Descripción del proyecto
Métodos de ingeniería molecular innovadores dan lugar a catalizadores del grupo principal sin precedentes
Los catalizadores son fundamentales para casi todas las reacciones químicas con importancia socioeconómica, ya que aceleran las reacciones químicas para permitir la producción a gran escala. Los catalizadores de metales de transición han sido la base de la activación de los enlaces químicos durante décadas. El impulso por una química más ecológica y sostenible ha dado origen a nuevos catalizadores creados a partir de alternativas más abundantes y económicas de los denominados «elementos del grupo principal». El proyecto B-yond, financiado con fondos europeos, desarrollará nuevas estrategias de ingeniería molecular para diseñar catalizadores del grupo principal revolucionarios y basados en arquitecturas moleculares sin precedentes. Estos catalizadores pioneros impulsarán la innovación relacionada con procesos químicos sostenibles y rentables.
Objetivo
The activation of chemical bonds is fundamental to every chemical transformation. While reactions mediated by transition-metal catalysts are known for more than a century, the last decade witnessed spectacular developments in the emerging area of catalysis mediated by non-metallic species. Among these new chemical entities made from earth-abundant and inexpensive main-group elements, Lewis acid-base pairs and bifunctional element/ligand systems mimicking the behavior of transition-metals rapidly revolutionized the activation modes of chemical bonds.
In the project B-yond, I will establish new molecular engineering strategies and develop unprecedented main-group catalysts embedded in cage-shaped and curved molecular scaffolds. Ground-breaking molecules escaping the established structural theories will become the initial focus of my project, including the creation of non-planar B, Al, C and Si centered Lewis superacids with unmatched reactivities. I will push the frontiers of knowledge of chemical bonding by exploring unusual boron-elements bonding situations and advance the design of main-group catalysts beyond the state-of-the-art. Unprecedented C-H bond functionalization processes will be developed and exploited for hydrocarbons transformation through the concept of “low reorganization energy catalysts”. The activation of dinitrogen with unique main-group superacids and bases will finally be tackled, a pioneering step toward the uncharted territory of catalytic N2 activation and conversion without transition-metal complexes.
These goals will be accomplished through a multidisciplinary approach built on my expertise in mechanistic investigations, spectroscopic and kinetics methods, organometallic and main group chemistry. The project B-yond will deliver extraordinary solutions for chemists to reach new chemical reactivities beyond the actual limits and will inspire scientists to develop innovative sustainable and cost-effective chemical processes.
Ámbito científico
Programa(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Régimen de financiación
HORIZON-AG - HORIZON Action Grant Budget-BasedInstitución de acogida
5000 Namur
Bélgica