HOMOGENEOUS CATALYSIS
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Full programme
- Bibliography
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
Students will need a good knowledge of coordination chemistry (metal-to-ligand and metal-substrate interactions) as well as organometallic chemistry. No particular constraints are scheduled, nevertheless it would be of help for the student, for a better understanding of the contents of the course, to attend the first-year courses “Advanced Inorganic Chemistry” and “Organometallic Chemistry” before attending this course.
Verification of knowledge consists of a final oral exam which will focus on both topics discussed in the classroom lectures and in laboratory experiments. Before taking the exam, students must provide the teacher with laboratory reports, which will be part of the final evaluation. The oral examination is organized in two open questions concerning the topics discussed in the course, together with a specific exercise focusing on synthetic and mechanistic aspects of a catalytic homogeneous reactions. Then, there will be two additional questions regarding the laboratory experiments conducted. The final mark will take into consideration the accuracy of the answers (40%), the capability of the candidate to concisely present the topics (20%) and communication skills shown in the discussion (20%). Then, the aptitude shown by the student in the laboratory experiments will be evaluated as well (20%), especially considering the degree of independence and competence reached both form the practical (experiments) and theoretical (laboratory reports) point of view.
The course will provide students with an in-depth knowledge about several aspects related to homogeneous catalysis. The first part of the course (48 hours of classroom lessons) concerns the deepening of the main catalytic processes, from the synthetic and the mechanistic point of view, with attention both to laboratory-scale and to industrial processes. The second part (24 hours of laboratory experiments) will focus on the attainment of the aptitude of students to apply the previously acquired knowledge to practical experiments where they will prepare and characterize some organometallic catalysts and will use them in hydrogenation and/or C-C bond-forming catalytic reactions.
(12 hours): introduction to homogeneous catalysis, mainly focused on a revision of the basic concepts which characterize the different steps of a catalytic cycle (oxidative addition, migratory insertion, reductive elimination).
(12 hours): historical background and catalytic reactions leading to hydrogen addition to alkenes, alkynes, C=E bonds (E = O, N), promoted by transition metals. Molecular hydrogen activation mechanisms (oxidative addition, hydrogenolysis, heterolytic cleavage) and their implications in the different catalytic cycles. Steric aspects, selectivity and practical applications of the hydrogenation reaction promoted by cationic catalysts.
(12 hours): C-X bond forming reactions (X = B, Si, N, O). Industrial processes like oxo process, Wacker process, Monsanto process.
(12 hours): Brief description of the most known and up-to-date organometallic catalytic systems. Basic principles of C-C bond forming reactions. Introduction to the methodologies followed in the laboratory experiments.
(24 hours): laboratory activity where students test their aptitude to apply the previously acquired knowledge to practical experiments.
(12 hours): introduction to homogeneous catalysis, mainly focused on a revision of the basic concepts which characterize the different steps of a catalytic cycle (oxidative addition, migratory insertion, reductive elimination).
(12 hours): historical background and catalytic reactions leading to hydrogen addition to alkenes, alkynes, C=E bonds (E = O, N), promoted by transition metals. Molecular hydrogen activation mechanisms (oxidative addition, hydrogenolysis, heterolytic cleavage) and their implications in the different catalytic cycles. Steric aspects, selectivity and practical applications of the hydrogenation reaction promoted by cationic catalysts.
(12 hours): C-X bond forming reactions (X = B, Si, N, O). Industrial processes like oxo process, Wacker process, Monsanto process.
(12 hours): Brief description of the most known and up-to-date organometallic catalytic systems. Basic principles of C-C bond forming reactions. Introduction to the methodologies followed in the laboratory experiments.
(24 hours): laboratory activity where students test their aptitude to apply the previously acquired knowledge to practical experiments.
Students will be provided with PowerPoint presentations (both for classroom lectures and laboratory experiments) which will be available few days before the lecture via the web blackboard (e-learning). At the beginning of the course, some information will be given on suggested books which could integrate what reported in the slides.
The first part of the course (48 hours) is based on classroom lectures with the help of PowerPoint presentations. The slides will be available to students few days before the lesson via access to the web blackboard (e-learning).
The second part (24 hours) will give students the possibility to practically experience what they learnt during classroom lectures: they will synthetize some catalysts and then use these catalysts in hydrogenation and/or C-C bon forming catalytic reactions.
Office hours:
Monday-Friday, from 9.30 to 12.00 and from 14.00 to 18.30.