NIRT: Design of Nanoporous Materials for Enantioselective Single-Site Catalysis and Separations

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AbstractProposal Title: NIRT: Design of Nanoporous Materials for Enantioselective Single-Site CatalysisProposal Number: CTS-0507013Principal Investigator: Randall Q. SnurrInstitution: Northwestern University Analysis (rationale for decision):The past five years have seen an explosion of new microporous materials consisting of metal vertices interconnected by organic linker molecules to create highly tailorable, crystalline materials with pores of nanometer dimension. These metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have many of the most desirable features of zeolites, which are widely used for environmentally friendly catalytic processes. However, because of the wider diversity of potential structures and chemical functionalities that can be imagined for MOFs, they have the potential to revolutionize catalysis and to become as widespread as zeolites in chemical processing. The objectives of this multidisciplinary project are to:Develop MOFs as catalysts with chemical functionalities that are unattainable with zeolites. These materials will function as single-site enzyme mimics that are effective at catalyzing enantioselective reactions with minimal energy requirements and material waste. Target several classes of technologically important reactions. Use modeling in a tight interactive mode with experimental synthesis, characterization, and testing of new materials and processes to achieve the first two objectives.The research will result in a new class of heterogeneous catalysts and a powerful and highly transferable experimental/modeling paradigm for design and discovery of catalysts, adsorbents, and other materials of use in nanotechnology.The research and education plans focus on the use of nanotechnology for sustainable development. The proposed research will serve as a training platform for undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral students in important areas of nanoscience and technology and will provide experience in the art of interdisciplinary scientific research. The proposed science has clear economic and environmental implications that have the potential to benefit society, such as lower energy consumption and reduced waste in important chemical processes. Potential human health benefits include access at lower cost to chiral chemicals for production of enantiomerically pure pharmaceuticals. Course development linking sustainable development and nanotechnology is also an integral part of the project.