0652166_Clearfield

1. Metal Phosphonates as Catalysts for Baeyer-Villiger Oxidation Reactions Abraham Clearfield, Texas A&M Research Foundation, DMR 0652166 A major emphasis today is on “Green Chemistry”, by green is meant chemistry that does not pollute the environment. Baeyer-Villiger reactions convert readily available molecules termed aldehydes and ketones into phenols. These phenols are useful intermediates for the preparation of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and agricultural products. The conventional catalysts are peracids that are expensive, hazardous and ecologically unattractive. We have found that tin and titanium phosphonates promote these reactions in high yield using 30% hydrogen peroxide. The only byproducts are water and unreacted materials. The catalyst particles can be recovered and reused and the unreacted compounds recycled. Chem. Commun. 2008, 5556-5558 Tin phenyl phosphonate micron sized spheres (right) built up of nanosized particles creating large surface area pores (left)

2. Metal Phosphonates as Catalysts for Baeyer-Villiger Oxidation Reactions Abraham Clearfield, Texas A&M Research Foundation, DMR 0652166 Education: Three of the coauthors are in our paper are undergraduates, two are post-docs and one Prof. at Hebrew University. Two of the undergraduates are now in graduate school and the third is employed in an industrial firm. Our research group is a microcosm of America with Native American, African American, Hispanic, female and Caucasian post docs graduate and undergraduate students. Left: The Clearfield Research Group. The all American research group. Outreach: We have partnered with a local high tech firm to separate Radium-223 from Actinium-228 for possible use in cancer therapy. We collaborate with other chemists in Spain, Poland and Scotland. At present we have a Spanish graduate student and a Nigerian Fulbright Scholar in our lab working on special projects. Prof. Clearfield is editing a book on metal phosphonates in which 20 of the world’s experts will contribute chapters. A recent book with Prof. Clearfield as senior editor, on crystal structure solutions was recently published by Wiley.