Author Archive

Great opportunity to present your research!

A chance for networking and discussion

A chance to meet fellow postgraduates and postdocs from the wider UK inorganic and organometallic community this year at the Dalton Transactions Younger Researchers Symposium. The meeting, organised in associated with Johnson Matthey, is taking place in University of Warwick on 20-21 September 2011.

Registration for the symposium is FREE of charge and accommodation and the conference dinner cost comes to a mere £67 – a bargain indeed! Speakers include the 2010 Dalton Transactions Europe/Africa Lectureship Winner, Professor Karsten Meyer, Dr Erwin Reisner and Dr Michaele Hardie. More information available at the event webpage.

Register now! Deadline for abstracts: 22 July 2011

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Flattening catalysts

Hans Niemantsverdriet, Eindhoven University of Technology

In their recent Catalysis Science & Technology Perspective article, Hans Niemantsverdriet and colleagues look at how nanoparticle model systems on planar supports can be used to study changes under realistic reaction conditions. 

This work has allowed the group to gain insight into many aspects of catalysis – for example it provides a window into the mechanisms of catalyst regeneration. Read this Hot Article now to find out more about recent advances in studying catalyis using planar supports – FREE to read!

Studying Fischer–Tropsch catalysts using transmission electron microscopy and model systems of nanoparticles on planar supports
P. C. Thüne, C. J. Weststrate, P. Moodley, A. M. Saib, J. van de Loosdrecht, J. T. Miller and J. W. Niemantsverdriet
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1CY00056J

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Hot Article: Carbenes inserting and C-C bond making!

In their Catalysis Science & Technology Perspective article, Bas de Bruin and co-workers discuss how inserting of carbenes into Metal–Carbon bonds is a a new tool for catalytic C–C bond formation.

The group review current applications of carbene insertion in catalysis reactions, such as palladium mediated cross-coupling and carbene polymerisation. The recent developments in this field open up new possibilities for the development of interesting new reactions based on carbene insertions. Find out more by reading Bas’ review which is free to view until the 14th April 2011.

Carbene insertion into transition metal–carbon bonds: a new tool for catalytic C–C bond formation
Nicole M. G. Franssen, Annemarie J. C. Walters, Joost N. H. Reek and Bas de Bruin
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0CY00065E, Perspective

Also look out for this article in issue 2 of Catalysis Science & Technology when it is published in April 2011. The article will be featured on the cover (image left)!

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Hot Article: TAPping into adsorption to improve catalysis

All TAP micro-reactors have inert particles which are used so that the catalyst zone can be maintained under isothermal conditions. Even on “inert” particles adsorption will occur to some degree; however, the extent to which this occurs has a critical influence on the analysis of the TAP data.

In their recent paper, Chris Hardacre and co-workers, from Queen’s University, Belfast, UK, discuss the development of a function which accounts for the adsorption over the inert material, so that the TAP data analysis can be accurately determined. They also demonstrate this analysis method using the selective reduction of oxygen in a hydrogen rich ethylene feed over silver catalysts as a case study. Find out how they got on by reading their Catalysis Science & Technology Hot Article.

Correction for a possible reversible adsorption over an “inert” material
Alexandre Goguet, Christopher Hardacre, Burapat Inceesungvorn, Kevin Morgan and Sergiy O. Shekhtman
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0CY00075B, Paper

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Challenge and progress: palladium-catalyzed sp3 C–H activation

In the last several decades, direct sp2 C–H activation of (hetero)arenes as well as some olefins has been extensively investigated and found impressive applications in organic synthesis, which has been the subject of many papers and reviews. In comparison, much less research has been devoted to the activation of more ‘‘inert’’ sp3 C–H bonds of alkyl groups.

In this Catalysis Science & Technology Perspective, Zhang-Jie Shi and colleagues tell us about the progress in the field using Palladium catalysis. Get quickly up to date in this area by reading their Perspective Article:

 

Challenge and progress: palladium-catalyzed sp3 C–H activation
Hu Li, Bi-Jie Li and Zhang-Jie Shi
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0CY00076K, Perspective

  

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Meet the Catalysis Science & Technology team this year!

We are attending a number of conferences this year and would be delighted to meet you there. The Catalysis Science & Technology team plan to attend:  

06/03/2011, GRC: Inorganic Reaction Mechanisms, Galveston, TX, USA, Meet Ruth

27/03/2011, ACS National Meeting and Exposition, Anaheim, California, USA, Meet Jamie

11/04/2011, First EuCheMS Inorganic Chemistry Conference, Manchester, UK, Meet Jamie

19/04/2011, 17th Rideal Conference, Cardiff, UK, Meet Jamie

22/05/2011, CAMURE-8 International Symposium on Multifunctional Reactors, Naantali, Finland, Meet Ruth

05/06/2011, 22nd Meeting of the North American Catalysis Society, Detroit, MI USA, Meet Jamie

10/07/2011, GRC: Organometallic, Newport, RI, USA, Meet Ruth

03/07/2011, EuCOMC XIX, Toulouse, France, Meet Ruth

10/07/2011, 19th International Symposium on Olefin Metathesis and Related Chemistry, Rennes, France, Meet Jamie

07/08/2011, ICBIC, Vancouver, Canada, Meet Jamie

04/09/2011, EuCheMS Conference on Nitrogen Ligands , Granada, Spain, Meet Jamie

Jamie Humphrey, Managing Editor Catalysis Science & Technology

So as you can see we will be visiting a large number of conferences this year – let us know if you will be there too! 

Ruth Doherty, Deputy Editor Catalysis Science & Technology

 

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Hot Article: Saving energy in making cyclic carbonates

Bimetallic aluminium(acen) complexes are highly active catalysts for cyclic carbonate synthesis that can operate at atmospheric pressure and at room temperature. Cyclic carbonates are manufactured on a large scale from epoxides and carbon dioxide. They are used as degreasing agents, electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries and polar aprotic solvents, and can be converted into dimethyl carbonate – an oxygenating additive for petrol and aviation fuel. Current processes to make them use catalysts that need high temperatures and pressures to operate.

As featured in his Catalysis Science & Technology Hot Article, Michael North’s reaction requires a co-catalyst called tetrabutylammonium bromide, but the process can be carried out at room temperature and atmospheric pressure with a range of terminal epoxides.

The global chemicals industry needs to develop alternative and sustainable starting materials. One solution is to use carbon dioxide as a starting material for the industrial synthesis of chemicals or fuels, but it is essential that such processes require little or no energy input or the dependence on fossil fuels will be restored. This leads to a requirement for reactions that can be carried out at atmospheric pressure and at or near room temperature.

Bimetallic aluminium(acen) complexes as catalysts for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from carbon dioxide and epoxides
Michael North and Carl Young
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2011, Advance Article DOI: 10.1039/C0CY00023J, Paper

 

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Hotting up propene oxidation

In one of the very first published papers in Catalysis Science & Technology, Graham Hutchings and co-workers investigate how changing the metal ratio and heating affects the structure and activity of copper gold catalysts. Find out the results here.

Understanding the effect of thermal treatments on the structure of CuAu/SiO2 catalysts and their performance in propene oxidation 
Charlotte L. Bracey, Albert F. Carley, Jennifer K. Edwards, Peter R. Ellis and Graham J. Hutchings
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2011, Advance Article   DOI: 10.1039/C0CY00003E, Paper

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Themed issue call for papers: Heterogeneous Catalysis for Fine Chemicals

I am delighted to announce an upcoming themed issue for Catalysis Science & Technology entitled Heterogeneous Catalysis for Fine Chemicals, with guest editors Mario Pagliaro and Graham Hutchings. It is our pleasure to invite you to contribute to this themed issue.

Research in heterogeneous catalysis for fine chemicals synthesis, preparative chemistry and drug discovery, is currently more active than ever before. This themed issue aims to grasp the current momentum in catalysis chemistry for fine chemicals and hopes to bring together contributions from experts in the field, involved in either the fundamental development of new catalytic mediators or in the multidisciplinary application of these organometallic entities anywhere in between these facets.

Deadline for submissions 13th June 2011

All types of manuscript, Communications, Full Papers, Minireviews and Perspectives, will be considered for publication. The manuscript should be prepared according to the format for regular articles and should be submitted online and submitted no later than the 13th June 2011. All invited manuscripts will be subjected to the normal refereeing procedure. Any questions should be directed to the Catalysis Science & Technology Editorial Office.

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First ever Catalysis Science & Technology Poster Prize winner!

Congratulations to Toritse Bob-Egbe (Imperial College London, UK) for winning the inaugural Catalysis Science & Technology Poster Prize at the recent Dalton Discussion 12 meeting on Catalytic C-H and C-X Bond Activation, which was held in Durham from the 13th-15th September this year.

The title of the Toritse’s winning poster was ‘Development of Chiral 4-(DAAP)-N-oxide Catalysts for the Sulfonylative Kinetic Resolution of Amines’.

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