International Collaboration in Chemistry: Green Chemistry for Catalytic C-C Coupling of Renewable Feedstocks

化学学部的化学催化项目支持美国德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校的Michael J. Krische教授。国际合作者，德国Albert-Ludwigs-Universität的Bernhard Breit教授得到德国资助机构DFG的支持，合作将设计通往商品和精细化学品的新路线。授予该奖项的提案是根据NSF 09-608计划公告：美国研究人员与国外同行之间的国际化学合作（ICC）提交的。研究人员建议开发催化过程，使从丰富的可再生资源中生产无副产品的化学产品成为可能。Breit集团将设计并制备一系列新型磷化氢配体，这些配体包含了专门为羰基（包括二氧化碳）激活而定制的超分子识别元件。这些“第一代金属配合物”将在Krische集团开发的C-C键形成氢化中进行分析，以确定关键的结构反应性和结构选择性趋势，从而使Krische和Breit能够设计出由Breit集团制备并由Krische集团进行分析的改进的第二代催化剂。Krische和Breit团队之间的合作是科学专业知识的理想结合，将通过直接接触大西洋两岸的研究技术、方法、哲学和网络来提高两个团队的水平。拟议的研究旨在实现高催化剂活性和选择性，以大规模有效地激活新底物，这将增强精细化学应用，包括药品制造。这项提案最大的影响将是通过研究进行教育。申请的资金用于本科生和研究生，他们将受益于独特的机会获得跨学科的合成有机化学，物理有机化学和过渡金属无机化学的技能。来自历史上在科学领域代表性不足的群体的学生也将被招募参加。Krische集团参与了“辉瑞少数族裔研究奖学金”和美国国立卫生研究院（NIH）赞助的“通往未来的桥梁”项目等项目，该项目旨在促进少数族裔学生从学士/硕士学位向博士学位授予机构的过渡。此外，Krische教授还指导了几名学生使用美国国立卫生研究院赞助的“促进健康相关研究多样性的研究补充”。

The Chemical Catalysis Program in the Chemistry Division supports Professor Michael J. Krische of the University of Texas- Austin in the US. The international collaborator, Professor Bernhard Breit of Albert-Ludwigs-Universität in Germany is supported by the German funding agency, DFG, in a collaboration that will design new routes to commodity and fine chemicals. The proposal for which this award was granted was submitted in response to Program Announcement NSF 09-608: International Collaboration in Chemistry (ICC) between US investigators and their Counterparts Abroad. The researchers propose to develop catalytic processes that enable byproduct-free manufacture of chemical products from abundant, renewable resources. The Breit Group will design and prepare a series of novel phosphine ligands that incorporate supramolecular recognition elements specifically tailored for the activation of carbonyl groups, including carbon dioxide. These "first-generation metal complexes" will be assayed in C-C bond forming hydrogenations developed by the Krische Group in order to establish key structure-reactivity and structure-selectivity trends that will allow Krische and Breit to design improved second-generation catalysts that will be prepared by the Breit Group and assayed by the Krische Group. The collaboration between the Krische and Breit groups is an ideal combination of scientific expertise that will enhance both groups through direct exposure to research techniques, approaches, philosophies, and networks across the Atlantic. The proposed research intends to achieve the high catalyst activities and selectivities necessary to activate new substrates efficiently on a large scale, which will enhance fine chemical applications, including the manufacture of pharmaceuticals. The largest impact of this proposal will be in education through research. The requested funds are for undergraduate and graduate students, who will benefit from the unique opportunity to acquire skills across the disciplines of synthetic organic chemistry, physical organic chemistry, and transition metal inorganic chemistry. Students from groups historically underrepresented in the sciences will also be recruited to participate. The Krische Group participates in programs such as the "Pfizer Research Fellowship for Under-Represented Minorities" and the NIH sponsored "Bridges to the Future" program, which facilitates the transition of minority students from BS/MS to Ph.D. degree granting institutions. Additionally, Professor Krische has mentored several students using NIH-sponsored "Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research."