The Chemical Catalysis Program of the Chemistry Division supports the research of Professor Kami L. Hull of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign to develop new approaches for the synthesis of carbonyl containing compounds. Such species are extremely important in the commodity chemical industry as well as in pharmaceutical and specialty chemical syntheses. Their preparations, however, are complicated and often involve the production of undesirable by-products. One of the primary goals of this project is to maximize the economy of the synthesis of these species. The development of new methodologies that minimize waste are targeted for the synthesis of amides, esters, thioesters, and ketones, all of which are important starting materials or intermediates in large scale chemical processes. The broader impacts this work include the potential to minimize the waste associated with the synthesis of carbonyl compounds, thereby making better use of our natural resources in the synthesis of fine and commodity chemicals. Additionally, there is an outreach component that aims to increase the scientific literacy of rural children and encourage these students to pursue higher education in STEM disciplines.
New rhodium based metal-catalysts are developed that allow for the direct coupling of alcohols and nucleophiles, through dehydrogenation or transfer hydrogenation, for the synthesis of amides, esters, thioesters and ketones. Further, synthesis of alpha and beta chiral carbonyl compounds is explored. The catalysts and organic products are fully characterized by NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography, when needed. To increase the scientific understanding of the greater community, an outreach program entitled Next Generation of Illinois Scientists (NGIS) is developed. The goals of NGIS is to bring scientific outreach to rural communities. Working with fourth grade students at rural elementary schools within a 50 mile radius of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign a series of experiments is developed that builds on the Common Core Curriculum.
