Detailseite
Projekt Druckansicht

GRK 1628:  Selektivität in der Chemo- und Biokatalyse

Fachliche Zuordnung Molekülchemie
Förderung Förderung von 2010 bis 2019
Projektkennung Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 135945478
 
Erstellungsjahr 2019

Zusammenfassung der Projektergebnisse

Selectivity in catalyzed transformations of substrates is an essential feature for the sustainable (“green”) production of chemicals. This becomes particularly critical when feedstocks for raw materials will shift from conventional fossil sources (coal, petroleum) to biorenewable sources and possibly to carbon dioxide. The understanding and rational design of catalysts – both chemical and biological – requires a venture into new systems. The International Research Training Program “Selectivity in Chemo- and Biocatalysis (SeleCa)” was established at RWTH Aachen University in 2010. It aims at the understanding of efficient and selective catalytic reactions on the molecular level of both homogeneous and biological (enzymatic) catalysts. Simultaneously, the Japanese German Graduate Externship Program on “Environmentally Benign Bio- and Chemical Processes“ funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) was established at Osaka University’s Department of Engineering and Department of Engineering Science. Interdisciplinary and transnational research in areas of both chemical and enzymatic catalysis has been performed in a unique international collaborative approach. The cooperation involved twelve groups from RWTH Aachen University along with two associated groups each from Research Centre Jülich and eleven groups from Osaka University. Graduate students both of chemistry and biotechnology were involved in joint projects including: metal catalysis (selective catalytic functionalization of aromatic substrates; efficient and selective formation of carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds; bimetallic redox-active biomimetic catalysts for selective C-H bond functionalization and switchable polymerization; development of novel bifunctional organocatalysts), supramolecular catalysis (selective hydrogenation catalysts based on molecular recognition), biocatalysis (identification, biochemical, and functional characterization of novel biocatalysts; new glycosynthases; selective production and analysis of poly(γ-glutamic acid) with distinct molecular weight distribution and composition), biohybrid catalysis (hybrid biocatalysts for selective polymerizations; non-heme protein models for biomimetic oxidation reactions; multifunctional polyethers through chemical and enzymatic catalysis). Despite the great geographical distance, the scientific exchange activity and interactions were generally intense, amicable, and fruitful throughout the entire funding period. As a particularly successful collaboration between chemistry and biotechnology as well as between Aachen/Jülich and Osaka, the area of biohybrid catalysts or so-called artificial metalloenzymes and whole-cell catalysts contributed to a timely and highly competitive research field. Over the past nine years, joint symposia with eminent international guest speakers, including Nobel laureates, were annually held both in Aachen and Osaka (in total 18). The graduate students were encouraged to organize and execute these formal scientific events in a responsible manner. In addition, graduate students completed mutual research stays of up to one year at both universities and participated in lecture courses, regular research seminars, specialized workshops and excursions to companies. Additional soft skills, including safeguarding good scientific practice, gender issues, Japanese language/culture, and project management were acquired. Despite the difference in regulations in three separate faculties, joint doctoral defense examinations were also realized both in Aachen and Osaka. This has ensured direct comparison of the scientific standard of dissertations in the partner institutions and triggered discussions on the nature of the doctoral examination within the RWTH faculty. In total, 46 doctoral dissertations were successfully concluded, and 218 papers were published, in addition to >300 poster and oral presentations at national and international conferences. It is believed that at the end of this nine years’ program, substantial internationalization has been realized by educating graduate students who are knowledgeable in both chemo- and biocatalysis and cross-cultural experience. Graduates of this IRTG are well prepared for employment in a more interdisciplinary and rapidly globalizing labor market.

Projektbezogene Publikationen (Auswahl)

 
 

Zusatzinformationen

Textvergrößerung und Kontrastanpassung