Atomic Layer Deposition of Iron Sulfide and Its Application as a Catalyst in the Hydrogenation of Azobenzenes.

The atomic layer deposition (ALD) of iron sulfide (FeSx ) is reported for the first time. The deposition process employs bis(N,N'-di-tert-butylacetamidinato)iron(II) and H2 S as the reactants and produces fairly pure, smooth, and well-crystallized FeSx thin films following an ideal self-limiting ALD growth behavior. The FeSx films can be uniformly and conformally deposited into deep narrow trenches with aspect ratios as high as 10:1, which highlights the broad applicability of this ALD process for engineering the surface of complex 3D nanostructures in general. Highly uniform nanoscale FeSx coatings on porous γ-Al2 O3 powder were also prepared. This compound shows excellent catalytic activity and selectivity in the hydrogenation of azo compounds under mild reaction conditions, demonstrating the promise of ALD FeSx as a catalyst for organic reactions.