The Daily Bulletin

Please join the Chemistry Department for the next talk in the Fall 2022 Seminar Series, "Heterogeneous Aerobic Oxidation Reactions: Catalysis Inspired by Electrochemistry," presented by Sourav Biswas, assistant professor of chemistry at SUNY Buffalo State, on Thursday, October 27, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Science and Mathematics Complex 151.

Abstract
Selective oxidation of organic molecules by molecular oxygen is a subject of considerable importance in the context of environmentally benign synthesis of commodity chemicals. Heterogeneous materials have been established as fundamental pillars supporting the advances in ‘green chemistry’, from the perspective of cost and waste minimization. Prominent long-standing challenges in this field include achieving selective oxidation of organic molecules by maximizing the energy efficiency of O2 reduction to water. Solutions to these challenges require development of catalysts. This talk will introduce a presentation of efforts we have made to address these challenges, emphasizing the development of transition metal-based catalysts and its application in selective oxidation reactions. Specific attention will be devoted toward the design of manganese oxide and the metal incorporated N doped carbon (M-N/C) materials, inspired from electrochemical applications such as fuel cells. Several classes of aerobic oxidation reactions including selective oxidation of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF) and oxidative deprotection of hydrazone and oxime derivatives to corresponding carbonyl functional groups will be discussed. This will be followed by understanding the mechanistic aspects, identification of active sites, the role of the surface oxygen species, and related oxygen transportation by the catalysts.