Dr. Dan Mindiola, University of Pennsylvania

November 5, 2014
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
C-121

“Methane activation and dehydrogenation of volatile alkanes C2-C8. Can we do better than burn or crack them?”

Abstract: We will present the reactivity of a transient titanium alkylidyne (PNP)Ti≡C^tBu (PNP = N[2-P(CHMe₂)₂-4-methylphenyl]₂-), specifically how this species engages in intermolecular C-H activation and functionalization reactions. This species can dehydrogenate methane, and C2-C8 alkanes (linear ones) selectively at the terminal position to form the olefin, all at room temperature. In the case of linear alkanes, the kinetic alpha-olefin product is the only product formed. The mechanism to this transformation as well as other reactions such as the dehydrogenation of cyclohexane in addition to trapping reactions will be presented and discussed. New developments in other Group 4 metals will be also discussed including the isolation and structural characterization of a mononuclear methylidene complex.