Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Alcohols, Amines, and Carbon-Carbon Bonds

在化学系化学催化项目的资助下，罗切斯特大学的威廉·D·琼斯博士正在开发能够从有机分子中去除氢的新催化材料，以制造更有价值的产品。在这种新方法中，氢在金属催化剂的作用下从有机分子转移到载体分子。然后，载体分子被回收多次。琼斯博士正在研究反应周期的各个步骤。这些催化反应在药物合成中有应用，还可能使人们更好地理解如何从水电或风力涡轮机获取和储存电能，以供以后按需使用。琼斯博士从事外展活动，向公众介绍能量储存和有机化合物合成的新概念。他和他的团队参加公共广播节目，如WXXI Connections，并在电视新闻节目中发表讲话。研究人员包括本科生和研究生，他们正在接受培训，以解决社会广泛感兴趣的技术难题。这项研究通过促进制药和可再生能源行业的技术创新，促进了国家的健康和繁荣。琼斯博士正在开发均相过渡金属催化剂，这种催化剂可以用于醇、胺和杂环的电化学脱氢。该小组正在研究使用新的和已知的催化剂与苯二酚作为电子转移媒介，因为后者有能力进行可逆的电化学还原和氧化，并显示出与过渡金属催化剂作为媒介的前景。该小组正在研究醇和胺脱氢的化学计量反应，这些反应使用不同的苯醌作为氢受体。该组织还在开发氢对苯二酚氢受体的电化学回收。通过适当选择溶剂和电解液，一种用于脱氢的电化学方法正在扩展到能够产生杂环的底物，如吲哚和喹诺酮类化合物。最后，这种电化学方法正被用于活性C-C键的脱氢应用，以生成氧化的有机产品，作为化工和制药行业的基石。这项工作有可能在氢气作为唯一副产品的情况下发生，使用电化学为热力学上行反应提供驱动力。这项工作的重点是这些催化剂在有机合成中的应用，也可以在储氢，燃料电池中找到应用。参与这项研究的学生正在学习处理敏感化合物的先进技术，因此正在接受培训，成为在高级工业研究实验室工作的高素质人员(HQP)。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With funding from the Chemical Catalysis Program of the Division of Chemistry, Dr. William D. Jones of the University of Rochester is developing new catalytic materials capable of removing hydrogen from organic molecules to make more valuable products. In this new method, hydrogen is transferred from the organic molecule to a carrier molecule using a metal catalyst. The carrier molecules are then recycled many times. Dr. Jones is studying the individual steps of the reaction cycle. These catalytic reactions have applications in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and may also provide a better understanding of how electrical energy from hydropower or wind turbines could be captured and stored for later use on demand. Dr. Jones is engaged in outreach activities to inform the public about novel new concepts for energy storage and organic compound synthesis. He and his group participate in public radio shows such as WXXI Connections, and speak on television news programs. The researchers include both undergraduate and graduate students who are being trained to solve difficult technical problems of broad societal interest. This research advances the national health and prosperity by contributing to technical innovations in the pharmaceuticals and renewable energy industries. Dr. Jones is developing homogeneous transition metal catalysts that can be used to dehydrogenate alcohols, amines, and heterocycles electrochemically. The group is studying the use of new and known catalysts in combination with quinones as electron transfer mediators, as the latter have the ability to undergo reversible electrochemical reduction and oxidation, and show promise as mediators with transition metal catalysts. The group is examining stoichiometric reactions for alcohol and amine dehydrogenation with various quinones as hydrogen acceptors. The group is also developing electrochemical recycling of the hydroquinone hydrogen acceptors. By proper choice of solvent and electrolyte, an electrochemical route for dehydrogenations is being extended to substrates that can produce heterocycles such as indoles and quinolones. Finally, this electrochemical method is being used in applications for dehydrogenation of activated C-C bonds to generate oxidized organic products that serve as building blocks in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. This work has the potential to occur with dihydrogen as the only byproduct, using electrochemistry to provide the driving force for the thermodynamically uphill reaction. This work is focusing on the use of these catalysts in organic synthesis, but also can find applications in hydrogen storage, and fuel cells. The students engaged in this research are learning advanced techniques for handling sensitive compounds and therefore are being trained as Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) for work in advanced industrial research labs.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.