Surface organometallic chemistry of tin, germanium and arsenic

A review of surface organometallic chemistry of tin, germanium and arsenic is presented. In a first part, the reactivity of tin alkyl complexes with the hydroxyl groups present on oxides has been studied, leading to the formation of well-defined tin alkyl fragments grafted on the support. In a second part, the modification of zeolites by reaction with tin or germanium complexes has been undertaken leading, as a function of the organometallic complex and of the molecular sieves, to a grafting at the external surface of the crystallites or in the pore channels. Applications in adsorption and separation of hydrocarbons are given. In a last part, the modification of metal surfaces by this way and its application to the enhancement of catalytic properties of heterogeneous catalysts is given. Finally, the RAM process developped by IFP for the removing of arsenic and mercury from petroleum wastes is presented and explained by means of surface organometallic chemistry.