of the volume of MOF-5, NQEs do however significantly affect the absolute volume of MOF-5, in which the ZPE resulting from the intertwining of NQEs and anharmonicities plays a crucial role. A sufficiently accurate description of the PES is therefore prerequisite when modelling NQEs.

DOI 

http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.5085649

The impact of lattice vibrations on the macroscopic breathing behavior of MIL-53(Al)

A.E.J. Hoffman, J. Wieme, S.M.J. Rogge, L. Vanduyfhuys, V. Van Speybroeck
Zeitschrift für Kristallographie - Crystalline Materials
234 (7-8), 529-545
2019
A1

Abstract 

The mechanism inducing the breathing in flexible metal-organic frameworks, such as MIL-53(Al), is still not fully understood. Herein, the influence of lattice vibrations on the breathing transition in MIL-53(Al) is investigated to gain insight in this phenomenon. Through solid-state density-functional theory calculations, the volume-dependent IR spectrum is computed together with the volume-frequency relations of all vibrational modes. Furthermore, important thermodynamic properties such as the Helmholtz free energy, the specific heat capacity, the bulk modulus, and the volumetric thermal expansion coefficient are derived via these volume-frequency relations using the quasi-harmonic approximation. The simulations expose a general volume-dependency of the vibrations with wavenumbers above 300 cm−1 due to their localized nature. In contrast, a diverse set of volume-frequency relations are observed for vibrations in the terahertz region (< 300 cm−1) containing the vibrations exhibiting collective behavior. Some terahertz vibrations display large frequency differences over the computed volume range, induced by either repulsion or strain effects, potentially triggering the phase transformation. Finally, the impact of the lattice vibrations on the thermodynamic properties is investigated. This reveals that the closed pore to large pore phase transformation in MIL-53(Al) is mainly facilitated by terahertz vibrations inducing rotations of the organic linker, while the large pore to closed pore phase transformation relies on two framework-specific soft modes.

Gold Open Access

DOI 

http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/zkri-2018-2154

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