Transition metal chemistry under high carbon monoxide pressure: an infrared spectroscopic study of catalysis in the Fischer--Tropsch reaction

Abstract

This project involves the design and construction of equipment to investigate the infrared spectra of metal carbonyl derivatives in the 1600 to 2200 cm./sup -1/ nu(CO) region at pressures up to 500 atmospheres and temperatures up to 250/sup 0/ followed by the use of this equipment to study the infrared spectra of a variety of transition metal derivatives at elevated pressures of carbon monoxide. The ultimate objective of this work is the discovery of new chemistry leading to the development of new systems which are catalytically active for the conversion of mixtures of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to hydrocarbons in connection with the conversion of coal to hydrocarbon fuels. During the initial period covered by this first progress report a high pressure infrared cell has been designed, constructed, and used for the preliminary investigations of reactions of about 15 transition metal derivatives under elevated pressure of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.