B5007 - CHIMICA METALLORGANICA E CATALISI OMOGENEA

Learning outcomes

The purpose of the course is to provide advanced knowledge on the synthesis, the characterization and the chemistry of organometallic compounds with particular emphasis for those of the transition metal elements. The importance of organometallics in homogeneous catalysis will be stressed in order to give instruments for understanding the role of the metal in the key steps of the catalytic reactions. in synthesis and industrial productions.Topics of interest will be activation of small molecules as C-H in alcanes or H2 or CO2 as clue steps in industrial catalysis. Furthermore the student acquires competences in the use of organometallic and coordination compounds as new molecular functional materials. History and Evolution of Industrial processes correlated to Economics and Sostenibility (12 Green laws).

Course contents

Prerequisites: Inorganic chemistry knowledges , in particular:

- VSEPR theory for drawing the ligand structure and Symmetry elements and point group designation in metal complexes VB and OM theories

-periodic table d electron counting for designing the group to which the transition metal belongs , the relative oxidation state and geometry and HOMO-LUMO gap prevision

1.Metal-carbonyls mono and polynuclear. Principal reaction types of coordinated carbon monoxide.

2. Metal-alkyl and metal-aryl compounds. Reactions of carbon-carbon bond formation.

3. Metal-hydrides and dihydrogen complexes.

4. The coordination of olefins to transition metals and the role of the metal to olefin bond in catalytic processes. Dimerization and polymerization - Ziegler-Natta catalysts - stereospecific synthesis of polymers.

5. Metal-carbenes: Fischer and Schrock type. The alkene metathesis and cyclopropanation. Grubbs catalysts.

6. Reactivity of organic molecules p-coordinated to transition metals. Metal-allyl and -cyclopentadienyl compounds s and p- coordinated. Multihapticity and fluxional behavior in relation to the kinetic processes involved.

7. The organometallics catalysis steps in the synthesis and the industrial process cycles .

8. Applications of organometallic and coordination compounds in the field of molecular functional materials.

9. Introduction of spectroscopic characterization UV, IR, NMR features of some transition metal complexes or inorganic coordinative compounds with the pratical aid of a free tutorial (University of Ottawa )

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda concerning the targets 3,4,8,15.of the UN 2030 Agenda.

Readings/Bibliography

Various electronic books provided directly from the teacher to get deeply into the account of favorite topics in exploiting the preferred arguments.

Atkins Shriver 5th edition for Corrdination Chemistry

Miessler "Organometallic Chemistry"

Van Leuven Principle of homogeneous Catalysis

Teaching methods

Lectures mainly with ppt or pdf images

Exercises and self-solved Problems to be discussed in class together within small peer groups interaction and global discussion.

Participations to lectures in topics related to the field. 

the blended teaching method  induces peer to peer discussion and self study solving approach in class during the lessons to evaluate the sudden comprehension of determined arguments

The acquisition of the novel informations and the new methods can be acquired with criticism driven by good judgment more than superficial knowledge mainly assumed through memory storage

Assessment methods

Assessment of the learning outcomes is carried out by two distinct free choice power-point presentations:

one concerning a recent scientific organometallic paper (over the last five years) and relative discussion.

The second succinct presentation (12 slides at max) swill be regard one of the topics treated in the class with questions to trigger the  oral discussion.  

Teaching tools

Blackboard and overhead projector for slides

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda concerning the targets 3,4,8,15.

Office hours

See the website of Silvia Bordoni