New Catalysts to Expand the Scope of Donor/Acceptor Carbenes

化学系的化学催化计划通过这一奖项支持埃默里大学的休·M·L·戴维斯教授的研究。戴维斯教授和他的研究团队正在开发新的高活性催化剂，用于合成对制药、农业化学和材料科学行业重要的增值化合物。这些催化剂是基于金属铑的催化剂的改进版本，已获得广泛成功，并具有改进其功能的新功能。正在实施一种制造这些精心制作的催化剂的简化方法，并正在系统地评估它们的反应性。这些研究也为本科生和研究生以及博士后研究人员提供了一个很好的培训环境。戴维斯教授正在通过美国化学学会青年研究员研讨会进一步支持化学家的职业发展，并通过建立化学研究多样性网络来促进多样性。戴维斯教授和他的研究小组也在积极开展外展活动，以扩大对STEM学科的参与。四甲酸迪轮络合物是卡宾转移和插入的高活性催化剂。由于Rh是一种贵金属，这些催化剂的反应性和选择性的持续优化是能够将其反应性应用于大规模化学过程的迫切需要。Davies教授和他的研究小组正在制备具有外围导向基团和/或关键添加剂的新的C4对称的四羧酸铋催化剂，以实现高活性和特殊的中心选择性。这些研究针对的是在具有竞争性反应模式或存在串联反应机会的情况下与供体/受体卡宾的环丙烷化反应。戴维斯教授正在遵循一项强有力的学生指导计划，以确保学生/导师的重点。戴维斯博士还领导了几项改善学术研究环境的倡议，如建立学术界和工业界合作研究的新模式，组织全球虚拟研讨会，以及为助理教授组织特别研讨会，以便在美国化学学会的全国会议上展示他们的研究。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With this award, the Chemical Catalysis Program of the Division of Chemistry is supporting the research of Professor Huw M. L. Davies of Emory University. Professor Davies and his research team are developing new highly active catalysts for the synthesis of value-added compounds of importance to the pharmaceutical, agrochemical and materials science industries. These catalysts are improved versions of catalysts based upon rhodium metal that have been widely successful and that have new features to improve their function. A streamlined approach for making these elaborate catalysts is being implemented and their reactivity is being systematically evaluated. These studies are also serving as an excellent training environment for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as postdoctoral researchers. Professor Davies is further supporting the career development of chemists through the ACS Young Investigator Symposium and promoting diversity through the establishment of the Network for Diversity in Chemical Research. Professor Davies and his research group are also actively engaged in outreach activities to broaden engagement in STEM disciplines.Dirhodium tetracarboxylate paddlewheel complexes are highly-active catalysts for carbene transfer and insertion. Due to the fact that rhodium is a precious metal, the continued optimization of the reactivity and selectivity of these catalysts represents a critical need to be able to apply their reactivity to large scale chemical processes. Professor Davies and his research group are preparing new C4-symmetric dirhodium tetracarboxylate catalysts with periphery directing groups and/or critical additives to achieve high activity and unusual site selectivity. These studies are being directed toward cyclopropanation reactions with donor/acceptor carbenes in situations with competitive reactivity patterns or where opportunities for tandem reactivity are available. Professor Davies is following a robust student-mentoring plan to insure student/advisor focus. Dr. Davies is also leading several initiatives to enhance the academic research environment such as building a new model for collaborative research between academia and industry, organizing world-wide virtual symposia, and organizing special symposia for Assistant Professors to showcase their research at the national meetings of the American Chemical Society.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.