Studies of a Polyoxoanion-Derived, Record Lifetime Dioxygenase Catalyst

科罗拉多州立大学化学系的理查德·芬克教授在无机化学、生物无机化学和金属有机化学项目中获得这一奖项，以支持基于多氧阴离子的双加氧酶催化剂的开发研究。一个特别的焦点是开发使用抗氧化多氧阴离子的新的、更坚固的和更长寿命的双加氧酶催化剂。该方法包括对多氧阴离子转双加氧酶催化剂演化过程的动力学和机理研究，对真实活性催化剂的分离和组成和结构表征的性能，然后利用分离的催化剂将其应用于目前还没有有效催化剂的其他类别的反应。本研究的目标是开发能够直接利用氧气氧化多种具有商业价值的芳烃、烯烃和烷烃的新型催化剂。由于这些催化剂能够取代目前的共氧化过程，并在芳香族污染物脱除方面具有潜在的应用前景，因此它们将对经济和环境产生重大影响。参与该项目的学生将接受分析、无机化学和材料化学方面的广泛培训，为他们的学术或工业生涯做好准备。

This award in the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry program supports research on the development of polyoxoanion-based dioxygenase catalysts by Professor Richard Finke of the Department of Chemistry at the Colorado State University. A specific focus is the development of new, more robust and longer lifetime dioxygenase catalysts using oxidation-resistant polyoxyanions. The approach involves the performance of kinetic and mechanistic studies of the polyoxoanion-to -dioxygenase catalyst evolution process, isolation and performance of compositional and structural characterization on the true active catalyst, and then the use of the isolated catalyst to extend its applicability to additional classes of reactions for which efficient catalysts do not presently exist.The goal of this research is to develop new catalysts which can directly utilize dioxygen to oxidize a wide variety of aromatics, olefins and alkanes of commercial importance. These catalysts will have a significant economic and environmental impact due to their ability to replace current co-oxidation processes and to their potential applications in the degredation of aromatic pollutants. The students involved in this project will receive broad training in analytical, inorganic and materials chemistry and leave them well-prepared for academic or industrial careers.