The Chemical Catalysis Program of the Chemistry Division of the National Science Foundation will support the research program of Professor Wenbin Lin of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Lin and his students are exploring the synthesis of enantioselective catalysts using strategies to incorporate active homogeneous catalysts into metal-organic framework materials. These "heterogenized" homogeneous catalysts are characterized for activity and selectivity, and information about the catalyst structure obtained from dye absorption/spectrometry and X-ray diffraction are used to design improved catalytic materials. New methodology, specifically the use of dye sensitized optical probes to determine pore size, and new synthetic approaches, which include functional framework members in the MOF synthetic routes, will result from this work. In addition, active enanatioselective catalyst materials will be produced. These catalytic materials will be useful for the synthesis of fine chemicals, medicinal chemistry intermediates, and for the design of stereospecific process routes for pharmaceuticals. High school students will work alongside undergraduate and graduate students in this broadly multidisciplinary research program.
