This research project is in competition for funding with one or more projects available across the EPSRC Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP). Usually the projects which receive the best applicants will be awarded the funding. Find out more information about the DTP and how to apply.

Application deadline: 29 March 2019

Start date: October 2019

This project concerns the development of new homogeneous catalysts for upgrading small, potentially sustainably-sourced molecules such as bioalcohols and carbon dioxide into more useful commodity chemicals, such as synthetic higher alcohol fuels.

This project will make use of recent advances in the field of cooperative catalysis, where multiple activate sites on a catalyst (for example, a transitional metal in conjunction with an acidic or basic functionality on a supporting ligand) have proved to be more effective than a single site alone.

Good examples of this approach from our group include the use of transition metal-based ‘frustrated’ Lewis pairs and ligand assisted catalytic upgrading of ethanol to the advanced biofuel butanol.

This project will draw lessons from these previous projects to generate a new generation of systems to facilitate these difficult chemical transformations. It will combine the synthesis of new ligands and organometallic species (targeting first row ‘earth abundant’ metals), catalytic screening and mechanistic study; DFT experiments can be added to the study if necessary.

The new catalysts generated will be of fundamental scholarly interest – this is an area of increasing importance across all branches of catalysis - as well as potential commercial significance.

Supervisors