Mechanisms of Chemical Reactions Involved in Catalysis by Organometallic Complexes in Solution

在这个无机、生物无机和有机金属化学项目的研究项目中，科罗拉多州立大学的Jack R. Norton将开发一种方法来确定过渡金属氢化物的反应机制，过渡金属氢化物是一类常见的有机金属化合物。这些水合化合物在许多催化过程中是重要的中间体，例如由烯烃生成醛和醇的氧合过程，以及烯烃的加氢和异构化过程。具体项目包括开发测量金属氢化物（弱酸）酸度的方法；测定氢原子从各种过渡金属氢化物向三烷基自由基转移的绝对速率常数测定氢过渡金属键的强度；用配位醛胺立体定向合成α -氨基酸研究从金属氢化物到质子化醛和酮的可能的氢化物转移反应。

In this research project within the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry Program, Jack R. Norton of Colorado State University will develop methods for determining the mechanisms of reactions of transition metal hydrides which are a common class of organometallic compounds. These hydridic compounds are important intermediates in many catalytic processes such as the OXO-process in which aldehydes and alcohols are made from olefins and also in the hydrogenation and isomerization of olefins. Specific projects include developing methods for measuring the acidity of the metal hydrides which are weak acids; measuring absolute rate constants for hydrogen atom transfer from a variety of transition metal hydrides to trityl radicals; determining the strengths of hydrogen-transition metal bonds; developing a stereospecific synthesis of alpha-amino acids from coordinated aldimines; and investigating the possible hydride transfer reaction from the metal hydride to protonated aldehydes and ketones.