This lecture will cover the reactivity of a transient titanium alkylidyne (PNP)≡CtBu (pincer PNP = N[2-P(CHMe2)2-4-methylphenyl]2-), specifically how this species engages in intermolecular C-H activation and functionalization reactions. Such species can dehydrogenate methane, and C2-C8 alkanes selectively at the terminal position (in the case of linear alkane C4-C8) to form the olefin product. The mechanism to this transformation as well as other new reactions such as the dehydrogenation of cyclohexane, C3-C8 alkanes, and trapping reactions will be presented and discussed. Besides, a new catalytic cycle for transfer dehydrogenation of alkanes will be introduced. The new platforms to form kinetically stable Ti-C multiply bonded scaffolds will also be discussed.
About the speaker
Prof Daniel J Mindiola obtained his BS in Chemistry from Michigan State University in 1996 and PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2000. He then started his research career as Postdoctoral Research Fellow at University of Chicago in 2000. In 2002, he joined Indiana University as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry and was promoted to Professor of Chemistry in 2010. Since 2013, he has joined University of Pennsylvania as the Presidential Chair Professor of Chemistry.
Prof Mindiola’s research focuses on inorganic and organometallic synthesis, catalysis, and mechanistic chemistry. His research group entails the synthesis of transition metal complexes that possess interesting coordination environments, reactive ligand scaffolds, and unusual electronic and magnetic features. They have produced more than 120 peer reviewed scientific contributions, including recent publications in Chemical Communications, Angewandte Chemie, Nature Chemistry, Journal of the American Chemical Society, etc. He is also an Associate Editor for the American Chemical Society publishing journal Organometallics.
Prof Mindiola was elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2018) and the Royal Society of Chemistry (2014). He was also the recipient of the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship (2017-2018), the US National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2003-2008) and the Sloan Research Fellowship (2005-2007).
For attendees’ attention
The lecture is free and open to all. Seating is on a first come, first served basis.
