International Collaboration in Chemistry: Tuning Catalyst Surfaces to Control Aldol Reactions in Biomass Conversion

美国国家科学基金会化学部的化学催化项目支持俄克拉荷马大学诺曼分校的 Jentoft 教授研究用于生物质转化的非均相催化羟醛缩合反应。这项工作将与英国威尔士卡迪夫催化研究所的凯伦·威尔逊 (Karen Wilson) 合作进行，其研究将得到英国工程和物理科学研究委员会 (EPSRC) 的支持。羟醛缩合是将小分子含氧化合物从生物质转化为可替代燃料的关键化学转化，因为它增加了碳链长度并降低了氧含量。 PI 将合成一系列具有不同酸碱特性、表面疏水性和形态的新型材料。 将测试使用诊断和生物油代表反应物在醛醇缩合中的催化性能。所获得的知识将有助于开发改进的固体羟醛缩合催化剂，该催化剂在腐蚀性介质中具有高选择性和稳定性。所研究的化学转化，羟醛缩合，是第二代生物燃料生产中的关键步骤，并在多种商业化学过程中发挥着作用。拟议的研究将为开发高效催化这种转变的新型材料提供必要的基本见解，即无需过多的能量输入或产生化学废物。该项目还将为参与研究的人员提供跨学科的科学技术培训和国际交流经历。美国学生将有机会在卡迪夫催化研究所进行研究并参加教育活动，卡迪夫催化研究所是英国卡迪夫大学设立的卓越中心。

The Chemical Catalysis Program in the NSF Division of Chemistry supports Professor Jentoft of the University of Oklahoma in Norman in investigating heterogeneously catalyzed aldol condensation reactions for biomass conversion. This endeavor will be undertaken in collaboration with Karen Wilson at the Cardiff Catalysis Institute in Wales in the UK, whose research will be supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council of the UK (EPSRC). Aldol condensation is a key chemical transformation for the conversion of small oxygenates from biomass to fungible fuels because it increases carbon chain length and reduces oxygen content. The PIs will synthesize families of novel materials that differ in acid-base properties, surface hydrophobicity, and morphology. The catalytic performance in aldol condensations using diagnostic and bio-oil-representative reactants will be tested. The acquired knowledge will allow the development of improved solid aldol condensation catalysts that are highly selective and stable in aggressive media.The investigated chemical transformation, aldol condensation, is a key step in the production of second generation bio-fuels and plays a role in several commercial chemical processes. The proposed research will provide the fundamental insight that is necessary to develop novel materials that catalyze this transformation with great efficiency, that is, without excessive energy input or generation of chemical waste. The program will also provide cross-disciplinary scientific and technical training and an international exchange experience for the involved researchers. US students will have the opportunity to perform research and participate in educational activities within the Cardiff Catalysis Institute, a center of excellence in the UK established at Cardiff University.