Catalytic Activation and Oxidation of C-H and C-C Bonds by Metal Species in Solution

Sen博士得到了无机，生物无机和有机化学的支持。 化学程序，研究均相催化剂的机理。 他 已经开发了一种氯化铑基催化体系， 的甲烷选择性氧化为甲醇或乙酸在 氧气和一氧化碳的存在。 此外，该系统将 优先裂解高级烷烃的碳-碳键， 甲醇或乙酸。 基于铜的第二催化体系 氯化物和钯能够氧化碳氢化合物， 烷烃的碳-碳裂解产物的速率与 商业上使用的工艺。 PI建议进行一项 详细的催化反应动力学和机理研究 系统 本调查中要解决的关键问题是 一氧化碳和水在催化循环和性质 氧化产物上的碳氢和碳碳键。 具体方法将包括同位素动力学效应研究， 定制流动反应器的设计和制造。 选择性部分氧化化学是目前最活跃的 探索美国化学工业的领域。 转化 烃转化为商业上有价值的原料材料， 醇和羧酸在商业上很重要。 发展 研究新的催化剂具有重要的实用价值 这是由于该过程的增值性质。

Dr. Sen is supported by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry Program to study the mechanisms of homogeneous catalysts. He has developed a rhodium chloride based catalytic system that is capable of the selective oxidation of methane to methanol or acetic acid in the presence of oxygen and carbon monoxide. Further, this system will preferentially cleave carbon-carbon bond of higher alkanes to produce methanol or acetic acid. A second catalytic system based upon copper chloride and palladium is able to oxidize the carbon-hydrogen and carbon-carbon cleavage products of alkanes at rates comparable to commercially utilized processes. The PI has proposed to undertake a detailed kinetic and mechanistic study of the bimetallic catalytic system. Key issues to be addressed in this investigation are the roles of carbon monoxide and water in the catalytic cycle and the nature of carbon-hydrogen and carbon-carbon bonds upon oxidation products. Specific methodologies will include kinetic isotope effect studies and the design and fabrication of a custom flow reactor. Selective partial oxidation chemistry is one of the most actively explored fields in the US chemical industry. The conversion of hydrocarbons to commercially valuable feedstock materials such as alcohols and carboxylic acids is commercially important. The development of new catalysts to perform this function is of great practical importance due to the value-added nature of the process.