Sustainable Synthesis and Catalysis Group
Catalysis
Fluorous Biphase Catalysis
Research into this new development has the potential to revolutionise homogeneous catalysis. With regards to research we have been actively developing the co-ordination chemistry of fluorinated ligands, which has now been extended to developing catalytically active ligand metal systems. Ligands of particular interest include phosphine, phosphite and carboxylate ligands.
The physical properties of fluorinated fluids offer a means of total separation between product and catalyst. This occurs by retention of the catalyst in the fluorinated phase by derivisation with highly fluorinated backbones.
Asymmetric Catalysis
The work in the group involves the design of new chiral ligands and catalysts, new methods for recycling/reuse of catalyst and solvent effects on asymmetric catalysis. Some work on asymmetric catalysis is also carried out in the Chemical Biology group.
