Dr. Wayne L. Gladfelter of the Chemistry Department, University of Minnesota, will investigate the mechanisms of metal-catalyzed carbonylations of organic compounds. Support for this Environmentally Benign Chemical Synthesis and Processing project will be provided by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry program. Gladfelter will collaborate with Dr. John Grate of Catalytica. In situ IR and NMR methods will be used to monitor carbonylation reactions of nitroaromatics to form isocyanates. The catalyst precursors will be Ru3(CO)12 and various ruthenium carbonyls having phosphine and phosphite ligands. The pertinence of the work to Environmentally Benign Synthesis is that the reactions afford a method to bypass the use of phosgene (a hazardous intermediate) in the synthesis of isocyanates. Additional studies will focus on the use of these and related catalysts in asymmetric synthesis and hydrogenation of polar compounds. %%% Polyurethanes are produced in great quantity in the chemical industry, especially in the production of insulation. The present route to polyurethanes entails the conversion of nitroaromatic to isocyanate compounds with a highly toxic species, phosgene, being used in great amounts during this conversion. A new catalytic method that bypasses the use of phosgene is to be studied. At present the method shows great promise, but much needs to be learned about how it functions. Catalytica is a California-based company that creates and commercializes economic and environmentally advantageous catalytic technologies for the petroleum refining, energy, and chemical industries.
