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

在化学系化学催化项目的资助下，威廉·D·罗切斯特大学的琼斯正在开发新的催化材料，能够从有机分子中去除氢，以制造更有价值的产品。 在这种新方法中，使用金属催化剂将氢从有机分子转移到载体分子。然后载体分子被循环多次。琼斯博士正在研究反应循环的各个步骤。 这些催化反应可应用于药物合成，并且还可以更好地了解如何捕获和存储来自水力发电或风力涡轮机的电能，以供以后按需使用。琼斯博士从事外展活动，向公众介绍能源储存和有机化合物合成的新概念。他和他的小组参加公共广播节目，如WXXI连接，并在电视新闻节目发言。研究人员包括本科生和研究生，他们正在接受培训，以解决广泛社会利益的困难技术问题。 这项研究通过为制药和可再生能源行业的技术创新做出贡献，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，可用于电化学取代醇，胺和杂环。该小组正在研究使用新的和已知的催化剂与醌类化合物结合作为电子转移介质，因为醌类化合物能够进行可逆的电化学还原和氧化，并显示出作为过渡金属催化剂的介质的前景。该小组正在研究用各种醌作为氢受体的醇和胺脱氢的化学计量反应。 该小组还在开发对苯二酚氢受体的电化学回收。通过选择合适的溶剂和电解质，电化学方法可以用于制备吲哚和喹诺酮等杂环化合物。 最后，这种电化学方法被用于活化C-C键的脱氢应用，以产生氧化的有机产品，作为化学和制药工业的结构单元。这项工作有可能发生与二氢作为唯一的副产物，使用电化学提供的驱动力的化学上坡反应。这项工作的重点是在有机合成中使用这些催化剂，但也可以在储氢和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，成为在先进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知识价值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.