[Seminar] Transition Metal-Free Catalysis

Title: Transition Metal-Free Catalysis

Speaker: Swadhin Mandal

From: Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, IISER Kolkata

Abstract: The major concerns about industrially used catalytic systems today are: i) the high cost of catalysts; ii) the toxicity of heavy transition metals; iii) difficulties in removing trace amounts of toxic-metal residues from the desired product; and, finally, iv) rare transition metal depletion, which does not meet the requirement of sustainable development. Developing environmentally friendly catalysts is an excellent option in this regard. Naturally, the most recent trend in catalyst development heralded a new era of metal-free catalysis or catalysts based on earth-abundant, nontoxic, and low-cost metals. This talk will review our recent advances in using small organic molecules to mimic transition metal-based catalysis systematically. We designed electron transfer catalysis using the smallest polycyclic odd alternant hydrocarbon, phenalenyl (PLY)-based molecules, inspired by a completely different field of molecular spin materials. This talk will focus on how to avoid transition metals when performing various cross-coupling catalysis.

Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Goal 12. Responsible consumption and production