Research Projects
Project
I: High-Valent Metal-Oxo Intermediates
One major focus of the research is to understand important catalytic
oxidations via high-valent transition metal-oxo
species that aims at spectroscopic detection of these highly reactive
transients and direct kinetic studies of their oxidation reactions in real
time. High-valent metal-oxo species with high
reactivity are important active oxidant involved in numerous enzymes such as
cytochrome P450 monooxygenases as well as in many useful metal-catalyzed
oxidations. The low concentrations and high reactivities
of metal-oxo transients result in difficulties in
physical studies that can be addressed in some cases by rapid mixing
techniques or by the production of low-reactivity analogues. The successful
generation and characterization of these highly reactive metal-oxo species, will allow a direct assessment of their reactivities and provide important insights into the
nature of the biological oxidations and into chemical modeling of the
enzyme-like oxidants in practical use.
Project
II: Photocatalytic Aerobic Oxidations
The
primary goal for this research project is to develop sustainable,
“green” and selective oxidation catalysis via highly reactive metal-oxo species.
The specific objective is to develop a photo-catalytic procedure for organic
oxidations using only atmospheric oxygen and visible light (sunlight). Our
particular interest is to photochemically generate
highly reactive metal-oxo intermediate that can be
utilized for catalytic oxidations. Photochemical reactions are intrinsically
advantageous because activation is obtained by the absorption of a photon,
which leaves no residue; whereas most chemical methods involve the use of
toxic/polluting reagents. The use of molecular oxygen and solar light in
oxidative catalysis is particularly relevant to realizing innovative and
economically advantageous processes for conversion of hydrocarbons into
oxygenates and, at the same time, to move toward a “sustainable
chemistry” that has a minimal environmental impact.
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Research Funding
External
·
Zhang,
R. (PI) “Mechanistic and Synthetic Investigations
on the Biomimetic Metal-Catalyzed Sulfoxidations” Kentucky EPSCoR
Research Enhancement Grant, $35,500,
2015.
·
Zhang, R. (PI) “RUI: Production of Highly
Reactive Metal-Oxo Species with Molecular Oxygen and Visible Light for the
Selective Oxidative Catalysis”
National Science Foundation, $300,468,
2015.
·
Zhang, R. (PI) “RUI: Production of Highly
Reactive Metal-Oxo Species with Molecular Oxygen and Visible Light for the
Selective Oxidative Catalysis”
National Science Foundation, $267,000,
2012.
·
Zhang, R. (PI); Dahl,
D.; Pesterfield, L.; Webb, C. “CCLI: Integration of NMR into the Chemistry Curriculum at
WKU and ECTC and Assessment of Factors Leading to a Successful Collaboration
Between 2- and 4-Year Colleges” National Science
Foundation, $250,000, 2010.
·
Zhang, R. (PI)“Generation and Kinetic Studies of High-Valent Metal-Oxo Intermediates”, Petroleum Research Fund (ACS), $50,000, 2008.
·
Zhang, R. (PI) “Photochemical
Generation of Highly Reactive Ruthenium(V)-Oxo Intermediates
for Oxidation Catalysis with Molecular Oxygen and Visible Light” Kentucky EPSCoR
Research Enhancement Grant, $25,000,
2008.
Internal
·
Biechele-Speziale, D. and Zhang,
R. Faculty-Undergraduate Student Engagement, $4,000, 2017.
·
Kash, B. and Zhang,
R. Faculty-Undergraduate Student Engagement, $4,000, 2017.
·
Ranburger, D. and Zhang,
R. Faculty-Undergraduate Student Engagement, $4,000, 2016.
·
Malone, J. and Zhang, R. Faculty-Undergraduate
Student Engagement, $4,000, 2016.
·
Jeddi, H. and Zhang,
R. Faculty-Undergraduate Student Engagement, $4,000, 2015.
·
Kwong, K.-W. and Zhang, R. Faculty-Undergraduate Student Engagement,
$4,000, 2014.
·
Luo, W. L. and Zhang, R. Faculty-Undergraduate
Student Engagement, $4,000, 2013.
·
Altman N. and Zhang, R. Faculty-Undergraduate
Student Engagement, $4,000, 2013.
·
Yuan Z. and Zhang, R. Faculty-Undergraduate Student
Engagement, $4,000, 2012.
·
Zhang, R. “Investigation on the Metal-Catalyzed Selective Sulfide
Oxidations”, RCAP Fund, $16,113, 2012.
·
Zhang, R. “A Photochemical Approach to Highly Reactive Metal-Oxo Species
for the “Green” Oxidation Catalysis”, RCAP Fund, $16,000, 2011.
·
Zhang, R. “Generation of Highly Reactive Porphyrin Ruthenium-Oxo Intermediates and Photocatalysis for Organic Oxidation of Hydrocarbons by O2”, Proposal Incentive Fund, $12,076, 2007.
·
Zhang, R.
“Generation of High-Valent Ruthenium-Oxo
Intermediates and Kinetic Studies of Their Oxidation Reactions”, Material Characterization Center, $8,000, 2006.
·
Zhang, R. “Photochemical Generation and Kinetic Studies of Highly Reactive Ruthenium(V)-Oxo Intermediates”, Junior Faculty
Scholarship, $4,000, 2006.
