1. Research Report
…submitted by, Raj K.Das
Prof. Moris S. Eisen group
Schulich Faculty of Chemistry
Technion - Israel Institute of Technology
My research project going on organoactinides and comprehensive mechanistic investigations of
formation of inclusion organoactinide complexes with boron containing macrocycle and also the field of
biomass gasification.
I have synthesized a 15-membered, hexaoxo, trianionic ligation systems for organoactinides, built
from catechol and catecholborate units around the actinide centers with an overall structure of a
hexagonal bipyramid geometry, which was determined by X-ray single crystallography.
The synthesis of organothorium macrocyle shown in above eq. was accomplished by reacting the
complex (Cp*)2ThMe2 [(Cp*) = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl] with an excess of catecholborane (HBcat)
that contains 5% dimethyl sulfide (DMS) in toluene at room temperature for 24 h. The first step of the
reaction involves the reaction of organothorium precursor (Cp*2ThMe2) with 2 equiv of HBcat to
generate the corresponding Th-H complex and Me-BCat. In situ 11
B NMR experiments supported the
formation Me-BCat showing a clear signal at 35.6 ppm. To elucidate the complete mechanism, we made
an attempt to isolate the other side products which strictly follow the stoichiometry. Interestingly we
found the formation of the intermediate Cp*(H)BH2BH2 complex that was trapped, in situ, and
characterized at the 11
B NMR as a quintet [q,1
J(11
B,1
H) = 103 Hz] and a double of triplets[dt, 2
J(11
B,1
H)
=210 Hz, 1
J(11
B,1
H) = 94 Hz] allowed us to proposed the correct mechanism.
In addition we engaged to examine the conceptual aspects of this reaction: i) Does the Cp* ligands play a
role in this macrocycle formation, i.e. can we prepare the macrocyclic complex when the Cp* ligand is
absent? ii) How general is the reaction, i.e. can analogous or similar early lanthanide or isolobal group IV
organometallic complexes form the macrocyclic encapsulation complexes under similar conditions? In
order to determine the above fact we have done the reaction of the f-element complexes ThCl4•3THF,
Cp*2SmCl•MgCl2•2THF, NdCl3 and Cp*2ZrMe2 with an excess of catecholborane (HBCat) yields similar
inclusion macrocyclic complexes.
We have also evaluated the catalytic performance of our macrocycle complexes towards the
olygomerization reaction of ε-caprolactone. While some of the pentamethylcyclopentadienyl (Cp*)
containing inclusion complexes were found to be catalytically inactive in the polymerization of ε-
caprolactone, the lanthanides and thorium complexes were found to be active yielding only short chains
of polycaprolactone.

2. Biomass gasification:
Interest in renewable energy resources is growing for the sake of better environment and for replacing the
diminishing conventional natural resources. Gasification of low grade coal is well known; it is a process
in which coal or char reacts with an oxidizer and water to produce a fuel-rich product. Gasification of coal
can be modified to utilize biomass/organic waste, which are considered environmental neutral, or, to
enhance utilization and increase efficiency of the conventional fossil fuel gasifiers. The suggested
modification, which was already developed in this project, is based on unique design of a two-chamber
reactor (two chambers combined in a single reactor). This configuration has potential feature that make it
attractive especially for the gasification of biomass/waste at non-polluting temperatures (bellow the
formation of NOx’s). My project goal under this biomass gasification project is to develop and/or
screening numerous no. of synthesized/known catalyst to affect the overall process temperature;
accelerate the gasification reactions and/or composition of the syngas in some desirable direction. Some
of the initial results are tabulated in bellow where I used base metal like Ni with silica support catalysts as
well as uranium catalyst.
Radical copolymerization:
Currently I am also involving to synthesize some functionalized copolymer by AIBN (see the below
scheme).
As an example:
In collaboration with CellEra Company we used this kind of functional copolymer in fully cross-linked
cell to increase the higher stability of the cell as well as better performance. In this strategy the ionomer
plays a major role on the cross-link degree, cell stability and performance. Works are under progress, we
are expecting to get very good activity with this copolymer.
Cat. H2(%) CH4(%) CO(%) C2H6(%) CO2(%)
U3O8(1.5mol%) 7.2 23.6 14.3 3.7 51.2
UO3(1.5mol%) 2.3 19.1 5.0 8.8 64.8
5% Ni/γ-Al2O3(1.5mol%) -- 16.8 12 4.2 67.1
5% Ni/30% CeO2/SiO2(1.5mol%)
Sequential method
-- 19.6 9.2 5.5 65.8
10% Ni/30% CeO2/SiO2(1.5mol%)
Co-Impregnation method
-- 25.3 7.2 5.2 62.3
10% Ni/SiO2(1.5 mol%) 4.7 24.1 6.1 4 61.2
5% Ni/SiO2(1.5 mol%) -- 25.4 10.2 4 60.4
Starch 4.2 19.3 12.9 3.4 60.1
Grass 1.5 38.9 8.8 14.1 36.7
Glucose(reactor test) -- 18.9 19.9 6.5 54.7