Nikonov, Georgii (Brock University)

Purpose

Most value-added chemicals are produced from feedstock materials by means of catalysis. Catalysts are compounds that change the rate of chemical reactions and allow for chemical reactions to be carried out in a less expensive and more environmentally benign way. Catalysis is involved in a variety of industrial processes in the petroleum refining, energy production, agrochemical, polymer, and pharmaceutical industries, even food industry sectors. It accounts, directly or indirectly, for 20-25% of GDP of industrialised countries. However, most of these important processes are catalysed by late transition metals, such as rhodium and platinum, which are expensive and are recognized to be toxic, which contributes to the cost of synthesis and purification.