The Center for Enabling New Technologies through Catalysis, or CENTC, led by the University of Washington, is supported by an award from the NSF Division of Chemistry as a Phase II Chemical Bonding Center, or CBC. CENTC brings together a group of sixteen investigators from across the United States to work on the development of efficient, inexpensive and environmentally friendly methods of synthesizing organic materials by way of activation of strong bonds. New methodology based on using transition metals to selectively activate and functionalize strong chemical bonds has the potential to revolutionize the production of chemicals from large scale bulk processes to fine chemical synthesis, such as occurs in the pharmaceutical industry. A broad scope of projects is being pursued in this Phase II CBC including hydroamination, oxidation, C-H functionalization, alkane metathesis, fuel cell research, the use of biomass as feedstocks and enzymatic chemistry.
The work occuring at CENTC is having a broad impact through the training of students at all levels. In addition, high school teachers from various parts of the United States are participating in the center and helping in the production of presentations and videos on the advances and implications of CENTC research. The center has an industrial affiliates program which allows for direct communication of CENTC research results to industry where it can be converted into real-world applications. Projects supported by the center focus on greening -- economically and environmentally -- chemical, petroleum, pharmaceutical and material production and thus have significant potential to increase US competitiveness and to enhance our national security through an increase in energy independence.
(CENTC) was established in 2007 as the first NSF Phase II Center for Chemical Innovation (CCI). Through this award CENTC brought together 19 senior investigators and their graduate students and postdocs from 13 institutions across North America to address collaboratively one of society’s most pressing current needs – the development of new methods for the sustainable production of chemicals and fuels. In particular, CENTC scientists worked on the development of new types of catalysts. Catalysts are added to chemical reactions to accelerate the reactions, to allow the reactions to occur at lower temperatures, and to increase the selectivity of the reaction to form one particular type of product. Catalysts can also be developed to make new reactions possible that allow different starting materials (more readily available, less expensive and less toxic) to be used to make a desired product. Nearly all of the current industrial production of fuels, plastics, drugs and other products rely on catalysts. More efficient catalysts will not only contribute to lower energy use by the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, but will allow us to better utilize our natural resources, lower chemical waste production and move toward a sustainable society. Chemists and chemical engineers in CENTC have collaborated on understanding, designing, and developing new catalysts that will allow for more efficient, economic and greener technologies in the chemical industry. At the most fundamental level, CENTC scientists have investigated new reactions for the selective cleavage and formation of C-H, C-C, C-O, O-O and O-H bonds. The knowledge gained has been used to devise innovative methodologies, including novel types of tandem catalytic processes (where two or more catalysts work together to promote a series of reactions), to achieve valuable transformations such as direct alkane functionalization, selective defunctionalization of biomass, utilization of carbon dioxide as a feedstock chemical, and the oxidation of water. In addition to large number of publications in scientific journals reporting these advances, CENTC scientists have been awarded and/or submitted patents on their inventions. CENTC has also initiated a direct connection to industry through our Industrial Affiliates (IA) program. With representatives from energy companies, chemical companies and pharmaceutical companies, our IA program has provided insight into the areas in need of key breakthroughs. The IA program has also provided for opportunities to transform CENTC’s scientific discoveries into practical technologies. The collaborative approach of CENTC has offered unique training for over 180 undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Their experiences with CENTC and their demonstrated ability to work effectively on team projects have helped them to secure their desired employment in industry, government agencies/labs or in academics. 17 CENTC graduate and postdoctoral alumni are now in the U.S. industrial workforce in the fields of chemicals, fuels and pharmaceuticals. CENTC also sponsored "summer schools" in 2008, 2010 and 2013 to educate the greater science community in catalysis. Most of the participants (graduate students, postdoctoral associates, faculty and industrial scientists) were not otherwise associated with CENTC. CENTC researchers have worked to disseminate information about the role of catalysis in our lives and about CENTC research to a broad segment of the public. Most notably, CENTC has developed content and contributed to a variety of projects and exhibits at prominent science museums across the US. These exhibits educate the public on the large number of products in our daily lives that are made from chemicals originating from oil. Through understanding the role of petrochemicals in our lives and our national economy, the public gains appreciation of the role of catalysis in developing a more sustainable society. A CENTC exhibit "Catalysts for Change" was launched in October 2011 at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle and received over 135,000 visitors. In August 2013 a new multi-touch table activity, "Molecule Magic" debuted at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey, City, New Jersey as a new component of their "Energy Quest" exhibit. CENTC high school outreach programs in Washington State, New Jersey, Michigan and North Carolina have also reached a large pool of future scientists. In addition to discussions, presentations and hands-on experiments with the students, a strong message was transmitted that each of them, irrespective of their race, gender or income level, can participate in science and in doing so help find solutions to some of society’s most pressing problems.
