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Catalytic Degradation of Sulfur Hexafluoride by Rhodium Complexes
Author(s) -
Zámostná Lada,
Braun Thomas
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201505462
Subject(s) - rhodium , catalysis , chemistry , sulfur , sulfur hexafluoride , inert , degradation (telecommunications) , fluorine , homogeneous , radical , sulfur dioxide , molecule , inert gas , combinatorial chemistry , inorganic chemistry , photochemistry , organic chemistry , telecommunications , physics , computer science , thermodynamics
The development of a safe and efficient method for the degradation of SF 6 is of current environmental interest, because SF 6 is one of the most potent greenhouse gases. SF 6 is thermally and chemically extremely inert, and therefore, it has been used in various industrial applications. However, this inertness results in a major challenge for its depletion. We report on a process for a catalytic degradation of SF 6 in the homogeneous phase by using rhodium complexes as precatalysts. The SF 6 activation reactions feature mild reaction conditions, low catalyst loadings, and a high selectivity. The employment of phosphines and hydrosilanes for scavenging the sulfur and fluorine atoms of the SF 6 molecule allows the selective transformation of SF 6 into nongaseous and nontoxic compounds.