Chemical Catalysis
Description
The development of catalysts is critical for the economical and environmentally efficient generation of chemical compounds that underlie every aspect of our society. Catalysts are key players in research involving the discovery of pharmaceuticals, materials, and polymers. In addition, catalysis is especially powerful in bulk synthesis, allowing the production of compounds, polymers and commodity chemicals via routes that would otherwise be impossible. Further exciting applications of catalysis are in the breakdown of environmental contaminants (i.e, air pollution remediation) and in the development of alternative energy sources (i.e., hydrogen storage). At Penn, researchers investigate mechanisms of catalysis and work to discover the next generation of catalysts capable of effecting powerful new transformations and of functioning even more efficiently.
Crystal structure of a BINOL-derived salen designed as a bifunctional catalyst Kozlowski Group
