THE FALK-PLAUT LECTURES
Three-part lecture on
"Ruthenium Based Olefin Metathesis
Catalysts"
Presented by
Prof. Robert Grubbs
Caltech
MONDAY 2/7: Mechanisms and Applications
Ruthenium based olefin metathesis catalysts have opened a number of applications
that range from the synthesis of new pharmaceuticals to the development of new composite
materials. Key to the evolution of these
catalysts has been a detailed mechanistic understanding. Although a number of details remain to be determined
and there are still many surprises, good models for the intermediates and the isolation
of intermediate structures have provided new insights into the mode of operation
of the catalyst.
MONDAY, February
7, 2011
4:00pm: Tea & Cookies – 328 Havemeyer
4:30pm: Seminar – 309 Havemeyer
Reception to follow – 7th Floor Lounge Havemeyer
With highly active catalysts available that provide a starting point for many applications, the mechanistic understanding and the facile synthetic procedures for new ligand systems provide a basis for the design of catalysts for specific applications. Recent advances have been made in the development of new complexes that show greater efficiency in the ethenolysis of internal olefins, select for less substituted olefins and control the E:Z geometry of the resulting olefins from acyclic metathesis.
TUESDAY, February
8, 2011
1:30pm: Meet the Speaker – 328 Havemeyer
4:30pm: Seminar – 209 Havemeyer
Ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) provides a route to a variety of polymeric materials. In some cases, the catalysts can be used to efficiently produce large composite plastic parts from simple cyclic olefins. The catalytic complexes also serve as initiators for living polymerization of strained olefins. The functional group tolerance of the initiators allow for the synthesis of polymers with low polydispersities for use in biomaterials and photonic applications
WEDNESDAY,
February 9, 2011
12:00pm: Seminar – 209 Havemeyer
Hosted by Prof. Ronald Breslow
