Structural and dynamic properties of BaInGeH: a rare solid-state indium hydride

Alkyne Hydrogenation Catalysis across a Family of Ga/In Layered Zintl Phases

Transition-metal-free Zintl-Klemm phases have received little attention as heterogeneous catalysis. Here, we show that a large family of structurally and electronically similar layered Zintl-Klemm phases built from honeycomb layers of group 13 triel (Tr) or group 14 tetrel (Tt) networks separated by electropositive cations (A) and having a stoichiometry of ATr2 or ATrTt (A = Ca, Ba, Y, La, Eu; Tr = Ga, In; Tt = Si, Ge) exhibit varying degrees of activity for the hydrogenation of phenylacetylene to styrene and ethylbenzene at 51 bar H2 and 40-100 °C across a variety of solvents. The most active catalysts contain Ga with, formally, a half-filled pz orbital, and minimal bonding between neighboring Tr2 or TrTt layers. A 13-layer trigonal polytype of CaGaGe (13T-CaGaGe) was the most active, cyclable, and robust catalyst and under modest conditions (1 atm H2, 40 °C) had a surface specific activity (590 h-1) comparable to a commercial Lindlar's catalyst. Additionally, 13T-CaGaGe maintained 100% conversion of phenylacetylene to styrene at 51 bar H2, even after 5 months of air exposure. This work reveals the structural design elements that lead to particularly high catalytic activity in Zintl-Klemm phases, further establishing them as a promising materials platform for hydrogen-based heterogeneous catalysis.

Covalent Si–H Bonds in the Zintl Phase Hydride CaSiH1+x (x ≤ 1/3)

The crystal structure of the Zintl phase hydride CaSiH≈4/3 was discussed controversially, especially with respect to the nature of the silicon-hydrogen interaction. We have applied X-ray and neutron powder diffraction as well as total neutron scattering on a deuterated sample, CaSiD1.1. Rietveld refinement (CaSiD1.1, Pnma, a = 14.579(4) Å, b = 3.8119(4) Å, c = 11.209(2) Å) and an analysis of the neutron pair distribution function show a silicon-deuterium bond length of 1.53 Å. The Si–H bond may thus be categorized as covalent and the main structural features described by a limiting ionic formula Ca2+H−(Si−)2/3(SiH−)1/3. Hydrogen atoms decorating the ribbon-like silicon polyanion made of three connected zigzag chains are under-occupied, resulting in a composition CaSiH1.1. Hydrogen-poor Zintl phase hydrides CaSiH<1 with hydride ions in Ca4 tetrahedra only were found in an in situ neutron diffraction experiment at elevated temperature. Hydrogen (deuterium) uptake and release in CaSiDx (0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.17) is a very fast process and takes less than 1 min to complete, which is of importance for possible hydrogen storage applications.

Determination of element-deuterium bond lengths in Zintl phase deuterides by 2H-NMR

The Zintl phase deuterides CaSiD_4/3, SrSiD_5/3, BaSiD₂, SrGeD_4/3, BaGeD_5/3 and BaSnD_4/3 were investigated by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to reliably determine element-deuterium bond lengths. These compounds show deuterium bound to the polyanion and deuteride ions in tetrahedral cationic voids. With ²H-NMR experiments we characterised the individual signals of the two distinct crystal sites. Quadrupolar coupling constants (C_Q) of the anion-binding site were determined as 58 to 78 kHz (Si compounds), 51 to 61 kHz (Ge compounds) and 38 kHz (Sn compound). These values agree well with the quadrupole couplings derived from DFT using optimized structural models. We further calculated the general element-deuterium distance dependency of C_Q using DFT methods that allow an accurate determination of bond lengths via the ²H quadrupole interaction. The thus determined bond lengths are evaluated as d(Si-D) = 1.53-1.59 Å, d(Ge-D) = 1.61-1.65 Å and d(Sn-D) = 1.86 Å. Chemical shifts of the anion-binding site range from 0.3 to 1.3 ppm. The isotropic chemical shifts of the tetrahedral sites are 5.1 ppm (CaSiD_4/3), 7.0 to 10.0 ppm (Sr compounds) and 10.7 to 11.6 ppm (Ba compounds).

Hydrides of Alkaline Earth-Tetrel (AeTt) Zintl Phases: Covalent Tt-H Bonds from Silicon to Tin

Zintl phases form hydrides either by incorporating hydride anions (interstitial hydrides) or by covalent bonding of H to the polyanion (polyanionic hydrides), which yields a variety of different compositions and bonding situations. Hydrides (deuterides) of SrGe, BaSi, and BaSn were prepared by hydrogenation (deuteration) of the CrB-type Zintl phases AeTt and characterized by laboratory X-ray, synchrotron, and neutron diffraction, NMR spectroscopy, and quantum-chemical calculations. SrGeD_4/3-x and BaSnD_4/3-x show condensed boatlike six-membered rings of Tt atoms, formed by joining three of the zigzag chains contained in the Zintl phase. These new polyanionic motifs are terminated by covalently bound H atoms with d(Ge-D) = 1.521(9) Å and d(Sn-D) = 1.858(8) Å. Additional hydride anions are located in Ae₄ tetrahedra; thus, the features of both interstitial hydrides and polyanionic hydrides are represented. BaSiD_2-x retains the zigzag Si chain as in the parent Zintl phase, but in the hydride (deuteride), it is terminated by H (D) atoms, thus forming a linear (SiD) chain with d(Si-D) = 1.641(5) Å.

Hydrogenous Zintl phase Ba3Si4Hx (x = 1-2): transforming Si4 "butterfly" anions into tetrahedral moieties

The hydride Ba(3)Si(4)H(x) (x = 1-2) was prepared by sintering the Zintl phase Ba(3)Si(4), which contains Si(4)(6-) butterfly-shaped polyanions, in a hydrogen atmosphere at pressures of 10-20 bar and temperatures of around 300 °C. Initial structural analysis using powder neutron and X-ray diffraction data suggested that Ba(3)Si(4)H(x) adopts the Ba(3)Ge(4)C(2) type [space group I4/mcm (No. 140), a ≈ 8.44 Å, c ≈ 11.95 Å, Z = 8] where Ba atoms form a three-dimensional array of corner-condensed octahedra, which are centered by H atoms. Tetrahedron-shaped Si(4) polyanions complete a perovskite-like arrangement. Thus, hydride formation is accompanied by oxidation of the butterfly polyanion, but the model with the composition Ba(3)Si(4)H is not charge-balanced. First-principles computations revealed an alternative structural scenario for Ba(3)Si(4)H(x), which is based on filling pyramidal Ba5 interstices in Ba(3)Si(4). The limiting composition is x = 2 [space group P4(2)/mmm (No. 136), a ≈ 8.4066 Å, c ≈ 12.9186 Å, Z = 8], and for x > 1, Si atoms also adopt tetrahedron-shaped polyanions. Transmission electron microscopy investigations showed that Ba(3)Si(4)H(x) is heavily disordered in the c direction. Most plausible is to assume that Ba(3)Si(4)H(x) has a variable H content (x = 1-2) and corresponds to a random intergrowth of P- and I-type structure blocks. In either form, Ba(3)Si(4)H(x) is classified as an interstitial hydride. Polyanionic hydrides in which H is covalently attached to Si remain elusive.