SusChEM: CAREER: The development of cobalt(I) catalysts featuring strong-field ligands for C-X bond formation.

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

In this project funded by the Chemical Catalysis program of the Chemistry Division, Prof. Alison Fout of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is developing new earth-abundant cobalt catalysts capable of mediating various types of bond formation chemistry. This project targets sustainable, biocompatible earth-abundant catalysts to generate products currently made by the more expensive and toxic, Noble metals, such as palladium, platinum and iridium. Simple replacement of the Noble metal catalysts with their earth-abundant counterparts is not straightforward, so methods are being developed to change the chemical environment about the metal center in order to promote the desired catalysis. The broader impacts of the research involve developing catalysts for important fine chemical synthesis based upon earth-abundant metals, training research scientists in a technologically important area of research, and building foundational activities for primary school students to gain exposure to science experiments. Due to the difficult nature of preventing single-electron transfer or radical chemistry on first-row transition metals, an oxidatively-robust ligand system is being developed to stabilize low-valent late first-row transition metal complexes. This study features a fundamentally important group of transition metal complexes to mediate organic catalysis involving activities ranging from chemical synthesis, spectroscopic analysis to catalysis, providing an excellent vehicle to train future scientists from various educational backgrounds. An outreach program developed by Professor Fout is building the foundation for economically disadvantaged elementary and junior high students to gain exposure to science experiments and to assess how the interest in science changes as a function of age. The broader impacts of this work include the benefits of using sustainable, earth-abundant catalysts for the synthesis of important organic complexes.