NSF-ANR CHE: Design And Development of Earth-Abundant Metal Catalysts for Nitrous Oxide and Carbon Dioxide Reactions with Hydrocarbons

In this project, funded by the Chemistry Division of the National Science Foundation (NSF), Professors Indrajeet Sharma and Kenneth Nicholas from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Oklahoma (Norman) are designing and developing novel, earth-abundant metal catalysts capable of transforming waste gases, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide, into value-added chemical products, such as alcohols, epoxides, and polycarbonates. This project is part of an international and interdisciplinary collaboration with a team of French scientists at the University of Toulouse funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR). The collaboration is strongly committed to impactful science, interdisciplinary education, and community engagement. Graduate and undergraduate students will gain hands-on research experience in catalysis, spectroscopy, and computational chemistry. Outreach efforts will help students develop their communication skills while promoting STEM literacy. Ultimately, this project will contribute to building a globally engaged STEM workforce while advancing technologies for chemical innovation. The long-term impacts of this project extend to sustaining U.S. energy and manufacturing prominence. The project will investigate bimetallic coordination strategies to enhance small molecule activation through an integrated approach that combines computational modeling, homogeneous and supported catalysis, and operando spectroscopy. This work aims to establish sustainable catalytic methodologies that convert nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) into valuable chemical feedstocks. The project will provide fundamental insights into how N2O and CO2 interact with homogeneous and supported catalysts made from earth-abundant metals. A central hypothesis is that bimetallic coordination will enhance the activation and reactivity of these small molecules. By leveraging expertise in DFT modeling, organic synthesis and homogeneous catalysis, as well as operando spectroscopy, the project will utilize computational predictions to guide experimental catalyst development. This synergistic, interdisciplinary approach will accelerate the discovery of new catalytic systems and mechanistic pathways for N2O and CO2 conversion, addressing key challenges in reaction chemistry. The expected results will transform our understanding of small-molecule (N2O and CO2) reactivity and open new opportunities for waste gas valorization through efficient, selective, and energy-efficient chemical transformations. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.