RUI: CAS: Development of New Octahedral Ruthenium(II) Olefin Hydroarylation Catalysts Supported by a Single Bidentate Support Ligand

Project: Research

Project Details

Description

With the support of the Chemical Synthesis program in the Division of Chemistry, Professor Brandon Quillian of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Southern University-Armstrong Campus will pursue a project in fundamental research to develop transition metal-based catalysts capable of converting fairly inert petroleum resources into value-added products by a 'greener' method as compared to contemporary methods, which often suffer from multiple deficiencies such as high reaction temperatures, non-selectivity, large waste streams and the inability to recover catalysts. The targeted, highly valued, industrially important products are currently produced yearly on multi-ton scales for the manufacture of plastics, medicines and detergents. Borrowing from previous advances in this vein of research, the investigator aims to provide new knowledge to the chemistry community to further improve our understanding of these types of systems that may lead to more efficient processes, thereby preserving petroleum resources. This project will support the research activities of two undergraduate students who will benefit from direct supervision from the experienced investigator. These students will be trained in the state-of-art methods, techniques, and instrumentation, as well as build soft skills required to be successful in their future employment. This training is integral to developing these students into research scientists to support the increasing need for qualified science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates. Moreover, this project is expected to have an immediate impact on underrepresented minorities due to the rich diversity of Georgia Southern University and the investigator's ardent commitment to mentoring these students to prepare them for careers in the sciences.

The project deals with fundamental research aimed at developing well-defined, homogenous, ruthenium(II) olefin hydroarylation catalysts supported by a bidentate donor ligand (bipyridine derivatives) and other support ligands (labile and ancillary ligands). These catalysts are expected to couple non-activated olefins and arenes using metal-mediated C-H activation and subsequent functionalization through olefin insertion to facilitate the addition of aryl C-H bonds across olefin C=C bonds to produce alkylarenes. The proposed catalysts are highly modular and easy to prepare, allowing for systematic alteration of the system to optimize catalysis. A catalytic olefin hydroarylation structural-activity relationship study will be performed as a function of sterics and electronics on several catalyst variants to gain a better understanding of the system. The substrate scope of the reaction will be gauged using various arenes with both electron-withdrawing and electron-donating groups, and cyclic and highly substituted olefins. The products and intermediates of these studies will be characterized using modern spectroscopic methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopy as well as mass spectrometry, gas and liquid chromatography, cyclic voltammetry, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. It is expected that the outcomes of this study will increase understanding on how to best synthesize these types of systems and what constitutes the necessary features for viable catalysis, and by proxy, the steric and electronic limits of the system.

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.

StatusActive
Effective start/end date07/1/2206/30/25

Funding

  • National Science Foundation: $208,608.00

Scopus Subject Areas

  • Spectroscopy
  • Chemistry (all)

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