Hydrocarbon and Alkene Conversion Chemistry with PFAP Catalysts

化学催化计划支持教授院长M。Roddick的怀俄明州大学关于全氟烷基化膦（PFAP）金属络合物催化剂的开发，该催化剂用于简单烃原料向有用产物的有效转化。研究的具体挑战是烷烃的选择性脱氢和烷烃到醇和酮的串联氧化，以及氟烯烃的受控低聚。PFAP系统的一个关键特征是其独特的空气和水分稳定性，这使得金属反应中心能够在严格的氧化和水解条件下进行基本的C-H和C-C键形成步骤。密度泛函理论（DFT）研究进一步表明，第10族金属PFAP体系特别适合新型氟烯烃低聚和聚合化学。该奖项将对更大的社区产生双重影响。首先，该研究项目解决了催化领域几个至关重要和未实现的研究挑战。从丰富的烃原料到有用的化学前体和原料的实用和有效的转化方法的发现将改变化学工业，改善原子经济性并提高合成效率。其次，罗迪克教授的研究小组不仅培养研究生和本科生作为催化研究的未来专业人士，而且还通过访问和研讨会率先推广到整个怀俄明州的社区学院，并与新成立的能源学院合作，并为怀俄明州大学做出贡献。

The Chemical Catalysis Program supports the research of Professor Dean M. Roddick of the University of Wyoming on the development of perfluoroalkylated phosphine (PFAP) metal complex catalysts for the efficient conversion of simple hydrocarbon feedstocks to useful products. Specific challenges for investigation are the selective dehydrogenation of alkanes and tandem oxidation of alkanes to alcohols and ketones, as well as the controlled oligomerization of fluoroolefins. A key feature of PFAP systems is their unique air- and moisture-stability, which allows metal reaction centers to carry out fundamental C-H and C-C bond forming steps under stringent oxidative and hydrolytic conditions. Density Functional Theory (DFT) studies further suggest that group 10 metal PFAP systems are particularly well-suited to novel fluoroolefin oligomerization and polymerization chemistry.This award will provide a twofold impact on the larger community. First, this research project addresses several critically important and unrealized research challenges in catalysis. Discovery of practical and efficient conversion methodologies from abundant hydrocarbon feedstocks to useful chemical precursors and feedstocks would transform chemical industry, improve atom economy and increase synthetic efficiencies. Second, Professor Roddick's research group trains not only graduate and undergraduate students as future professionals in catalysis research, but also spearheads outreach to community colleges throughout Wyoming through visits and workshops, and also collaborates and contributes to the newly-formed School of Energy Resources at the University of Wyoming.