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The Israel Matz Professorial Chair
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Members of the group:
Yehoshua Ben-David y.ben-david@weizmann.ac.il Dr. Balaraman Ekambaram ekambaram.balaraman@weizmann.ac.il Dr. Moran Feller moran.feller@weizmann.ac.il Eran Fogler eran.fogler@weizmann.ac.il Moti Gargir moti.gargir@weizmann.ac.il Dr. B. Gnanaprakasam gnanam21@rediffmail.com Liza Kossoy elizaveta.kossoy@weizmann.ac.il Hiyam Salem hiyam.salem@weizmann.ac.il Leonid Schwartsburd leonid.Schwartsburd@weizmann.ac.il
Research projects
Organometallic Chemistry
The insertion of transition metal complexes into chemical bonds can activate them towards uncommon transformations and form the basis for the design of new catalytic reactions and new synthetic methodology. Our studies in this area include the selective activation and functionalization of strong C-X (X= C, H, F, Cl), O-H and N-H bonds by specifically designed late transition metal complexes, leading, for example, to the first demonstration and mechanistic evaluation of metal insertion into strong C-C bonds, and to catalytic C-F activation. Among the ligands utilized in these studies are pincer-type tridentate frameworks which can impart on metal centers unusual modes of reactivity, leading to the discovery of novel metal-based compounds, including the first metalla-quinone, and a Pt(IV) terminal oxo complex which exhibits diverse reactivity, providing new insight into oxidation catalysis.Metal-ligand cooperation involving reversible de-aromatization can play key roles in bond activation, catalysis and synthesis, as exemplified in the catalytic coupling of alcohols to generate esters and H2, the mild hydrogenation of esters, and the unprecedented direct coupling of alcohols with amines to form amides with liberation of H2, catalyzed by a de-aromatized ruthenium pincer complex. These “green” reactions proceed under neutral conditions, involve no toxic reagents and generate no waste; they are being studied with emphasis on catalyst design, synthetic applications, and the development of new approaches for hydrogen generation from sustainable resources. Utilizing our metal-ligand cooperativity paradigm based on aromatization-dearomatization, we have developed a new, stepwise approach to light-driven water splitting to H2 and O2, involving a de-aromatized ruthenium complex; work is in progress towards mechanistic understanding and the development of these findings into efficient sunlight driven water splitting, a major global sustainable energy goal.
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