Well-Defined Silica-Supported Titanium Catalysts for Introducing Nitrogen Functional Groups

Amines are commercially valuable compounds used in a wide range of products including pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and polymers (global market USD 16.6 billion), but their industrial synthesis is inefficient and expensive.

Alternatively, nitrogen functional groups can be synthesised by green, 100% atom efficient reactions (hydroamination and hydroaminoalkylation) that are catalysed by earth-abundant homogeneous Ti complexes. These reactions are not yet industrially viable due to high costs of catalyst recovery and product purification.

We need to develop catalysts for these processes that exhibit the high activity and selectivity of homogeneous Ti catalysts but are industrially viable.This project will develop new heterogeneous catalysts for introducing nitrogen functional groups by immobilising Ti complexes based on homogeneous catalysts for hydroamination and hydroaminoalkylation onto silica surfaces.

It will blend the disciplines of chemical synthesis, homogeneous catalysis, and surface organometallic chemistry by using the expertise of researchers and specialist facilities in Canada and France.

I will: synthesise novel catalysts featuring well-defined Ti metal centres supported by ligands immobilised on silica surfaces, optimise their activity for hydroamination and hydroaminoalkylation on industrially important substrates, and investigate the mechanism of the reactions to optimise and enhance industrial applicability.This project will transform green processes to manufacture nitrogen-containing chemicals from academic research into industrial routes.

Knowledge and key skills in chemical synthesis, catalyst development and surface organometallic chemistry will be shared between European and Canadian researchers, resulting in a synergic partnership impacting academic and industrial fields.

I will apply my previous experience and learn new technical and transferable skills, which will advance me to my goal of becoming an independent academic researcher.