Metallaboratranes: Soft Scorpionates and Masked Metal Bases. All molecular metal compounds involve a metal surrounded by a group of electron donors (?ligands?). The design and manipulation of these ligand sets and their interactions with metals (?coordination chemistry?) underpins ALL applications of metals, be they in biological, pharmaceutical, materials or industrial applications. This proposal addresses the diametric opposite - the role-reversal wherein a metal centre acts as an electron don ....Metallaboratranes: Soft Scorpionates and Masked Metal Bases. All molecular metal compounds involve a metal surrounded by a group of electron donors (?ligands?). The design and manipulation of these ligand sets and their interactions with metals (?coordination chemistry?) underpins ALL applications of metals, be they in biological, pharmaceutical, materials or industrial applications. This proposal addresses the diametric opposite - the role-reversal wherein a metal centre acts as an electron donor to a ligand. This rare situation has only recently been firmly established in this research group, but promises to be part of a wider new coordination chemistry, the limits of which will be pursued in the proposed work.Read moreRead less
Reactions of Coordinated Dinitrogen. The program will develop novel metal-based catalysts and reagents that will transform nitrogen gas into ammonia and other nitrogen-containing compounds (nitrogen fixation). This fundamental chemical transformation underpins major chemical industries and this new approach using organometallic catalysts will significantly improve the efficiency of ammonia production and reduce the energy and harsh reaction conditions currently required. This program will desi ....Reactions of Coordinated Dinitrogen. The program will develop novel metal-based catalysts and reagents that will transform nitrogen gas into ammonia and other nitrogen-containing compounds (nitrogen fixation). This fundamental chemical transformation underpins major chemical industries and this new approach using organometallic catalysts will significantly improve the efficiency of ammonia production and reduce the energy and harsh reaction conditions currently required. This program will design catalysts with multiple complementary metal centres tailored to bind and activate nitrogen gas to facilitate its reaction with hydrogen or other reagents.Read moreRead less
Catalytic currency: the role of size-reactivity relationships of simple and mixed 'coinage' metal clusters in C-C bond forming reactions. Chemicals have a profound influence on our daily lives. For instance, the petrol we use in our cars, the plastics used for our shopping bags or the margarine we eat. A common theme of all these products is the use of catalysts in their industrial manufacture. Thus, this Australian Research Council funded project aims to shed light on the role of some catalysts ....Catalytic currency: the role of size-reactivity relationships of simple and mixed 'coinage' metal clusters in C-C bond forming reactions. Chemicals have a profound influence on our daily lives. For instance, the petrol we use in our cars, the plastics used for our shopping bags or the margarine we eat. A common theme of all these products is the use of catalysts in their industrial manufacture. Thus, this Australian Research Council funded project aims to shed light on the role of some catalysts in breaking and forming chemical bonds and attempts to set rules to develop new and improved ones. Improved catalysts will not only reduce the cost of goods manufacturing, but will also reduce waste products and energy consumption. This research will also train new scientists and contribute to the enhancement of Australia's research profile.Read moreRead less
Reactivity and Spectroscopy of Gas Phase Metal Oxide Cluster Ions: Structure-Reactivity Correlations and Fundamental Insights into Heterogeneous Catalysis. This project will make use of world class ARC funded instrumentation to carry out breakthrough science. The research will contribute fundamental insights into chemical bond activation relevant to industrial catalytic processes important to national manufacturing industries. These insights will improve the efficiency and selectivity of catal ....Reactivity and Spectroscopy of Gas Phase Metal Oxide Cluster Ions: Structure-Reactivity Correlations and Fundamental Insights into Heterogeneous Catalysis. This project will make use of world class ARC funded instrumentation to carry out breakthrough science. The research will contribute fundamental insights into chemical bond activation relevant to industrial catalytic processes important to national manufacturing industries. These insights will improve the efficiency and selectivity of catalytic processes and lead to increased profitability and/or a reduction in unwanted side products and pollution. The project will train young scientists in important experimental and theoretical chemical techniques, and will enhance and contribute to Australia's international research profile.Read moreRead less
Novel Photo-Catalysts for Water Oxidation: Linking Nature to New Technologies. Photosynthesis is the catalytic process used by biology to convert the sun's light into energy. This project aims to mimic photosynthesis with cheap and robust molecules. The approach has great potential for development of renewable energy production and benign industrial chemical processes. The project will bring Australia to the international forefront of this field. It will provide excellent research training in a ....Novel Photo-Catalysts for Water Oxidation: Linking Nature to New Technologies. Photosynthesis is the catalytic process used by biology to convert the sun's light into energy. This project aims to mimic photosynthesis with cheap and robust molecules. The approach has great potential for development of renewable energy production and benign industrial chemical processes. The project will bring Australia to the international forefront of this field. It will provide excellent research training in a range of scientific skills for Australian research students. Read moreRead less
Polyoxometalate Clusters: Catalytic Chemistry in Solution and Condensed States. Polyoxometalate cluster anions are soluble metal-oxygen clusters that are cheap, robust and non-toxic.
Conditions for systematic tuning of redox potentials over the range +2 to -3 V have become accessible via certain photo-active polyoxometalates. The same system can provide powerful oxidants (that rival chlorine) and powerful reductants (that rival potassium).
The program will take advantage of this unique ....Polyoxometalate Clusters: Catalytic Chemistry in Solution and Condensed States. Polyoxometalate cluster anions are soluble metal-oxygen clusters that are cheap, robust and non-toxic.
Conditions for systematic tuning of redox potentials over the range +2 to -3 V have become accessible via certain photo-active polyoxometalates. The same system can provide powerful oxidants (that rival chlorine) and powerful reductants (that rival potassium).
The program will take advantage of this unique range of properties to explore:-
(i) coupling of photo- and electro-chemical processes into effective catalytic cycles;
(ii) photo- and electro-chemical processes in ionic liquid solvents;
(iii) synthesis and redox reactivity of nanoparticles stabilised by polyoxometalates.
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Improved catalysts for liquid phase hydrocarbon oxidation. Hydrocarbon oxidation is the largest industrial catalytic application of molecular transition metal catalysts. Despite its widespread application, the cyclohexane oxidation process is inefficient as it operates at low conversions, with a requirement to continuously recycle large quantities of hydrocarbon feedstock. Because of the scale of the process, increasing the yield from 4.5% to even 6% (33% increase) would represent a drastic im ....Improved catalysts for liquid phase hydrocarbon oxidation. Hydrocarbon oxidation is the largest industrial catalytic application of molecular transition metal catalysts. Despite its widespread application, the cyclohexane oxidation process is inefficient as it operates at low conversions, with a requirement to continuously recycle large quantities of hydrocarbon feedstock. Because of the scale of the process, increasing the yield from 4.5% to even 6% (33% increase) would represent a drastic improvement, with flow-on economic and environmental effects. The proposal aims to combine novel modifiers into the structure of the catalysts, to effect this increase and develop cleaner, more efficient, catalysts.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