Reduces Costs and Pollution by Streamlining Chemical Production Processes
These two catalysts produce chemicals such as nitriles for acid chloride and ammonia from hydrogen and nitrogen. The catalysts designed by University of Florida researchers are molecules that transfer atoms from one substance to another. These catalysts streamline chemical-production processes commonly used in industry, and they cut both costs and pollution. The first catalyst transfers nitrogen from a metal complex to other substances, a process used in the growing field of ammonia production. This invention uses a Mo-nitride complex to convert acid chlorides to nitriles. The second catalyst uses the abundant and inexpensive metal chromium to oxidize substrates. The catalyst uses oxygen as the terminal oxidant, thus the system is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative to current practices for producing bulk chemicals.
Application
Producing bulk chemicals, including but not limited to nitriles and ammonia
Advantages
- Transfers N-atoms to substrates, streamlining chemical-production processes
- Uses oxygen as the terminal oxidant, cutting pollution
- Uses an abundant and inexpensive metal, chromium, decreasing costs
- Targets multiple markets, including the large ammonia-production sector, offering profit potential
Technology
Nitrogen fixation -- moving nitrogen atoms into organic molecules -- is one of the natural world’s most vital chemical processes. In the soil, bacteria affix nitrogen to other compounds to create ammonia and other substances. University of Florida researchers have developed a transition-metal complex that acts as a nitrogen atom transfer reagent. The second catalyst researchers have developed combines oxygen -- either from the air or another source -- with metal complex molecules to form new chemicals. The complex reacts rapidly with O2 to generate an M-oxo complex. The complex then transfers the oxygen atom to substrates. Controlled use of oxygen as the terminal oxidant is advantageous environmentally and economically.
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