Heterogeneous catalytic supports for ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP), olefin metathesis and asymmetric ring-closing methesis (RCM)

Metathesis-based reactions such as olefin metathesis, ring-closing metathesis, cross-metathesis, tandem metathesis, acyclic diene metathesis polymerization and ring-opening metathesis polymerization itself belong to the most powerful tools among the entire armor of carbon-carbon (C-C) bond forming reactions. Nevertheless, only the almost revolutionary developments in the area of well-defined homogeneous catalytic systems that have been developed for this purpose within the last ten years made this chemistry available and broadly applicable to the entire community of synthetic chemistry. Particularly the latest achievements in the controlled regio- and stereoselective synthesis of complex organic molecules made metathesis-based chemistry equally highly attractive for both pharmaceutical and chemical industry. Despite the enormous potential and power of the already existing homogeneous systems, heterogeneous analogues with similar properties do not exist at all. Based on the state of the art in homogeneous metathesis chemistry and on the high scientific and industrial demand for supported (i. e. heterogeneous) high-performance metathesis catalysts, this project focuses on the synthesis and evaluation of new, well-defined, single site heterogeneous metathesis supports. In terms of catalyst design, the new heterogeneous systems shall comprise the general advantages of heterogeneous catalytic supports such as ease of separation, recycling, etc. without sacrificing the advantages of the parent homogeneous systems (i. e. well-defined, freely tunable, access to asymmetric reactions, etc.). Applications shall mainly focus on tandem and cross metathesis as well as on asymmetric ring-closing metathesis. In summary, the proposed research will not only allow the design and tailor-made synthesis of new heterogeneous metathesis catalysts, but in due consequence also provide fundamental understanding of adherent catalytic chemistry. In terms of synthetic value, it will offer direct access to chiral intermediates and target compounds used as pharmaceutics or drugs including anti HIV-active compounds, artificial hormons and cytostatics. In order to contribute to industrially relevant applications, reactor-type reactions based on high-throughput reactors shall be realized as a final goal for all reactions of interest. As already observed in other fields of chemistry, the successful realization of the project goals is expected to have a dramatic impact on both the accessibility and the price of any relevant compound prepared by any of the above-mentioned metathesis-based techniques due to significantly reduced costs for production and waste disposal.