Single-Molecule and Ensemble Studies of Olefin-Metathesis Reactions on Surfaces

We discovered a method  to form double bonds (Mo=CR₁R₂) to a molybdenum carbide surface and established that the surface alkylidene groups are active for olefin-metathesis. Olefin-metathesis is an extraordinarily useful and beautiful synthetic methodology, as evidenced by the 2005 Nobel Prize award to Grubbs, Schrock and Chauvin. We are now extending this work to controlled nanostructured surfaces and to single-alkylidene-site studies on carbide crystals.

I. Temprano, G. Goubert, G. Behan, H. Zhang, P. H. McBreen. Spectroscopic and Structural Characterization of the Formation of Olefin Metathesis Initiating Sites on Unsupported b-Mo₂C. Catal. Sci. Technol. 2011, 1, 1449-1455. 

M. Siaj, N. Dubuc, P. H. McBreen. Olefin-Metathesis Activity of Double Bond Contacts to a Conducting Solid: Alkylidenes on Mo₂C.  J. Phys. Chem. C 2009, 113, 12331-12339.

M. Siaj, P. H. McBreen. Creating, Varying, and Growing Single-Site Molecular Contacts. Science  2005, 309, 588.

http://blogs.rsc.org/cy/2011/08/31/hot-article-the-role-of-carbide-surface-morphology-on-olefin-metathesis-reactivity/

http://pubs.acs.org/isubscribe/journals/cen/83/i30/html/8330notw1.html

http://www.scom.ulaval.ca/Au.fil.des.evenements/2006/01.12/science.htmla