BIOMIMETIC HETEROGENEOUS CATALYSIS FOR ENANTIOSELECTIVE OXIDATIONS

The research proposed will allow free movement of personnel between Sheffield and York over an initial two-year period although it is intended to extend this into a long-term focussed collaboration. The general target is green and sustainable catalysts and processes for the enantioselective oxidation of organic molecules with high added value. The ultimate aim of this project will be to synthesise key organic epoxides and dihydroxides using either normal phase water or supercritical carbon dioxide as the solvent.The initial phase of the research will identify candidate systems for the small and large-scale synthesis of porous catalyst supports and active metal complexes. This will involve the transfer of key skills in solid catalyst synthesis and characterisation and the pilot plant scale preparation of materials This will lead on to the design, construction and testing of micro reactor systems for continuous flow processing, including the implementation of control procedures using LabView software. Furthermore, we will use surface analysis of the supported catalysts to probe reaction mechanisms and deactivation pathways in order to aid the development of next generation catalysts.The work culminates in the development of an environmentally friendly clean and sustainable process, employing benign solvent systems including water and supercritical carbon dioxide, for the production of commercially important chemical products. The implementation of these technologies in a commercial sense will be assessed through our association with Astra Zeneca Charnwood, Process Research and Development.In parallel to the research programme this discipline hop will allow us to develop new teaching resources at the interface between chemistry and chemical engineering.