Objective
FunCBonds offers a novel perspective to relevant scientific synthetic problems via a synergistic dual catalytic activation of carbon-carbon bonds and CO2, a topic of major interest not only for basic research science but also from an industrial and social point of view. As the use of alternative feedstocks such as CO2 is still one of the most fundamental gaps in catalytic technologies, I believe that FunCBonds project provides an alternative vision and strategy for the preparation of pharmaceutically relevant carboxylic acid derivatives using inexpensive raw materials in a catalytic fashion. In contrast to the well-established methodology based on carbon-carbon bond formation using either ruthenium or palladium catalysts (recently awarded with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2005 and 2010, respectively), the main challenge of this project is the discovery of a non-expensive and non-toxic catalyst that allows the cleavage of C-C bonds and CO2 following the principles of the atom economy. FunCBonds will meet these challenges by offering an innovative approach that will unlock the potential of a combined functionalization of inert C-C and C-O bonds. The project will provide the necessary understanding behind the factors influencing both C-C bond cleavage and the subsequent CO2 insertion event, thus opening up new horizons in preparative organic chemistry as well as offering solutions to a social and industrial problem such as the use of CO2 as chemical feedstock.
Fields of science
Call for proposal
ERC-2011-StG_20101014
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Funding Scheme
ERC-SG - ERC Starting GrantHost institution
43007 Tarragona
Spain