On-water catalysis for green chemistry. The on-water effect enables acid-catalysed organic reactions to be conducted as emulsions in water, instead of dissolved in expensive and often toxic organic solvents. This research will define the scope and limitations of the effect, allowing predictions about the extent of its applicability in green chemistry using water and renewable feedstocks.
Open framework organic materials for CO2 capture and conversion. The reduction of CO2 emissions from coal-fired power plants is a technological challenge of global significance. This project will address this challenge by developing a unique system, based upon open framework materials, that will selectively capture CO2 from gas streams and then catalyse its transformation into industrially useful chemicals.
New metal catalysed tandem routes to nitrogen containing compounds. Catalyst based manufacturing accounts for 60 per cent of chemical production and 90 per cent of processes. This project aims to improve the efficiency of catalysis and to develop new applications of catalysis for the synthesis of heterocycles, polyamide monomers and carbocyclic peptides.