This award in the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry supports research by Professor Carl Hoff at the University of Miami to gain a fundamental understanding of the rules of how catalysts facilitate the Haber process by unraveling the energy content of key intermediates along the reaction pathway. vFocus is on the first logical intermediate N2H, which is highly unstable unless it is bound to a metal complex or other catalytic species. The two principle questions to be addressed are how this first step can be made more favorable in terms of the energy changes involved. The second is how it can be made to occur faster by addition of a third party (a mimic of an enzyme cofactor) to speed up the reaction process.
Development of a low temperature catalyst for nitrogen fixation would have a tremendous impact and result in energy savings in the production of nitrogen compounds. Infrastructure and collaborative linkage will be established between the Miami program and that of Professor Josh Telser (Roosevelt Univesity) and Professor Alex Angerhofer (University of Florida and National High Magnetic Field Laboratory). Undergraduate students from any of these institutions will be supported for research work at any of the others. Significant populations of traditionally under represented groups are present at all three campuses, particularly Hispanic students at Miami, and African American students at Roosevelt. The techniques and methods learned will provide a rich and diverse student education with the training essential for progress in a competitive chemical endeavors.
