Organometallic Chemistry in Catalysis and Materials Science

Abstract:

The use of N-heterocyclic carbenes to modify homogeneous metal catalysts is widespread since the high metal–NHC bond strength renders high oxidative and chemical stability to NHC–ligated metal complexes. Despite this fact, the use of NHCs to modify metal surfaces has received little attention until recently. We will describe the use of NHC ligands to stabilize metal surfaces, including gold, copper, silver, platinum, ruthenium and cobalt. Self assembled monolayers prepared by the deposition of NHCs show molecular ordering on the surface and remarkable stability. The impact of NHCs on the chemistry of nanoclusters will also be discussed, including the preparation of chiral NHC-stabilized Au nanoclusters.

We will also describe advances in cross-coupling chemistry the preparation of complex chiral molecules of interest to the pharmaceutical industry. This will include the ability to cross-couple seemingly identical boron substituents with different electrophiles, taking advantage of inherent differences in transmetallation behaviour and the development of sulfones as novel electrophiles for Suzuki-Miyaura cross coupling chemistry particularly in alkyl cross-coupling reactions.

Short bio:

Dr. Cathleen Crudden is the A.V. Douglas Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in metal organic chemistry at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. She holds a Research Professorship at the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM) in Nagoya, Japan, where she runs a satellite laboratory. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Chemical Institute of Canada, the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK) and an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Science.

Dr. Crudden has made a significant impact on diverse areas of science. She described one of the first cross-coupling reactions with chiral, enantiopure molecules that has made considerable impact on the preparation of pharmaceutical compounds. More recently, she has demonstrated the strength and versatility of N-heterocyclic carbene ligands in materials science, showing these ligands to be viable and versatile alternatives to thiolates as ligands for planar metal surfaces, nanoparticles and nanoclusters. This work has been called "game changing", "elegant" and "the new gold standard" by experts in the field.

Crudden has served as President of the Canadian Society for Chemistry and Chair of the Chemical Institute of Canada. She is currently Scientific Director of the Carbon to Metal Coating Institute (C2MCI) at Queen's University and Editor-in-Chief for ACS Catalysis. She has won numerous awards including the 2023 John Polanyi Award, a 2019 Cope Scholar award of the American Chemical Society, the Montreal Medal (2019), and the 2018 Carol Taylor award from the International Precious Metals Institute.Website: https://www.cruddengroup.com/cathleen

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