SFB 546 II-III: Synthesis and reactivity of molecular models for the active sites of vanadiumoxide based catalysts (TP B 5)

The project deals with molecular oxovanadium compounds which can be regarded as models for surface species occurring on supported V2O5 catalysts. These molecular models are investigated spectroscopically and also with respect to their reactivity, in order to support or dispute hypotheses concerning the structures, functions and/or spectroscopic signatures of corresponding surface sites. Considering the environment of the mono- and polynuclear oxovanadium units of interest, three strategies are pursued: flexible and broadly variable calixarene ligands serve to simulate oxidic platforms in general, silsequioxane-based ligands are employed to mimick in particular silica surfaces, and matrix isolation studies allow for the investigation of the intrinsic properties of unligated cores. A special emphasis is put on the investigation of cooperativity effects im polynuclear units.