46837-AC5
Alkane C-H Bond Activation in Hydrocarbon Catalysis with Solid Acids
PRF support has resulted in the completion of a Ph.D. student, Dr. Matthew J. Truitt, who is now employed as a research scientist working for ConocoPhillips R&D in the field of catalysis. His work on alkane activation and mechanisms highlighted in the proposal was instrumental to his successful interviews; he also received additional job offers. In addition, the progress made on the project has attracted two new graduate students to the group as well as an extremely talented undergraduate who plans to pursue graduate research plans. Indeed, the continuation of some of the work by the undergraduate (Mr. Josh Damron) should result in him having a peer-reviewed publication as a sophomore. Technical accomplishments during the funding period were rewarded by invited presentations at the Gordon Research Conference on Catalysis and the North American Catalysis Society National meeting. Key finding center on the mechanism of the first step of C-H bond activation in solid-acid catalyzed alkane reactions, and the details surrounding how different catalyst topologies facilitate this step. Specifically, we believe that there is an ideal solvation of the transition state based on the location of the active site relative to the rest of the catalyst structure, and not that the active acid site themselves are different in any other regard. Simply stated, it is their location, location, location.
