Elucidating the Roles of Structurally Directed Electron Induction and Transannulation in Polycyclic Lewis Base and Lewis Acid Catalysis

这个无机、生物无机和有机金属化学项目的奖项支持爱荷华州立大学John G. Verkade教授的研究。这一建议的智力价值在于他目前正在开发两种新型的强大催化剂，用于工业上重要的反应。这些催化剂类型是基于新的有机磷和他正在合成的新的有机铝化合物。这些催化剂分子的结构被设计成包含一种新的电子特征，以提高它们的催化活性。催化剂分子还被设计成与特殊的固体支撑物具有强化学键。这种固体负载催化剂可以在间歇反应器或流动反应器中多次循环使用。该奖项支持的工作的一个广泛影响是，从经济和环境方面考虑，通过提高催化剂活性（导致所需催化剂数量减少），催化剂中不含重金属（有毒），以及在较低能源密集型条件下提高产品产量，将改进重要有机反应的方法。该奖项的第二个影响是，本科生、研究生和博士后学生以及访问教授将继续在这一学术和工业重要领域接受教育和培训。

This award in the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry program supports investigations by Professor John G. Verkade at the Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. The intellectual merit of this proposal lies in his current development of two new types of powerful catalysts for industrially important reactions. These catalyst types are based on the new organophosphorus and on the new organo-aluminum compounds he is synthesizing. The structures of these catalyst molecules are designed to incorporate a novel electronic feature that enhances their catalytic activity. The catalyst molecules are also designed to be attached with strong chemical bonds to special solid supports. Such solid-supported catalysts can be recycled many times in either batch or flow reactors. A broad impact of the work supported by this award is that, in terms of economic and environmental considerations, methodologies for important organic reactions will be improved through higher catalyst activity (resulting in lower amounts of catalyst required), the absence of heavy (toxic) metals in the catalysts, and higher product yields under less energy-intensive conditions. The award's second impact is that undergraduate, graduate and post doctoral students as well as visiting professors will continue to be educated and trained in this academically and industrially important area.