Organometallic Reactions Relevant to the Functionalization of Alkanes

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

Karen Goldberg, Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, is supported by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry Program for her studies on the selective activation and functionalization of the C-H bonds of alkanes. She will conduct studies of the mechanisms, energetics, requirements and scopes of reaction steps involved in platinum catalyzed alkane oxidation. Reactions to be investigated include the oxidative addition/reductive elimination of C-H and C-O bonds at platinum centers and reactions of platinum complexes with dioxygen. The selective activation and functionalization of alkanes is a major goal in organometallic chemistry. The production of useful chemicals directly from natural gas and other alkane reserves would have significant economic and environmental advantages over current processes. Students and postdoctoral associates will also be trained in important skills of synthesis, characterization, kinetics and mechanistic studies.