Project description DEENESFRITPL Cross-fertilisation is sowing the seeds for a new era of catalysts Synthetic chemistry is critical to fields from biomedicine to industrial chemistry. In multiple reaction steps, new compounds can be formed through functionalisation of existing ones. Catalytic functionalisation of carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds is an intense area of research. The range of substrates is virtually limitless, including hydrocarbons, complex organic compounds, and synthetic and biological polymers. C-H functionalisation based on this unlimited repertoire of starting points is believed to have the potential to revolutionise the synthesis of complex molecules. The persistent challenge is the amazing stability of the C-H bond. The EU-funded CUBE project is pulling together insights from numerous fields regarding pioneering copper-containing biological and synthetic catalysts. This cross-fertilisation is expected to lead to exotic fruit with unprecedented catalytic benefits. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective The Holy Grail of selective C-H activation has been vigorously pursued for more than 70 years in all areas of catalysis - homogeneous, heterogeneous and biological - yet with scarce cross-fertilization. CUBE will bridge this gap, by synergistically disclosing the secrets of Cu-containing biological and synthetic catalysts and translating the acquired knowledge into rationally designed new catalysts with unprecedented activity, selectivity and turn-over numbers.CUBE will capitalize on the recent discovery of abundant and experimentally accessible natural enzymes (LPMOs) that activate resilient C-H bonds using a mono-Cu catalytic center, thus providing a biological analogue to synthetic Cu-zeolites. CUBE will also harness the potential of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which offer unprecedented (“enzyme-like”) flexibility in catalyst development. C-H activating Cu-containing Zr-MOFs have just been described. CUBE will generate trans-disciplinary insights into Cu-based catalysts to progress beyond the state of the art in C-H activation. To this aim, we will elucidate the key mechanistic features of oxidant activation by O2, as well as N2O and H2O2, and then C-H activation. Emerging design principles from these studies will evolve new catalysts, including engineered enzymes, enzyme-polymer hybrid materials, and MOFs. To enable these efforts, we will develop novel methodologies at the interface of spectroscopy and computational chemistry. The project brings together leading players in complementary fields: design, synthesis and testing of catalysts (UiO), enzymology and protein engineering (NMBU), spectroscopic investigations of heterogeneous catalysts (UoT) and spectroscopic/computational studies of homogeneous and biological catalysts (MPI). Through a work-plan conceived to maximize cross-fertilization within the project team, we will design and develop novel catalysts for tomorrow’s C-H activation chemistry. Fields of science natural scienceschemical sciencescatalysisbiocatalysisnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsenzymesnatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsspectroscopy Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-2019-SyG - ERC Synergy Grant Call for proposal ERC-2019-SyG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-SyG - Synergy grant Coordinator UNIVERSITETET I OSLO Net EU contribution € 2 906 039,00 Address Problemveien 5-7 0313 Oslo Norway See on map Region Norge Oslo og Viken Oslo Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,38 Beneficiaries (4) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all UNIVERSITETET I OSLO Norway Net EU contribution € 2 906 039,00 Address Problemveien 5-7 0313 Oslo See on map Region Norge Oslo og Viken Oslo Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,38 NORGES MILJO-OG BIOVITENSKAPLIGE UNIVERSITET Norway Net EU contribution € 2 796 408,00 Address Universitetstunet 3 1433 As See on map Region Norge Oslo og Viken Viken Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,75 UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TORINO Italy Net EU contribution € 2 079 791,00 Address Via giuseppe verdi 8 10124 Torino See on map Region Nord-Ovest Piemonte Torino Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EV Germany Net EU contribution € 2 103 750,00 Address Hofgartenstrasse 8 80539 Munchen See on map Region Bayern Oberbayern München, Kreisfreie Stadt Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00