On the mechanism of silicon activation by halogen atoms

• Autores: Soria, Federico Ariel; Patrito, Eduardo Martin; Paredes Olivera, Patricia
• Año de publicación: 2011
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Materia: Superficies; Reacciones Superficiales; Si(100); Dft
• Institución: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

Despite the widespread use of chlorinated silicon as the starting point for further functionalization reactions, the high reactivity of this surface toward a simple polar molecule such as ammonia still remains unclear. We therefore undertook a comprehensive investigation of the factors that govern the reactivity of halogenated silicon surfaces. The reaction of NH3 was investigated comparatively on the Cl-Si(100)-2 × 1, Br-Si(100)-2 × 1, H-Si(100)-2 × 1, and Si(100)-2 × 1 surfaces using density functional theory. The halogenated surfaces show considerable activation with respect to the hydrogenated surface. The reaction on the halogenated surfaces proceeds via the formation of a stable datively bonded complex in which a silicon atom is pentacoordinated. The activation of the halogenated Si(100)-2 × 1 surfaces toward ammonia arises from the large redistribution of charge in the transition state that precedes the breakage of the Si-X bond and the formation of the Si-NH2 bond. This transition state has an ionic nature of the form Si-NH3 +X-. Steric effects also play an important role in surface reactivity, making brominated surfaces less reactive than chlorinated surfaces. The overall activation-energy barriers on the Cl-Si(100)-2 × 1 and Br-Si(100)-2 × 1 surfaces are 12.3 and 19.9 kcal/mol, respectively, whereas on the hydrogenated Si(100)-2 × 1 surface the energy barrier is 38.3 kcal/mol. The reaction of ammonia on the chlorinated surface is even more activated than on the bare Si(100)-2 × 1 surface, for which the activation barrier is 21.3 kcal/mol. Coadsorption effects in partially aminated surfaces and in the presence of reaction products increase activation-energy barriers and have a blocking effect for further reactions of NH3. © 2011 American Chemical Society.
Fil: Soria, Federico Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; Argentina
Fil: Patrito, Eduardo Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; Argentina
Fil: Paredes Olivera, Patricia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; Argentina