Catalyst Evolution by Dynamic Templating with Transition State Analogs

无机，生物无机和有机化学计划支持教授肯尼斯M。Nicholas的实验来检验这样一个假设，即有效的和选择性的均相过渡金属催化剂可以通过模板化动态（平衡）金属络合物与底物和过渡态类似物来进化。 研究了三类重要的加成反应：a）羧酸酯和酰胺水解，B）酮转移氢化，和c）[4+2]环加成。 这些研究的结果可以提供对金属为中心的反应过渡态的更深入的理解，这可能会影响具有商业，节能和环境效益的非均相催化剂的设计，以及具有生物和健康意义的酶抑制剂的开发。 该项目将通过积极招募研究人员参加俄克拉荷马州科学与数学学院和俄克拉荷马州大学少数民族工程项目的实习计划，扩大代表性不足的群体，包括非洲人和美洲土著人的参与。

The Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry Program supports the efforts of Professor Kenneth M. Nicholas of the University of Oklahoma Norma Campus to test the hypothesis that efficient and selective homogeneous transition metal catalysts can be evolved by templating dynamic (equilibrating) metal complexes with substrate and transition state analogs. Three classes of important addition reactions will be studied: a) carboxyl ester and amide hydrolysis, b) ketone transfer hydrogenation, and c) [4+2] cycloadditions. Results from these studies may provide a deeper understanding of metal-centered reaction transition states, which could impact the design of both heterogeneous catalysts with commercial, energy-saving and environmental benefits, and the development of enzyme inhibitors with biological and health implications. The project will broaden the participation of underrepresented groups, including African and Native Americans, by actively recruiting researchers into an internship program at the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics and the Oklahoma University Minority Engineering Program.