Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as catalysts for sustainable oxidation of hydrocarbons derived from petroleum (methane and other alkanes) and natural (terpenes)

• Grant number: 23/13334-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Support Program for Fixating Young Doctors
• Start date until: October 01, 2023
• End date until: September 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Inorganic Chemistry
• Agreement: CNPq
• Principal Investigator: Dalmo Mandelli
• Grantee: Gabriela Tuono Martins Xavier
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 23/01634-5 - Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) as catalysts for sustainable oxidation of hydrocarbons derived from petroleum (methane and other alkanes) and natural (terpenes), AP.R

Abstract

The catalytic oxidation represents a crucial tool for the formation of carbon-carbon bonds aiming to synthesize compounds potentially applicable as fragrances and pharmaceuticals. As main components of natural gas and oil, alkanes are rather inert compounds for a broad synthetic use. Thus, they are mainly used as fossil fuels or converted, via different power-consuming processes, into compounds that are more reactive for large-scale organic synthesis. Therefore, the development of efficient and sustainable new chemical processes for the functionalization of alkanes constitutes a challenge to modern chemistry. This challenge can be overcome via the design and application of tailored, intelligent MOFs (Metal-Organic Frameworks) catalysts, which are still rarely used in alkane oxidation, despite presenting a considerable potential due to their intrinsic characteristics. Within the chemistry of biorenewables, the class of terpenes stands out; compounds of natural origin that are largely significant for the Brazilian economy, since Brazil is one of the largest producers and exporters of this raw material. Hence, this proposal aims to synthesize and apply a series of copper, iron, zirconium and vanadium based MOFs as intelligent catalysts for the selective and direct oxidation of alkanes (methano, ciclohexane e n-heptane) and terpenes (limonene and pinenes) into industrially desirable oxidation products.