CCIMC — Coordination chemistry inspires molecular catalysis

Results in brief

Coordination chemistry inspires molecular catalysis

Catalysis is a key technology for Europe. The production of 80% of industrially relevant chemicals involves catalysis, which accounts for about 20-30% of the World Gross Domestic Product. Therefore, catalysis lies at the heart of our chemical industry. Molecular catalysis is more efficient and selective than heterogeneous catalysis, while more robust and simpler to implement than the enzymatic approach used in biotechnologies. Major challenges for the future of mankind, where catalysis plays a determining role, are the development of “greener”, environmentally benign processes, the transition from fossil to renewable feedstocks for both energy and consumer products. Related issues are the mechanistic understanding of the catalytic processes, which is essential for optimization (greater productivity, lower energy consumption, lower waste production), and catalyst recovery (lower product contamination, preservation of low earth-abundant metal resources). Europe is a leading player in both academic catalysis research as well as in its industrial implementation, but this leadership is increasingly challenged by emerging as well as mature but still innovating economies. The aim of this ITN was to palliate research fragmentation by coordinating an innovative research programme at the European scale, on the basis of double doctoral degrees with the direct involvement of industrial partners, to train the next generation of researchers in molecular catalysis. Fifteen Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) have participated in the programme, each one working on a doctoral thesis jointly between two beneficiary research institutions in two different countries and with a secondment research period in one of the non-academic partner institutions. In addition to the project management (WP1), the action comprised four interlinked scientific work packages (WP2-5), a training work package (WP6), an outreach and public engagement work package (WP7) and an ethics work package (WP8).

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

The CCIMC EJD addresses the current lack of coordinated doctoral training at the European level on molecular catalysis. Itaims to push the frontiers of knowledge in ligand design, coordination chemistry, precatalyst development, catalyst recoveryand catalytic process implementation, while also offering full scale training in professional and personal transferable skills, toprepare a new generation of junior scientists to meet the economic and societal challenges of the chemical industry in the21st century. To achieve these objectives, a consortium of 9 academic beneficiaries from 7 European countries will recruit15 doctoral students to work on coordinated projects in close cooperation with the industrial sector. The projects usecomplementary know-how to address synthesis, high level spectroscopy, mechanistic and computational studies, bondactivation, catalyst anchoring and confinement, optimization and scale-up. The innovative training approach also involves 8partners from the non-academic sector that are fully integrated via secondment for all 15 ESRs and participation in thetheoretical training and Network meetings. The training programme comprises a core course, tutorials and an internationalschool, plus network meetings, international workshops and an international conference where the ESRs will present their work. The ESRs’ progress will be monitored by an Academic Board. The management structure involves all beneficiariesand partners plus students’ representatives and will receive input from an external Advisory Board. Gender balance isinsured at all levels. The CCIMC outreach and public engagement will be implemented through a Communication Plan and aDissemination and Exploitation Plan and will be monitored by an Outreach Committee. The Student Union, comprising allESRs, will play an active role in the Network administration, in the outreach activities, and in the evaluation of the Networktraining.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS · ParisCoordinatorFrance
DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET · Kongens LyngbyDenmark
FRIEDRICH-SCHILLER-UNIVERSITÄT JENA · JENAGermany
UNIVERSITAET LEIPZIG · LeipzigGermany
UNIVERSITAT AUTONOMA DE BARCELONA · Cerdanyola Del VallesSpain
UNIVERSITAT ROVIRA I VIRGILI · TarragonaSpain
UNIVERSITATEA DIN BUCURESTI · BucurestiRomania
UNIVERSITY OF YORK · YORK NORTH YORKSHIREUnited Kingdom
UNIWERSYTET WARSZAWSKI · WarszawaPoland

CCIMC · Coordination chemistry inspires molecular catalysis

Results in brief

Coordination chemistry inspires molecular catalysis

Project objective

Participants

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