Selective Catalytic Hydrogenation and Functionalization of Polyenes

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The goal of this research collaboration is to develop new chemical processes and to understand how feedstock small molecules can be converted into high value products by catalysis. Three distinct transformations of practical and fundamental importance are targeted. Each target poses a challenge to known methods in homogenous catalysis. The products sought to be made can readily undergo a myriad of side-reactions (over reduction, poly addition, isomerization), thus a high level of kinetic selectivity must be achieved by tailored reaction conditions and transition metal catalysts. The successful development of these processes should lead to more broad applications in sustainable chemical manufacturing. We plan a similar approach to the individual processes, consisting of initial broad screening of reaction conditions and catalysts to discover "hit" conditions followed by more careful reaction optimization and catalyst structure-reactivity studies, and finally demonstration of process scalability and generality.