Catalytic -cyclo - alkylation of aromatic amines

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Project objective

Research objectives and content To develop a new and clean method for the production of heterocyclic compounds such as piperazines, morpholines and piperidines, that are currently used as building blocks for drugs and agrochemicals. These compounds are produced by the fine-chemical industry using relatively toxic chlorinated intermediates. In addition, a lot of inorganic salts are produced as unwanted side products. The catalytic method to be studied is based on considerably less toxic starting materials and the only side product formed is water. Existing catalysts are ill-defined ruthenium complexes containing monodentate phosphine ligands as well as chloride anions. New well-defined ruthenium catalyst precursors will be synthesed and tested in model N- (cyclo)alkylation reactions of aromatic amines with alkanediols and diethanolamines. A key step in the proposed mechanism is dehydrogenation of alcohols and hydrogenation of imines. Therefore, transferhydrogenation reactions of ketones and imines will also studied. Training content (objective, benefit and expected impact) The host institute has an established tradition of collaboration in a multidisciplinary research environment because of experience in joint projects between academia and industry and frequently hosts students who take part in European exchange programs such as Erasmus and ECTS. It is fully equipped to accommodate post-doctoral as well as graduate students from throughout Europe and to offer them training in research at the forefront of the subject. The candidate will receive research training on a high level in a multi-national research environment that will help him to set-up independent research projects in the area of modern fine-chemicals and materials synthesis. Specific training subjects are the application of homogeneous catalysis and organometallic synthesis for the development of new catalysts that can be used in fine chemical synthesis. The collaboration with other research specialities in the research school Debye Institute and the The Netherlands School for Catalysis Research (NIOK) are part of the training. Links with industry / industrial relevance (22) The area of modern fine-chemicals and materials synthesis is one of the focal points of the European Chemical Industry and is of fundamental importance to the economic development of the Union. There is a growing need for new processes which combine more precise and predictable control (for reasons of energy conservation), with efficient feedstock usage and cleaner conversions, ideally without waste or sideproducts.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• UTRECHT UNIVERSITY · UTRECHTCoordinatorNetherlands
• Not availableCity levelSpain

Links

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