Toward Benign Synthesis via Catalytic Oxidations Using Dioxygen or Nitrous Oxide

摘要

Oxidation reactions comprise a large class of important chemical transformations. The use of O_2 or N_2O as terminal oxidants is attractive from an environmental viewpoint, because of the lack of harmful byproducts and the utilization of a waste stream and greenhouse gas in the latter case. The principal problem with this approach is the kinetic inertness of these molecules. Our research is concerned with activating dioxygen or nitrous oxide by binding to transition metals, and ultimately creating homogeneous catalysts for selective oxidations.