Synthetic Models of Metalloproteins

Summary. The synthesis of protein models (active center of proteins) and their investigation is a highly attractive and growing research field. Proteins are able to functionalize and activate small molecules at room temperature and normal pressure with very high efficiency, which can not be realized in industrial processes yet, where often high energy and expensive catalysts are used with very low turnover rates. Protein models are promising catalysts for industrial processes, and their preparation and characterization is very challenging task for chemists. I have chosen this topic due an exciting combination of utility, esthetics, interdisciplinarity and chemical challenge. Topic. Bioinorganic Chemistry is a modern, fascinating, highly interdisciplinary and an exploding field of research with large efforts around the world and especially in the USA. The research group of Prof. Lippard at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is very experienced and highly recognized in that field, which providing conditions for a successful postdoctoral stay. Aim. The synthesis of protein models imitating their functions in biological systems is the main goal to prepare a catalyst for a chemical transformation that occurs in living organisms at ambient temperature and pressure, such as the conversion of methane into methanol as realized in the methane monooxygenase which is under current investigation in Prof. Lippards group at the MIT, and improvements on those synthetic models and a general better understanding of biological active sites are the aim of my post-doc research at this institution. Methods. Along with NMR, spectroscopic methods (UV-vis, IR), mass spectrometry, X-ray, and electrochemistry, other powerful techniques such as EPR-, EXAFS-, Mössbauer-spectroscopy, magnetochemistry and advanced theoretical methods will be available and applied during the postdoctoral research work.