Mechanistic Investigations in Homogeneous Catalysis

重要精细化学品的生产，如药品，依赖于均相催化的使用。许多关键的转化是用有机金属、分子、过渡金属配合物进行的。为了提高化学合成的可持续性，需要开发可在低负荷下运行的新型催化剂。催化剂的稳定性通常是催化剂在工业上应用的主要障碍，因为稳定性差需要高负荷的昂贵催化剂。尽管催化剂失活（即需要高负荷的原因）很重要，但这是催化科学的一个领域，尚未得到很好的研究。该项目将研究一些有价值的催化反应（例如，炔烃和烯烃的水合反应，烯烃的氧化反应），并将致力于了解影响催化剂性能的因素。机理研究将考察条件和催化剂结构对产物选择性、反应速率和催化剂稳定性的影响。成功的候选人将由Paul Dingwall博士和Mark Muldoon博士指导，他们有相关的专业知识来支持这个项目领域的学生。在攻读博士学位期间，学生将掌握一系列技能和知识，这将使他们非常适合就业。例如，该项目将涉及合成（如配体和金属配合物）和分析化学（如GC， HPLC， IR， MS和NMR）。在项目中，学生还将发展其他重要的可转移技能，如解决问题、写作和演讲技巧。

The production of important fine chemicals, such as pharmaceuticals, relies on the use of homogeneous catalysis. Many key transformations are performed with organometallic, molecular, transition metal complexes. In order to improve the sustainability of chemical synthesis, there is a need to develop new catalysts which can operate at low loadings. The stability of a catalyst is often the main barrier to a catalyst being used industrially, as poor stability requires high loadings of an expensive catalyst. Despite the importance of catalyst deactivation (i.e. the reason that high loadings are needed), this is an area of catalytic science that is not well studied. This project will investigate a number of valuable catalytic reactions (e.g. hydration of alkynes and alkenes, oxidation of alkenes) and will aim to develop an understanding of the factors that influence catalyst performance. Mechanistic studies will examine the influence of conditions and catalyst structure on product selectivity, reaction rate and catalyst stability. The successful candidate will be supervised by Dr Paul Dingwall and Dr Mark Muldoon who have the relevant expertise to support a student in this project area. During the PhD, the student will develop a range of skills and knowledge that will make them very employable. For example, the project will involve synthesis (e.g. of ligands and metal complexes) and analytical chemistry (e.g. GC, HPLC, IR, MS and NMR). During the project, the student will also develop other important transferable skills, such as problem solving, writing and presentation skills.