Organic Chemistry Seminar: Design and Applications of Catalytic Reactions for Green Synthesis and Energy

Abstract:

Design and development of catalytic reactions for green synthesis and for green energy are major goals of catalysis. We have developed new, efficient, environmentally benign reactions catalyzed by pincer-type metal complexes, several of which produce hydrogen gas while generating new bonds (Acceptorless Dehydrogenative Coupling) or consume H2, and proceed by a mode of metal-ligand cooperation (MLC) in which both the metal center and the ligand undergo bond making and breaking. Reactions catalyzed by pincer complexes, in which most of the catalytic activity is ligand-based, were also developed, as well as reactions based on the concept of transient cooperating ligands. Various green synthetic and energy-relaed applications based on these catalytic reactions will be described, such as mild, waste-free generation of amide bonds suitable for pharmaceuticals synthesis; new syntheses of heterocycles; hydrogenative depolymerization of nylons; oxidation of organic compounds using water as formal oxidant liberating H2; hydrogenative oxidation reactions in which both hydrogen and oxygen atoms are incorporated in organic substrates;   alkene perdeuteration using H2 and D2O; and new, high capacity liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs).

Event Organizer: Dr. Muhammad Jbara