Ligand Designs for Catalysis: New Directions for Green Chemistry

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This innovative research program in Green Chemistry will have a high impact in the field and will provide high level training opportunities in chemistry for undergraduates, graduate students and senior researchers and is hence a fundamental scientific learning involving an innovation high impact research program in the chemical (i.e. natural) sciences. We have previously designed systems for "greener" chemistry; for example, catalysts for energy efficient processes and to make materials that are difficult or expensive to make using current technology. We measure the impact of this work by a number of methods: patented technology (we recently applied to patent our new catalysts for specialised polymer applications), scientific disclosures such as journal article (we have over 30 publications in peer reviewed scientific journals from 2006-2012), other scientists using our technology and citing our chemistry in their own work. An example of these latter two aspects is exemplified by our synthesis of a breast cancer drug candidate nicknamed "DMU-212". We disclosed that one of our catalysts can be used to make this molecule and within a few months we had a request from another research team (based in AB) for samples of this catalyst and details of our synthetic methods. They used DMU-212 produced via our protocols/catalyst for a key clinical study using this drug. Published work detailing this same catalyst won a "Most Cited Paper 2004-2007 Award" from a major scientific publisher due to the impact it has had on other scientists and their work. Hence, this proposal is focussed on training scientists by producing important high impact research. Training in the chemical sciences allows one to pursue a variety of career paths as the trainees overall "learn to apply scientific reasoning to solve problem". This funding application is directed towards training such personnel by applying three main foci: (i) synthetic techniques (technical training); (ii) communication (dissertation/public presentation) and (iii) knowledge of chemistry (background knowledge, knowledge application). Thereafter, trainees can make sound judgements on an appropriate course of action for any problem solving exercise involving science or situations in general. This work is important because it expands on our past success (above) but also provides significant ramping up of key factors in the current chemical world of which Canada is an important part: (i) Green Science initiatives; (ii) cutting edge work on pincer chemistry of which the PI is an important player; and (iii) new designs and outlooks for fundamental chemical science to collaborate nationally, internationally and with industry.