Outreach Programs

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Intern: Sara Thoi, Chemistry, UC San Diego Mentor: Brian Vicente Faculty Supervisor: Susannah Scott Department: Chemical Engineering

TANDEM ALKANE DEHYDROGENATION-OLEFIN METAHESIS VIA THE USE OF IRIDIUM-BASED PINCER COMPLEX AND METHYLTRIOXORHENIUM

The combination of an iridium-based pincer complex (IrPOCOP, a selective alkane dehydrogenation catalyst) and methyltrioxorhenium (MTO) grafted onto alumina or silica-alumina (an olefin-metathesis catalyst) has been shown to perform alkane metathesis. We studied the roles of both catalyst components in an effort to improve the productivity and selectivity of the alkane metathesis reaction. The interaction of the iridium complex with alumina was studied by 31P solid-state NMR. Hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) treatment of silica-alumina was performed at 250^°C in order to remove all accessible hydroxyl groups, as confirmed by IR spectroscopy. Methyltrioxorhenium grafted onto a heterogeneous alkane dehydrogenation catalyst, Pt/Al₂O₃, was also shown to perform olefin, and possible alkane, metathesis.

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