2023
Dr. Prince Nana AMANIAMPONG has just been awarded the presitgious ERC Starting Grant for his project ConCASM.
Congratulations to Dr. Teseer Bahry and the rest of the team for this interesting collaborative work between 3 countries (France, Canada and Singapore) on sono-catalytic chemistry published in Catalysis Science & Technology!!
In this paper, Novel catalytic chemistry of demethylenation of benzyl alcohol to phenol is presented here using the synergy between an earth-abundant transition metal oxide (CuO) catalyst and high frequency ultrasound (HFUS). This chemistry is achieved in water and at room temperature. Using a combination of catalyst characterization, chemical and acoustic analysis, isotope labelling and density functional theory computations, we reveal the molecular reaction mechanism, involving benzaldehyde as an intermediate. Water is not just a benign solvation medium, but it directly participates in the chemistry by getting dissociated due to sonolysis. The adsorption of the OH from water on the catalyst surface inhibits its recombination. The surface adsorbed OH from water also activates the C-H bond in benzyl alcohol to form benzaldehyde and later incorporates itself into the phenyl ring to form phenol.
Here is a link to the paper: https://doi.org/10.1039/D3CY00100H
2022
We are on the cover page of the prestigious Angewandte Chemie! Here is the link https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.202217292 (December, 19, 2022)
Congratulations to Anaelle Humblot and the rest of the team for this nice and awesome publication in Angewandte Chemie International Edition!!
In this communication, we demonstrate that with the help of an unconventional strategy (sonochemistry) ammonia can be activated and used as hydrogen carrier for the hydrogenation of alkenes. Here is a link to the article! https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/anie.202212719
Congratulations to Anaelle Humblot on defending her PhD thesis and also for landing a job in the industry!
We are on the cover page of the prestigious Green Chemistry journal! Here is the link to see the cover page. (June 21, 2022)
Our work on the Ultrasonic-assisted oxidation of cellulose to oxalic acid over gold nanoparticles supported on iron-oxide is accepted for publication in Green Chemistry (Impact factor 10.182). Here we demonstrate that low frequency ultrasound induces the fragmentation of cellulose particles, making it more prone to catalytic oxidation in the presence of Au/Fe2O3. Under optimized conditions, OA was obtained with 45% yield in the presence of molecular oxygen, corresponding to an overall yield of 53% into carboxylic acids (gluconic, formic, 2-keto-gluconic acid, etc). Furthermore, by means of Density Functional Theory, it was demonstrated that a charge transfer occurred from Au nanoparticles to Fe2O3, resulting in the formation of active catalytic species capable of decomposing H2O2, formed by sonolysis of water, to reactive O* species that were involved in the oxidation of cellulose. This charge transfer was also highlighted by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy which revealed a partial oxidation of Au0 to Au3+. Here is the link DOI https://doi.org/10.1039/D2GC00433J
Congratulations to Dr Prince Nana AMANIAMPONG for being awarded the French Chemical Society DivCat Young Researcher Award 2022.
Here is the link https://new.societechimiquedefrance.fr/divisions/catalyse/prix-et-laureats-catalyse/
Congratulations Anaelle HUMBLOT for winning the best oral communication on the theme "Organic Chemistry" prize at the just ended French Chemical Society Regional Conference at Limoges! The entire research team is proud of you.
2021
We are on the front cover of Angewandte Chemie. Here is the link. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202113427
Congratulations to Anaelle Humblot and the rest of the team for this nice and awesome publication in Angewandte Chemie International Edition!!
In this communication, we demonstrate an unconventional strategy of promoting the formation of hydrazine (an industrially relevant chemical) from Ammonia via high frequency ultrasound irradiation. Here is a link to the article! https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.202109516
Our collaborative work between four different research groups and two countries (France, Spain) is accepted for publication in Chemical Science Journal (Impact factor 9.556). Using an unconventional activation technique (high frequency ultrasound), we show that H-radicals produced during the sonolysis of water are crucial for the selective and catalyst-free depolymerization of cellulose to glucose. Here is a link to the article! https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SC00020E
2020
Our work on the Syneristic Effect of High-Frequency Ultrasound with Cupric Oxide Catalyst Resulting in a Selectivity Switch in Glucose Oxidation under Argon is accepted for publication in the prestigious Journal of American Chemical Society (JACS)!. Here, we demonstrated that, metal oxide interactions with radicals generated from the sonolysis of water, in the presence of glucose inhibits glucose ring-opening, favoring strongly the oxidation of glucose at the C-6 position. A phenomenon which is difficut to achieve in classical conversional catalysis. Here is a link to the paper! https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.9b06824
2018
We are on the cover page of the prestigious ChemSusChem journal! Here is the link to see the cover page. (August 22, 2018)
A collaborative research work between three different research groups and two countries (France, Spain) was featured as cover image of ChemSusChem, and all authors profiled! Here is the link! https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cssc.201801788 to see the link. (August 10. 2018)
Our recent work on biomass conversion is accepted for publication in Green Chemistry (Impact factor 9.12). Using an integrated modeling and experimental approach, we developed a stable and sustainable process to convert glycerol, a by-product or biodiesel, to highly valued dicarboxylic acids. Here is the link for the article . (May 09, 2018)
We are on the cover page of the prestigious Green Chemistry journal! Here is the link to see the cover page. (June 20, 2018)
2017
Our work on Selective and Catalyst-free Oxidation of D-Glucose to D-Glucuronic acid induced by High-Frequency Ultrasound published in Scientific Reports, a Nature publishing group has been selected as TOP 100 Most read papers in Chemistry 2017. https: // www.nature.com/collections/mkpfrssyks?draft=collection
2015
Our work in the area of biomass conversion is accepted for publication in the prestigious Angewandte Chemie journal. Using an integrated modeling (performed by Dr. Thang in our group) and experimental (performed by Dr. Amaniampong) approach, we explained the crucial role of lattice oxygen in catalyzing biomass reactions. Here is the link for the article. (May 20, 2015)
We are on the frontpage of Angewandte Chemie. Communications! Here is the link . (July 30, 2015)