Sustainable Catalysis by Functionalized Materials and Applications to Late-Stage Functionalizations

Research question

The objective of this project is to create catalytic materials tailored for the selective synthesis of functionalized organic compounds, including complex molecules containing amines, through the activation of unreactive chemical bonds. Our approach involves investigating various materials, such as cellulose and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), to immobilize single-site supported metal catalysts. This catalytic system is intended for the late-stage functionalization (LSF) of complex organic molecules.

Sustainability aspects

While precious transition metals have demonstrated remarkable efficiency as homogeneous catalysts in organic synthesis, their scarcity in nature leads to high costs and sustainability concerns. Immobilizing these catalysts on solid materials such as cellulose can allow for a heterogeneous system where these valuable metals can be recycled and reused.  Further, LSF is a powerful tool in drug discovery, as it avoids the de-novo synthesis of every single analogue. This saves chemicals, solvents, and time. The field of heterogeneous catalysis applied to the LSF of advanced organic molecules is still largely underdeveloped, despite its enormous potential for a sustainable chemical production.