THE WORKING GROUP ON ECO-EFFICIENT CATALYSIS

The working group on eco-efficient catalysis was constituted in July 2006 by seven Research Units of the INCA Consortium and focuses on the development of advanced process-engineering solutions to improve the industrial synthesis of valuable target compounds by eco-efficient catalysis.

List of the participant Research Units:

1) University of Parma key skills
Contact person Prof. Giovanni Sartori
Preparation of heterogeneous catalysts for fine chemicals production and stereoselective reactions. Eco-efficient oxidative reactions. Preparation and application of monolithic and continuous flow reactors.
Phone (+)39 0521905551
fax (+)39 0521905472
e-mail: giovanni.sartori@unipr.it

2) University of Camerino key skills
Contact person Prof. Roberto Ballini
Eco-compatible catalytic synthesis of fine chemicals via nitroalkanes.
Multicomponent synthesis. Solvent-free synthesis.
Phone (+)39 0737402270
Fax (+)39 0737402297
e-mail: Roberto.ballini@unicam.it

3) University of Bologna key skills
Contact person Prof. Fabrizio Cavani
Heterogeneous catalysis in liquid phase for acid-base catalyzed reactions andselective oxidation with O2 and H2O2. Acylation of aromatic compounds.
Phone (+)39 0512093680
Fax (+)39 0512093675
e-mail: cavani@ms.fei.unibo.it

4)University of Calabria key skills
Contact person Prof. Raffaele Molinari
Preparation, characterization and application of catalytic membrane reactors for eco-compatible oxidation reactions and mineralization of pollutant compounds.
Phone (+)39 0984496699
Fax (+)39 0984492058
e-mail: r.molinari@unical.it

5) University of Ferrara key skills
Contact person Prof. Andrea Maldotti
Preparation and application of inorganic photo-catalytic systems for fine chemicals production. Selective oxidation of hydrocarbons and alcohols.
Phone (+)39 0532291147
Fax (+)39 0532240709
e-mail: mla@unife.it

6) University of Trieste key skills
Contact person Prof. Jan Kaspar
Preparation andcharacterization of Rh and Ir organometallic complexes for selective polymerization. Preparation of nanostructuralmaterials for catalytic oxidation reactions and waste degradation.
Phone (+)39 0405583960
Fax (+)39 0405583903
e-mail: kaspar@univ.trieste.it

7) University of Perugia key skills
Contact person Prof. Aldo Taticchi
Development of fine chemicals production via high pressure catalyzed reactions with special attention to Diels-Alder reaction.
Phone (+)39 0755855537
Fax (+)39 0755855560
e-mail: taticchi@unipg.it

The main directive of the Working Group (also according to priorities of FP-7) is the creation of an interdisciplinary research environment in the field of green catalysis. The integrated join research to be carried out is based on the state of the art in the fields of green chemistry and catalysis and, at the same time, on the needs of the industry, in particular Fine Chemicals Industry, an high added value industrial sector that increasingly needs to be knowledge-based and steadily improves its products and processes in order to be competitive at a worldwide scale. The immediate objective is the creation of research units showing knowledge and experience in specific product- process areas.

The techniques and methodologies to be built up are essential to continue to develop and manufacture new chemical compounds that greatly contribute to the quality of life. Fine chemicals are involved for example in fundamental areas of the daily life as they are utilized as pharmaceutical compounds agrochemicals, food additives, health care products and cosmetics, fragrances, plastic additives, etc. On these basis, the working group expertises are expected to have a great impact on public health, impact that needs to be considered from the point of view of the reduction (ideally elimination) of toxic wastes derived from the fine chemicals industry. This is also related with safety and working conditions as the new products and processes to be developed will be less hazardous and have a lower impact on the health of workers.

The Working Group will be based on the interdisciplinary competences concerning the preparation, characterization and application of green catalysts (mainly heterogeneous and membrane catalysts), also utilized under photochemical and high pressure conditions.

Three general thematic areas will be particularly developed:activation of green oxidants (O2, H2O2, hydroperoxides) under heterogeneous catalysis to produce (chiral) sulphones and epoxides, aldehydes from alcohols and lactones from ketones via Baeyer-Williger reaction. The problem of the selective oxidation of alkanes to alcohols, ketones and acids will be faced through diversified approaches based on batch, continuous-flow, photochemical and membrane reactors. Highly selective C-C bond formation promoted by (solid) catalysts through batch, continuous-flow, membrane and high pressure reactors.
Mineralization and waste degradation by solid catalyst-promoted oxidative processes.