New Techniques and Applications for Solid-State NMR Studies of Heterogenous Catalysis

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This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) project, supported in the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program, seeks to develop four new techniques with which to study solid surfaces that serve to catalyze reactions. Professor Munson will develop an in situ flow magic-angle spinning (MAS) solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer probe. Two dimensional pulse strategies will also be developed to follow chemical species during catalytic reactions. Spin-polarized xenon will be used to study low to medium surface areas catalysts where sensitivity is a problem and a large volume MAS probe will be constructed to increase the allowed sample size by at least an order of magnitude. During the tenure of this four-year continuing grant, Professor Munson and his students at the University of Minnesota will apply these new techniques to the study of partial oxidation catalysis reactions that incorporate functional groups such as epoxides, aldehydes and carboxylic acids into products. Olefin metathesis reactions that break carbon-carbon double bonds with the formation of two new carbon-carbon double bonds will also be studied during this CAREER research project. Professor Munson's educational plan involves exciting students at the high school, undergraduate and graduate level about topics in chemistry. An NMR spectrometer has already been built at the University of Minnesota that will be available for loan to local undergraduate institutions in order to help create excitement about the field of chemistry. Incorporation of multimedia materials for use in the classroom at each of these levels is also planned. The field of heterogeneous catalysis is extremely important to the future vitality of the scientific enterprise as the need to do chemistry under lower energy consuming conditions and to minimize the environmental impact of chemical synthesis becomes more critical. Through the planned work of Professor Munson's CAREER research project, a concerted effort will be directed to problems of this type. This activity will be enriching for the students involved in doing this science and it will provide exciting examples to students elsewhere about the power of the chemical sciences.