Dipartimento di Chimica

Giuseppe Pomarico ha il piacere di invitarvi al seminario:

Photo, Electro, Photoredox, and Bio-Catalysis by Corrole Metal Complexes

di Zeev Gross, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Israel

Il seminario si terrà lunedì 10 marzo p.v., alle ore 12.00, in Sala Parravano (CU014).

 

Abstract

Cobalt and iron complexes of corroles with very different macrocycle substituents are efficient electrocatalysts for conversion of protons to hydrogen, halide to halogen, oxygen to water, and other processes of relevance to clean energy. Electron-richness of the corroles affects the reaction mechanism by which the nickel and cobalt complexes perform the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER);^1,2 and some post-transition metal complexes catalyze HER by relying on redox processes that are ligand- rather than metal-based.³ Utilization of phosphorus and antimony corroles as photoredox catalysts for decarboxylative fluorination revealed that their outstandingly long triplet lifetime contributes to superior performance relative to the classical photoredox catalyst Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ in terms of larger catalytic turnover frequencies (TOF) and much lower catalyst loading. Nanoparticular phosphorous corroles with a basic moiety internalizes into malignant cells within minutes and selectively accumulates within lysosomes, upon which they become molecular and induce nanomolar cytotoxic effects upon illumination.

 

Prof. Zeev Gross

 

Professor of Chemistry Zeev Gross started his career at the Technion in 1990, following a Ph.D. in Physical Organic Chemistry at Bar Ilan University and two years postdoctoral research on biomimetic chemistry at Princeton. On top of his teaching and research activities, Dr. Gross also served as dean of the Technion’s largest division (continuing & external studies, two terms) and is heading multiple youth outreach activities in Chemistry during the last decade. Recognitions for his scientific achievements include his selections as Moore Distinguished Scholar in Caltech, the Hans Fischer Life Achievements Award, the Rita Levi Montalcini award, the Israel Chemical Society Gold medal and his election as Foreign Member of the European Academy of Sciences. The research focus of Dr. Gross is on uncovering unique physical and chemical properties of metallocorroles, geared for their utilization in applications that are of prime importance for modern society. These include drug discovery efforts for treating cancer and preventing metabolic diseases, and the design of optimal catalysts for energy-relevant processes such as oxygen reduction for fuel cells, hydrogen production from protons, carbon dioxide reduction and water oxidation. Dr. Gross has helped determining these and many other exceptional features of corroles, which he shared with the community in more than 250 scientific publications.