Three-Dimensional Structure Determination of Surface Sites

J Am Chem Soc. 2017 Jan 18;139(2):849-855. doi: 10.1021/jacs.6b10894. Epub 2017 Jan 5.

Abstract

The spatial arrangement of atoms is directly linked to chemical function. A fundamental challenge in surface chemistry and catalysis relates to the determination of three-dimensional structures with atomic-level precision. Here we determine the three-dimensional structure of an organometallic complex on an amorphous silica surface using solid-state NMR measurements, enabled through a dynamic nuclear polarization surface enhanced NMR spectroscopy approach that induces a 200-fold increase in the NMR sensitivity for the surface species. The result, in combination with EXAFS, is a detailed structure for the surface complex determined with a precision of 0.7 Å. We observe a single well-defined conformation that is folded toward the surface in such a way as to include an interaction between the platinum metal center and the surface oxygen atoms.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't