CAREER: Catalysis and Oxygen Atom Transfer

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The development of new ways to make chemicals from readily available materials impacts the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and materials industries. The research led by Dr. Laina Geary of the University of Nevada, Reno is developing new reactions to minimize waste in these processes. These goals are being met by using a type of reaction known as oxygen atom transfer. These reactions are being used to make carbon-carbon bonds in new ways. Mechanistic insights are further leveraged to design new processes. This research is being conducted by students from the high school to the postdoctoral level. New laboratory courses at the undergraduate level are also designed to integrate lessons from the research to the classroom. New mentoring programs foster collaboration between students at high school, undergraduate and graduate levels and train students to be better teachers, mentors, and science advocates.With funding from the Chemical Catalysis Program of the Chemistry Division, Dr. Laina Geary of the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) is developing methods to forge new carbon-carbon bonds, which are driven by the shuttling of oxygen atoms via transition metal catalysis. Current methods typically utilize high molecular weight materials as oxygen sinks or donors, significantly increasing waste and compounding the purification process. The application of low molecular weight, gaseous molecules in lieu of those oxygen sources provides an attractive alternate to reducing waste, and exposes a new mechanistic manifold upon which new methods are being developed. This program is developing both reductive and oxidative methods based on transition metal catalyzed oxygen atom transfer that is enabling the conversion of abundant, feedstock materials into new, valorized compounds. In support of the broader impacts of this research program, Dr. Geary is spearheading UNR's efforts to support underrepresented high school students in STEM fields. She is also developing programs that increase research engagement and scientific advocacy across high school, undergraduate and graduate levels of education.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.