Decomposition of Copper Formate Clusters: Insight into Elementary Steps of Calcination and Carbon Dioxide Activation.

The decomposition of copper formate clusters is investigated in the gas phase by infrared multiple photon dissociation of Cu(II) n (HCO2)2n+1 -, n≤8. In combination with quantum chemical calculations and reactivity measurements using oxygen, elementary steps of the decomposition of copper formate are characterized, which play a key role during calcination as well as for the function of copper hydride based catalysts. The decomposition of larger clusters (n >2) takes place exclusively by the sequential loss of neutral copper formate units Cu(II)(HCO2)2 or Cu(II)2(HCO2)4, leading to clusters with n=1 or n=2. Only for these small clusters, redox reactions are observed as discussed in detail previously, including the formation of formic acid or loss of hydrogen atoms, leading to a variety of Cu(I) complexes. The stoichiometric monovalent copper formate clusters Cu(I) m (HCO2) m+1 -, (m=1,2) decompose exclusively by decarboxylation, leading towards copper hydrides in oxidation state +I. Copper oxide centers are obtained via reactions of molecular oxygen with copper hydride centers, species containing carbon dioxide radical anions as ligands or a Cu(0) center. However, stoichiometric copper(I) and copper(II) formate Cu(I)(HCO2)2 - and Cu(II)(HCO2)3 -, respectively, is unreactive towards oxygen.