9512858 Iglesia The proposed research will establish a working collaboration between a catalysis research group at UC Berkeley, headed by Enrique Iglesia, and a solid-state synthesis research group at the Universidad Nacional del Litoral in Santa Fe, Argentina under Carlos Apesteguia. The research will focus on understanding the problems in catalytic approaches for the synthesis of isobutanol from synthesis gas. The mechanism of the process will be analyzed and various catalysts will be evaluated in order to find a method which works effectively under lower temperatures and pressures than currently known methods. The research group in Argentina is recognized for research in the synthesis and structural characterization of new materials, while the U.S. group complements this expertise with emphasis on the kinetics and mechanisms of organic reactions at catalytic surfaces. The project leaders will also involve graduate students and a post doctoral scientist as integral parts of the project. ****
