Matthew Whited
Carleton College, MN·Chemistry
Many industrial catalysts rely on rare, expensive metals. Many also stop working when molecules in the reaction bind to them and block them, a problem called poisoning.
- Fields
Chemistry
- Topics
organometallic chemistry
catalysis
metal–silicon bonds
- Grants
- 1 known grant, through May 2027
What they work on
- Develop late-metal complexes with metal–silicon single and multiple bonds that transfer reactive nitrene and carbene groups (short-lived nitrogen and carbon fragments) onto organic substrates.
- Test how generally dual-site catalysis works, a mechanism in which the metal and the silicon atom each bind a different molecule and bring them together to react.
- Extend group-transfer catalysis to earth-abundant metals such as iron, cobalt and nickel. Avoid the catalyst poisoning that limits many existing catalysts.
More about the research
This project explores a different design. The catalyst pairs a metal atom with a heavier non-metal element, such as silicon, so the two atoms work as a team. Each atom can grab a different reactant, bringing the two together so they react. Ideally this happens with cheap, abundant metals.
Why it matters
Catalysts built from iron, cobalt or nickel instead of rare precious metals could make chemical manufacturing cheaper. Catalysts that resist poisoning could also last longer. Turning abundant starting materials into more valuable products by adding nitrogen- and carbon-based groups may help makers of both bulk and fine chemicals.
Known grants
From NIH and NSF research grants. Labs often have other funding we can't see.
Closest labs
Paul Chirik
Princeton University, NJ·Chemistry
Discover robust iron and cobalt catalyst precursors in several oxidation states, using oxidatively-induced reductive elimination and arene displacement from metal sandwich compounds.
John Anderson
University of Chicago, IL·Chemistry
Use metal oxo complexes that can be made highly basic to test how separate proton- and electron-transfer driving forces control concerted proton-electron transfer during C–H bond oxidation.
Christopher Graves
Swarthmore College, PA·Chemistry
Synthesize group 13 metal complexes (boron, aluminum, gallium, indium) of tripodal nitroxide ligands, (RTriNOx3–)M, with systematically varied electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents.
The school
Carleton College: 4 labs on PI Pages, $5M a year on research.
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