Objective
Organocatalysis has drastically advanced stereoselective chemical synthesis. From an underdeveloped niche area, it has become the most frequently applied approach to asymmetric synthesis. Organocatalysis is also developing into a technology, which can be used to make pharmaceuticals, scents, and other fine chemicals. However, the early stages of industrial chemistry, the upgrading of hydrocarbon-based alkenes, arenes, and alkanes, are still largely dominated by heterogeneous and transition metal catalysts. Here we will address the question if a selective, Early-Stage Organocatalysis (ESO) can be developed that directly delivers high-value substances from abundantly available hydrocarbon feedstock chemicals, while significantly saving energy and other resources. During the last few years, we have developed confined organic acids as a new catalyst class that features enzyme and zeolite-inspired active sites with well-defined pockets for selective substrate recognition and catalysis. These catalysts offer a widely tunable reactivity range, reaching extreme levels with turnover numbers exceeding 106 in challenging asymmetric carbon-carbon bond forming reactions, and approaching “magic acid” reactivity toward the activation of olefins. We now aim to take confined acid catalysis to another level by designing new, even more reactive acids that enable the utilization and valorization of steam-cracker-based hydrocarbons in selective organocatalysis. Specifically, we propose three aims: (1) Developing asymmetric olefin hydrofunctionalizations including hydrations and hydroarylations; (2) An early stage functionalization of simple arenes such as benzene and toluene via highly stereoselective and regioselective electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions; and, as the ultimate test of extreme reactivity, (3) we propose organocatalytic, asymmetric reactions of alkanes. The all-underlying goal will be the design and development of organocatalysts of the next generation.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs
- natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry hydrocarbons
- natural sciences chemical sciences catalysis
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins enzymes
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2021-ADG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
45470 Muelheim An Der Ruhr
Germany
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.