CoE Seminar
Thursday, March 19 at 10:00am in Maeder Hall Auditorium

Justin Notestein, Northwestern University

Title: Comparisons between MOF-supported and oxide-supported catalysts

Abstract: The Notestein group studies catalytic transformations with the goal of improving the production of large-scale chemicals and fuels. Most of our research examines supported catalysts, and it is in this light that we carry out much of our work on metal organic frameworks. Setting aside the question of industrial-scale relevance, we primarily ask the question, how does supporting an active site on a MOF node – or as a MOF node – compare to the ‘analogous’ structure on other supports or free in solution? The talk will chart an evolution of our work in the field, and we will pause to discuss a few specific examples, including the use of Zr-based MOFs as catalysts for the MPV reaction and supported complexes and clusters for challenging reactions like dehydrogenation or the isomerization of aromatics. Through these examples, and by analogy to some of our work with zeolite-supported catalysts, we will try to identify areas where loading into these porous solids presents opportunities for improved catalytic function or understanding.