Solid catalysts with ionic liquid layers (SCILLs) have recently attracted a lot of attention, as the ionic liquid (IL) coating can give rise to drastically improved selectivity. Here, we studied the interaction of the IL 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)-imide [C 4 C 1 Pyr]-[NTf 2 ] with Pt(111) and Pt nanoparticles (NPs) on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. The IL film on Pt(111) and on the Pt NPs consists of a strongly bound monolayer and a weakly bound bulk phase. In the monolayer, [NTf 2 ] − adopts cis conformation and binds via the SO 2 groups. Adsorption of [NTf 2 ] − at Pt defect sites is preferred to adsorption at terraces, whereas preadsorbed CO blocks the adsorption at defects. Further, IL coadsorption leads to desorption and displacement of on-top CO on terraces, whereas CO resides in the bridging position. IL multilayers desorb at 380 K, whereas the strongly adsorbed monolayer on Pt resides and gradually desorbs and decomposes between 400 and 500 K. Finally, we studied the permeability of IL layers for CO by pressure modulation experiments in combination with in situ infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy. We show that the IL multilayer completely blocks CO adsorption, whereas CO easily penetrates the IL monolayer film and forms a mixed adsorbate phase. It is noteworthy that dynamic CO adsorption is much more facile on Pt NPs than on Pt(111). Our results suggest that strongly adsorbed IL monolayers may play an important role in real SCILLs.

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Solid catalysts with ionic liquid layers (SCILLs) show improved performance as compared to ionic liquid (IL)-free catalysts. To realize the beneficial IL-induced modification, the IL layer should be stable under reaction conditions but also permeable for gaseous reactants entering through the IL phase. Herein, we applied (polarization modulation-) infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy ((PM-)­IRAS) to investigate the CO permeability of model SCILL systems. We investigated three different IL model systems prepared by physical vapor deposition (PVD) in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) on atomically clean Pt(111), namely, 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)­imide ([C4C1Pyr]­[NTf2]), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)­imide ([C2C1Im]­[NTf2]), and 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium trifluoromethanesulfonate ([C4C1Pyr]­[OTf]). The adsorption geometries of the anions depend on the surface structure, IL coverage, and precoverage of CO. At room temperature, IL multilayers of randomly oriented species grow on top of strongly adsorbed wetting layers. Upon heating, a partial wetting transition induces the coexistence of an IL wetting monolayer film with three-dimensional droplets. Gas-phase CO does not permeate through IL multilayers, while it penetrates the IL wetting monolayer leading to mixed IL/CO films. The partial dewetting transition and the permeability differ drastically with the temperature and IL. Consequently, the morphology of the IL films could be a factor that determines the catalytic behavior of SCILLs to a significant extent.

We have studied the anchoring mechanism of a phosphonic acid on an atomically defined oxide surface. Using time-resolved infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy, we investigated the reaction of deuterated phenylphosphonic acid (DPPA, CHPOD) with an atomically defined CoO(111) surface in situ during film growth by physical vapor deposition. We show that the binding motif of the phosphonate anchor group changes as a function of coverage. At low coverage, DPPA binds in the form of a chelating tridentate phosphonate, while a transition to a chelating bidentate occurs close to monolayer saturation coverage. However, the coverage-dependent change in the binding motif is not associated with a major change of the molecular orientation, suggesting that the rigid phosphonate linker always maintains the DPPA in a strongly tilted orientation irrespective of the surface coverage.

Molecular photoswitches provide an extremely simple solution for solar energy conversion and storage. To convert stored energy to electricity, however, the photoswitch has to be coupled to a semiconducting electrode. In this work, we report on the assembly of an operational solar-energy-storing organic-oxide hybrid interface, which consists of a tailor-made molecular photoswitch and an atomically-defined semiconducting oxide film. The synthesized norbornadiene derivative 2-cyano-3-(4-carboxyphenyl)norbornadiene (CNBD) was anchored to a well-ordered Co 3 O 4 (111) surface by physical vapor deposition in ultrahigh vacuum. Using a photochemical infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy experiment, we demonstrate that the anchored CNBD monolayer remains operational, i.e., can be photo-converted to its energy-rich counterpart 2-cyano-3-(4-carboxyphenyl)quadricyclane (CQC). We show that the activation barrier for energy release remains unaffected by the anchoring reaction and the anchored photoswitch can be charged and discharged with high reversibility. Our atomically-defined solar-energy-storing model interface enables detailed studies of energy conversion processes at organic/oxide hybrid interfaces.

Employing molecular photoswitches, we can combine solar energy conversion, storage, and release in an extremely simple single molecule system. In order to release the stored energy as electricity, the photoswitch has to interact with a semiconducting electrode surface. In this work, we explore a solar-energy-storing model system, consisting of a molecular photoswitch anchored to an atomically defined oxide surface in a liquid electrolyte and under potential control. Previously, this model system has been proven to be operational under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions. We used the tailor-made norbornadiene derivative 2-cyano-3-(4-carboxyphenyl)norbornadiene (CNBD) and characterized its photochemical and electrochemical properties in an organic electrolyte. Next, we assembled a monolayer of CNBD on a well-ordered Co3O4(111) surface by physical vapor deposition in UHV. This model interface was then transferred into the liquid electrolyte and investigated by photoelectrochemical infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy experiments. We demonstrate that the anchored monolayer of CNBD can be converted photochemically to its energy-rich counterpart 2-cyano-3-(4-carboxyphenyl)quadricyclane (CQC) under potential control. However, the reconversion potential of anchored CQC overlaps with the oxidation and decomposition potential of CNBD, which limits the electrochemically triggered reconversion.