Transition metal catalysis belongs to the most important chemical research areas because a ubiquitous number of chemical reactions are catalyzed by transition metal compounds. Many efforts are being made by industry and academia to find new and more efficient catalysts for chemical processes. Transition metals play a prominent role in catalytic research because they have been proven to show an enormous diversity in lowering the activation barrier for chemical reactions. For many years, the search for new catalysts was carried out by trial and error, which was costly and time consuming. The understanding of the mechanism of the catalytic process is often not very advanced because it is difficult to study the elementary steps of the catalysis with experimental techniques. The development of modern quantum chemical methods for calculating possible intermediates and transition states was a breakthrough in gaining an understanding of the reaction pathways of transition metal catalyzed reactions. This volume, organized into eight chapters written by leading scientists in the field, illustrates the progress made during the last decade. The reader will obtain a deep insight into the present state of quantum chemical research in transition metal catalysis.

This book deals with adsorption and catalysis on the surface of transition elements and their compounds, many of which are in teresting because of their particular electronic structure. The authors have worked through a vast body of experimental evi dence on the structure and properties of surfaces of transition metals and relevant oxides. Consideration is given mostly to simple (as opposed to mixed) oxides of transition elements, to common metals and to the adsorption of simple gases. A great deal of attention is paid to the nature of active surface sites responsible for chemisorption and catalytic transformations. The description relies mainly on the simplified ligand-field theory, which, however, proves quite satisfactory for predicting the adsorptive and catalytic activity of species. In many cases simple systems were explored with the aid of novel techniques, and it is only for such systems that the mechanism of the ele mentary act of adsorption and catalysis can be given adequate treatment. The present monograph has emerged from our earlier work in Russian, which appeared in the Khimiya Publishing House (Mos cow) in 1981. This English edition has, however, been revised completely to broaden its scope and to include more recent a chievements. For fruitful discussions the authors are grateful to A.A.

Exploring and highlighting the new horizons in the studies of reaction mechanisms that open joint application of experimental studies and theoretical calculations is the goal of this book. The latest insights and developments in the mechanistic studies of organometallic reactions and catalytic processes are presented and reviewed. The book adopts a unique approach, exemplifying how to use experiments, spectroscopy measurements, and computational methods to reveal reaction pathways and molecular structures of catalysts, rather than concentrating solely on one discipline. The result is a deeper understanding of the underlying reaction mechanism and correlation between molecular structure and reactivity. The contributions represent a wealth of first-hand information from renowned experts working in these disciplines, covering such topics as activation of small molecules, C-C and C-Heteroatom bonds formation, cross-coupling reactions, carbon dioxide converison, homogeneous and heterogeneous transition metal catalysis and metal-graphene systems. With the knowledge gained, the reader will be able to improve existing reaction protocols and rationally design more efficient catalysts or selective reactions. An indispensable source of information for synthetic, analytical, and theoretical chemists in academia and industry.

Presents an up-to-date overview of the rapidly growing field of carbene transformations Carbene transformations have had an enormous impact on catalysis and organometallic chemistry. With the growth of transition metal-catalyzed carbene transformations in recent decades, carbene transformations are today an important compound class in organic synthesis as well as in the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. Edited by leading experts in the field, Transition Metal-Catalyzed Carbene Transformations is a thorough summary of the most recent advances in the rapidly expanding research area. This authoritative volume covers different reaction types such as ring forming reactions and rearrangement reactions, details their conditions and properties, and provides readers with accurate information on a wide range of carbene reactions. Twelve in-depth chapters address topics including carbene C-H bond insertion in alkane functionalization, the application of engineered enzymes in asymmetric carbene transfer, progress in transition-metal-catalyzed cross-coupling using carbene precursors, and more. Throughout the text, the authors highlight novel catalytic systems, transformations, and applications of transition-metal-catalyzed carbene transfer. Highlights the dynamic nature of the field of transition-metal-catalyzed carbene transformations Summarizes the catalytic radical approach for selective carbene cyclopropanation, high enantioselectivity in X-H insertions, and bio-inspired carbene transformations Introduces chiral N,N'-dioxide and chiral guanidine-based catalysts and different transformations with gold catalysis Discusses approaches in cycloaddition reactions with metal carbenes and polymerization with carbene transformations Outlines multicomponent reactions through gem-difunctionalization and transition-metal-catalyzed cross-coupling using carbene precursors Transition Metal-Catalyzed Carbene Transformations is essential reading for all chemists involved in organometallics, including organic and inorganic chemists, catalytic chemists, and chemists working in industry.

Plasma catalysis is gaining increasing interest for various gas conversion applications, such as CO2 conversion into value-added chemicals and fuels, N2 fixation for the synthesis of NH3 or NOx, methane conversion into higher hydrocarbons or oxygenates. It is also widely used for air pollution control (e.g., VOC remediation). Plasma catalysis allows thermodynamically difficult reactions to proceed at ambient pressure and temperature, due to activation of the gas molecules by energetic electrons created in the plasma. However, plasma is very reactive but not selective, and thus a catalyst is needed to improve the selectivity. In spite of the growing interest in plasma catalysis, the underlying mechanisms of the (possible) synergy between plasma and catalyst are not yet fully understood. Indeed, plasma catalysis is quite complicated, as the plasma will affect the catalyst and vice versa. Moreover, due to the reactive plasma environment, the most suitable catalysts will probably be different from thermal catalysts. More research is needed to better understand the plasma–catalyst interactions, in order to further improve the applications.

Including recent advances and historically important catalysts, this book overviews methods for developing and applying polymerization catalysts – dealing with polymerization catalysts that afford commercially acceptable high yields of polymer with respect to catalyst mass or productivity. • Contains the valuable data needed to reproduce syntheses or use the catalyst for new applications • Offers a guide to the design and synthesis of catalysts, and their applications in synthesis of polymers • Includes the information essential for choosing the appropriate reactions to maximize yield of polymer synthesized • Presents new chapters on vanadium catalysts, Ziegler catalysts, laboratory homopolymerization, and copolymerization

Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Catalysis

With contributions from experts in supported metal catalysis, from both the industry and academia, this book presents the latest developments in characterization and application of supported metals in heterogeneous catalysis. In addition to a thorough and updated coverage of the traditional aspects of heterogeneous catalysis such as preparation, characterization and use in well-established technologies such as Naphtha reforming, the book also includes emerging areas where supported metal catalysis will make significant contributions in future developments, such as fuel cells and fine chemicals synthesis. The second edition of Supported Metals in Catalysis comes complete with new and updated chapters containing important summaries of research in a rapidly evolving field. Very few other books deal with this highly pertinent subject matter, and as such, it is a must-have for anyone working in the field of heterogeneous catalysis.

Catalysis involves just about every field of scientific study. This means that a multidisciplinary approach is needed in catalytic studies. Catalysis involves breaking and forming new bonds and this requires an under standing of either adsorption by bonding to an extended structures or bonding in a coordination sphere. Any understanding of catalytic action must necessarily involve an understanding of this bonding. Even 200 years ago scientists were aware that a properly treated mate rial, such as charcoal, could adsorb an enormous quantity of gas. In 1812, de Sassasure (English translation, Annal Philosphy, 6, 241 (1815» pro posed that the ability of a material to increase the rate of chemical reac tion was due to adsorption of the material in the fine structure of the solid so that the concentrations of the reactants were significantly increased, and this increase in concentration led to an increase in reaction rate. During the 1800s, little advance was made in the understanding of adsorp tion.

Thermal Electrocyclic Reactions explores the applications of thermal electrocyclic reactions to stereospecific synthesis. This book is divided into nine chapters, and begins with a presentation of the theory of electrocylic reactions using orbital conversions through symmetry operations and correlation diagrams. Considerable chapters are devoted to various conjugate systems entering an electrocyclic process, including two-electron, four electron-three-, four-, and five-atom, and six electron-five-, and six-atom systems. The remaining chapters examine the electrocyclic reaction of longer systems, including eight or more p electrons, as well as conjugated systems with an odd number of electrons, which constitute a special case in the conservation of orbital symmetry. This book will be of great value to organic chemists and researchers.