GOALI: Investigation of a Sulfuric Acid-Free Route to Methacrylates Using Homogeneous Catalysts in Aqueous Solution.

俄勒冈大学（UO）化学系的David Tyler教授得到了无机、生物无机和有机金属化学项目的支持，在UO的Tyler研究小组和Rohm and Hass的研究人员之间开展了一项合作研究，旨在开发一种无硫酸合成甲基丙烯酸酯的方法。UO研究计划的主要目标是开发一种可行的、均相催化的工艺，包括提议的无硫酸工业合成甲基丙烯酸酯的关键反应。目前的工业方法使用硫酸，每公斤甲基丙烯酸酯产品产生约2.5公斤硫酸氢铵。硫酸氢铵的处理和处置不仅会增加产品成本，还会造成能源浪费、原材料损失和对环境的不必要影响。无硫酸工艺的成功开发将是“绿色化学”在主要工业过程中的一个令人印象深刻的应用。在俄勒冈大学实验室规模上成功开发的无硫酸反应将由Rohm and Haas的工业合作者进行更大规模的研究，他们还将研究如何将各种催化反应结合起来，为生产甲基丙烯酸甲酯和相关产品提供新的无硫酸工艺。为了加强研究生的教育和专业发展，UO化学系一直与各种合作伙伴合作，包括当地和地区行业，当地K-12学校系统以及众多地区学院和大学。与Rohm and Haas的研究人员进行会议和电话会议，并对Rohm and Haas实验室进行长时间的访问，以获得实际的工业经验，这将使学生了解学术研究实验室开发的化学如何转化为大规模的制造过程。这种工业背景将使他们在实际世界中具有明显的优势。未被充分代表的群体将在参与本基金支持的研究的研究生和本科生观众中有很强的存在感。

Professor David Tyler, Department of Chemistry, University of Oregon (UO), is supported by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry Program for a collaborative study between the Tyler research group at UO and researchers at Rohm and Hass on the development of a sulfuric acid-free method for the synthesis of methacrylates. The primary goal of the proposed research at UO is to develop a viable, homogeneously catalyzed process involving a key reaction in a proposed sulfuric acid-free industrial synthesis of methacrylates. The current industrial method uses sulfuric acid and generates about 2.5 kg of ammonium hydrogen sulfate per kg of methacrylate product. The treatment and disposal of the ammonium hydrogen sulfate contribute not only to higher product costs but also to wasted energy, raw material loss, and an unnecessary impact on the environment. The development of a successful sulfuric acid-free process would be an impressive application of "green chemistry" to a major industrial process. A successful sulfuric acid-free reaction developed on a laboratory scale at the University of Oregon will be studied on a larger scale by industrial collaborators at Rohm and Haas, who will also investigate how to combine various catalyzed reactions to give new sulfuric acid-free processes for the production of methyl methacrylate and related products. For the purpose of enhancing the education and professional development of graduate students, the Chemistry Department at UO has a history of working collaboratively with a variety of partners including local and regional industries, local K-12 school systems, and numerous regional colleges and universities. Meetings and teleconferences with researchers at Rohm and Haas and significantly long visits to the Rohm and Haas labs giving hands-on industrial experience will allow students to learn how chemistry developed in academic research labs is translated into large-scale manufacturing processes. This industrial exposure will give them a distinct edge in the practical world. Underrepresented groups will have a strong presence in the graduate and undergraduate student audience that participates in the research supported by this grant.