SusChEM: Catalytic Activation of Small Molecules by Nickel and Iron Pincer Complexes

该奖项由化学系化学催化计划资助辛辛那提大学关海荣教授利用镍和铁等富含稀土的金属设计、合成和研究催化剂。这类金属价格低廉，有望成为催化工业和经济上重要的化学过程的基础。例如，将主要的温室气体二氧化碳转化为液体燃料，在药物合成中取代有毒试剂，以及从储氢化学品中释放氢气。在这个项目中，关教授正在研究钳形连接的镍配合物作为催化剂，用于二氧化碳用二氢加氢生成甲醇，以及乙二胺和环氧化物的氰甲基化生成β-氨基腈和伽马-羟基腈。相关的铁钳络合物正在被开发用于催化氨-硼烷的脱氢，这是一种具有良好的化学储氢材料的性能。正在研究这些催化过程的机理细节，包括基本步骤的动力学和热力学，以便合理地设计更活跃和更坚固的催化剂。该项目的其他更广泛的影响包括开发一个以研究为基础的实验室课程，以及与主要是本科生机构和当地化学公司的合作。

With this award, the Chemical Catalysis Program of the Chemistry Division is funding Professor Hairong Guan of the University of Cincinnati to design, synthesize and study catalysts using earth-abundant metals, such as nickel and iron. Such metals are inexpensive and display promise as the basis for the catalysis of chemical processes that are industrially and economically important. Examples include the conversion of a primary greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, to liquid fuels, the replacement of toxic reagents in pharmaceutical synthesis, and the release of hydrogen from a hydrogen-storage chemicals. Professor Guan is also developing research-based materials for a laboratory course focusing on catalysis, and providing research opportunities to American Chemical Society Project SEED students as well as to students from groups that are underrepresented in STEM fields. In this project, Professor Guan is studying pincer-ligated nickel complexes as catalysts for the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to methanol using dihydrogen and the cyanomethylation of aldimines and epoxides to beta-amino nitriles and gamma-hydroxy nitriles. Related iron pincer complexes are being developed to catalyze the dehydrogenation of ammonia-borane, which exhibits desirable properties as a chemical hydrogen-storage material. The mechanistic details of these catalytic processes including the kinetics and thermodynamics of the elemental steps are being studied so that more active and robust catalysts can be designed rationally. Other broader impacts of the project include the development of a research-based laboratory course and collaborations with a primarily undergraduate institution and local chemical companies.