Computational study of benzene-to-phenol oxidation catalyzed by N 2O on iron-exchanged ferrierite

An Fe(II) ion at an α-cation exchange position of ferrierite, (Fe)α, was taken as a model for the active site in nitrous oxide decomposition and in the selective oxidation of phenol with nitrous oxide. The oxygen that is deposited via the decomposition of N2O is commonly referred to as α-oxygen, (O)α. Comparison with the results of cluster model calculations was performed for reaction of benzene-to-phenol oxidation. Periodic calculations predict the same reaction path for benzene oxidation as does the cluster model study. Differences in the adsorption modes for both types of calculations were analyzed and discussed

Cluster Model DFT Study of the Intermediates of Benzene to Phenol Oxidation by N2O on FeZSM-5 Zeolites Citation for published version (APA): Cluster model DFT study of the intermediates of benzene to phenol oxidation by N 2 O on FeZSM-5 zeolites

An Fe(II) ion at an -cation exchange position of ZSM-5 zeolite (Fe/Z) was taken as a model for the active site in the nitrous oxide decomposition and in the selective oxidation of phenol with nitrous oxide. The oxygen deposited by decomposition of N 2 O is commonly referred to as -oxygen (OFe/Z). Cluster model DFT calculations show that the interaction of the OFe/Z center with benzene resulted easily in arene oxide formation. The results indicate a rather low activation energy for this step. Possible transformations of the adsorbed arene oxide are considered and the experimental evidence for the absence of the kinetic H/D isotope effect in phenol formation is discussed. It is concluded that the rate-limiting step for the in situ oxidation of benzene to phenol is the desorption of the product