CAS: Molecular Catalysts to Control Dinitrogen Reduction and Ammonia Oxidation

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The Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and the Chemical Catalysis Program in the Chemistry Division, both of the National Science Foundation, support this project led by Professor Michael Mock of Montana State University. Professor Mock leads an effort to develop fuels that are derived from nitrogen in the air and ammonia that is produced from that nitrogen. The overarching goal is to explore new systems for energy storage. The focus is on the synthesis and analysis of new metal catalysts for the interconversion of nitrogen gas and ammonia. The new catalysts are based on ruthenium, nickel, iron, and chromium. Compounds consisting of these metals are proposed to exhibit novel behavior that facilitates the interconversion of nitrogen and ammonia. Of specific interest are strategies for the attachment and removal of hydrogen atoms. One approach involves creating chemical relays that carry the hydrogen from the metal to the nitrogen. The chemical synthesis of these relays is a specialty of Professor Mock. In addition to the research, Professor Mock is developing outreach activities to engage students at area schools, teaching them about energy technologies. He also is recruiting Native American undergraduate students from Montana Tribal Colleges to work in his laboratory. By providing hands-on experience in chemistry and catalysis to Native Americans, the project is strengthening the technical workforce in the United States. Professor Michael Mock of Montana State University is leading an effort to develop a nitrogen-based cycle to store energy in N-H bonds by synthesizing new molecular catalysts for the fundamental processes involved in the interconversion of dinitrogen (N2) and ammonia (NH3). The goal of this research is the development of molecular catalytic systems for N2 reduction and NH3 oxidation with a common strategy of delivery of H-atoms to N2 and and the removal of H-atoms from NH3 ligands. This project seeks to understand the reaction mechanisms of these processes by characterizing metal-NxHy intermediates, and measuring thermodynamic N-H bond strengths to advance catalyst design. The proposed work on catalytic N2 reduction schemes uses chemically robust chromium complexes. In the development of NH3 oxidation catalysts, the use of Ru and Ni-based platforms is advancing the goal of understanding homolytic N–H bond cleavage and N–N coupling steps en route to N2 formation. In addition to this research, Professor Mock is developing science outreach activities to engage students at area schools and Tribal Colleges about alternative forms of energy and new chemical technologies that have a positive impact on the environment and society. Professor Mock is recruiting Native American undergraduate students to his lab from Montana Tribal Colleges through summer internships to gain hands-on experience in chemistry and catalysis.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.