AlCat | Bond activation and catalysis with low-valent aluminium

Summary
This project will develop the principles required to enable bond-modifying redox catalysis based on aluminium by preparing and studying new Al(I) compounds capable of reversible oxidative addition.

Catalytic processes are involved in the synthesis of 75 % of all industrially produced chemicals, but most catalysts involved are based on precious metals such as rhodium, palladium or platinum. These metals are expensive and their supply limited and unstable; there is a significant need to develop the chemistry of non-precious metals as alternatives. On toxicity and abundance alone, aluminium is an attractive candidate. Furthermore, recent work, including in our group, has demonstrated that Al(I) compounds can perform a key step in catalytic cycles - the oxidative addition of E-H bonds.

In order to realise the significant potential of Al(I) for transition-metal style catalysis we urgently need to:
- establish the principles governing oxidative addition and reductive elimination reactivity in aluminium systems.
- know how the reactivity of Al(I) compounds can be controlled by varying properties of ligand frameworks.
- understand the onward reactivity of oxidative addition products of Al(I) to enable applications in catalysis.
In this project we will:

- Study mechanisms of oxidative addition and reductive elimination of a range of synthetically relevant bonds at Al(I) centres, establishing the principles governing this fundamental reactivity.
- Develop new ligand frameworks to support of Al(I) centres and evaluate the effect of the ligand on oxidative addition/reductive elimination at Al centres.
- Investigate methods for Al-mediated functionalisation of organic compounds by exploring the reactivity of E-H oxidative addition products with unsaturated organic compounds.
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More information & hyperlinks
Web resources: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/716315
Start date: 01-03-2017
End date: 31-08-2022
Total budget - Public funding: 1 493 679,00 Euro - 1 493 679,00 Euro
Cordis data

Original description

This project will develop the principles required to enable bond-modifying redox catalysis based on aluminium by preparing and studying new Al(I) compounds capable of reversible oxidative addition.

Catalytic processes are involved in the synthesis of 75 % of all industrially produced chemicals, but most catalysts involved are based on precious metals such as rhodium, palladium or platinum. These metals are expensive and their supply limited and unstable; there is a significant need to develop the chemistry of non-precious metals as alternatives. On toxicity and abundance alone, aluminium is an attractive candidate. Furthermore, recent work, including in our group, has demonstrated that Al(I) compounds can perform a key step in catalytic cycles - the oxidative addition of E-H bonds.

In order to realise the significant potential of Al(I) for transition-metal style catalysis we urgently need to:
- establish the principles governing oxidative addition and reductive elimination reactivity in aluminium systems.
- know how the reactivity of Al(I) compounds can be controlled by varying properties of ligand frameworks.
- understand the onward reactivity of oxidative addition products of Al(I) to enable applications in catalysis.
In this project we will:

- Study mechanisms of oxidative addition and reductive elimination of a range of synthetically relevant bonds at Al(I) centres, establishing the principles governing this fundamental reactivity.
- Develop new ligand frameworks to support of Al(I) centres and evaluate the effect of the ligand on oxidative addition/reductive elimination at Al centres.
- Investigate methods for Al-mediated functionalisation of organic compounds by exploring the reactivity of E-H oxidative addition products with unsaturated organic compounds.

Status

CLOSED

Call topic

ERC-2016-STG

Update Date

27-04-2024
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Horizon 2020
H2020-EU.1. EXCELLENT SCIENCE
H2020-EU.1.1. EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
ERC-2016
ERC-2016-STG