Coinage metal nanoclusters: synthesis, structure and reactivity. Metal catalysts play important roles in the multi-billion dollar production of many industrial and fine chemicals used in wide-ranging applications including pharmaceuticals, insecticides and polymers. Despite the importance of metal catalysed reactions, the molecular details of such processes remain poorly understood. Breakthrough studies highlight that reactions previously thought to be catalysed by discrete metal catalysts are i ....Coinage metal nanoclusters: synthesis, structure and reactivity. Metal catalysts play important roles in the multi-billion dollar production of many industrial and fine chemicals used in wide-ranging applications including pharmaceuticals, insecticides and polymers. Despite the importance of metal catalysed reactions, the molecular details of such processes remain poorly understood. Breakthrough studies highlight that reactions previously thought to be catalysed by discrete metal catalysts are in fact catalysed by metal nanoclusters. This project involves the application of advanced mass spectrometric and computational methods to explore the formation and reactivity of copper, silver and gold nanoclusters. Identification of key reactive intermediates will inform the design of next generation catalysts.Read moreRead less
A Midas touch for electrophiles in new reaction development. This project aims to address the lack of knowledge about how high-value organic molecules are formed in gold-catalysed reactions by advancing a novel mode of catalysis. This project expects to generate new knowledge about these gold-catalysed reactions using an innovative, interdisciplinary approach incorporating computational and synthetic techniques. Expected outcomes of this project include the optimisation and development of import ....A Midas touch for electrophiles in new reaction development. This project aims to address the lack of knowledge about how high-value organic molecules are formed in gold-catalysed reactions by advancing a novel mode of catalysis. This project expects to generate new knowledge about these gold-catalysed reactions using an innovative, interdisciplinary approach incorporating computational and synthetic techniques. Expected outcomes of this project include the optimisation and development of important organic reactions and enhancing collaboration nationally and internationally between computational and synthetic chemists. This should provide significant benefits in the form of improved chemical reactions for chemists to prepare new pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and materials.Read moreRead less
The development of homogeneous catalytic processes for the manufacture of new chemical products derivable from Australia's resources. The research proposed is deliberately aimed at exploiting opportunities that will arise as a result of changes that are taking place in the global petrochemical industry. It is almost certain that Australia will take part in these changes through the utilisation of its gas and coal reserves and abundant biomass. Early advances in the processes that are presented a ....The development of homogeneous catalytic processes for the manufacture of new chemical products derivable from Australia's resources. The research proposed is deliberately aimed at exploiting opportunities that will arise as a result of changes that are taking place in the global petrochemical industry. It is almost certain that Australia will take part in these changes through the utilisation of its gas and coal reserves and abundant biomass. Early advances in the processes that are presented above will allow Australian industries to benefit from these changes, and will allow significant value-adding to Australia's resources.Read moreRead less
New Look N-Heterocyclic Metallocenes of the Lanthanides Based on 4-Azapentalenyl Anions. Since there are abundant, but under utilised, reserves of lanthanide minerals in Australia, it is in Australia's best interest that their chemistry is developed into commercial applications in industrial catalysis. This project addresses this situation through the detailed study of carefully chosen organolanthanide compounds (specifically, comprising hetero-substituted metallocenes). The research strategy ....New Look N-Heterocyclic Metallocenes of the Lanthanides Based on 4-Azapentalenyl Anions. Since there are abundant, but under utilised, reserves of lanthanide minerals in Australia, it is in Australia's best interest that their chemistry is developed into commercial applications in industrial catalysis. This project addresses this situation through the detailed study of carefully chosen organolanthanide compounds (specifically, comprising hetero-substituted metallocenes). The research strategy will be directed towards advancing our knowledge in relation to fundamental chemical processes that are directly relevant to the industrial production of important commodity chemicals and polymers from often under utilised petroleum industry waste stocks.Read moreRead less
Switchable and stereocontrolled photoredox catalysis. This project aims to develop new catalytic synthetic reactions for the rapid and more direct functionalisation of organic compounds under mild conditions with the use of visible light. An integrated experimental and computational approach will be used to design potent visible-light photocatalysts that retain the advantages of standard photoredox catalysis but with the added ability to intercept and, thus control, reactive intermediates in sit ....Switchable and stereocontrolled photoredox catalysis. This project aims to develop new catalytic synthetic reactions for the rapid and more direct functionalisation of organic compounds under mild conditions with the use of visible light. An integrated experimental and computational approach will be used to design potent visible-light photocatalysts that retain the advantages of standard photoredox catalysis but with the added ability to intercept and, thus control, reactive intermediates in situ. This will enable the control of stereochemistry in photoredox reactions – not possible with standard catalysts - and establish other useful synthetic transformations. These strategies will make it easier to prepare valuable classes of organic molecules – efficiently, safely, and cost-effectively.
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Upgrading of light gas-to-liquid products to fuels and chemicals. The conversion of natural gas to liquid fuels (gasoline and diesel) is seen as an important alternative to crude oil refining in Australia, and a new industry based around this is likely to emerge in the coming years. This project aims to develop methods by which some of the less valuable by-products can be upgraded to fuels and chemicals.
A new route to linear alpha olefins - catalytic isomerisation of internal olefins. Linear alpha olefins are an extremely important class of chemical building blocks used for everyday consumer products, such as plastics, detergents and lubricants. This research aims to develop a new platform technology for the production of these materials from low cost precursors.
Nucleophilic carbenes as organocatalysts for asymmetric synthesis. Chemical compounds which come in two chiral mirror images (enantiomers) can have very different biological function. Often one form can have beneficial effects while the other can cause great harm (such as birth defects in the case of thalidomide). It is therefore very important for the drug industry to have asymmetric chemical reactions that lead specifically to only one enantiomer. The asymmetric reactions in this project ha ....Nucleophilic carbenes as organocatalysts for asymmetric synthesis. Chemical compounds which come in two chiral mirror images (enantiomers) can have very different biological function. Often one form can have beneficial effects while the other can cause great harm (such as birth defects in the case of thalidomide). It is therefore very important for the drug industry to have asymmetric chemical reactions that lead specifically to only one enantiomer. The asymmetric reactions in this project have been used previously to synthesise the anti-cancer metabolite roseophilin. The results of this project will ensure that there are many more similar success stories in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.Read moreRead less
Polymer nanoparticles with gradient morphology for environmentally friendly aqueous coatings applications. The commercial and practical importance of coatings (paints) in today’s society can hardly be overstated. With the ongoing drive towards more environmentally friendly coating systems, there is a strong desire to replace traditionally employed solvent-based coatings with entirely waterborne systems. Waterborne coatings are a key measure by which the coating industry can meet requirements to ....Polymer nanoparticles with gradient morphology for environmentally friendly aqueous coatings applications. The commercial and practical importance of coatings (paints) in today’s society can hardly be overstated. With the ongoing drive towards more environmentally friendly coating systems, there is a strong desire to replace traditionally employed solvent-based coatings with entirely waterborne systems. Waterborne coatings are a key measure by which the coating industry can meet requirements to reduce emission of volatile organic compounds. However, maximum performance cannot be achieved currently using waterborne coatings, which in turn limits applications. The overall aim of this project is to develop environmentally friendly high-performance waterborne coatings that will enable replacement of currently employed solvent-based systems.Read moreRead less
Micro-disperse sintered nano-diamonds: a new class of versatile adsorbent for high performance liquid chromatography. Nano-diamond is currently recognised amongst researchers as a highly significant material for the development of new technologies in analytical science, diagnostics and nano-technology. Here, sintered nano-diamond, with its many unique properties, will provide a new generation of stationary phases for use in high performance liquid chromatography.