Fluorinations and Pentafluorosulfanylations via Upcycling of the Greenhouse Gas Sulfurhexafluoride: CatalyticFix-SF6

• Applicant: Aniruddha Biswas, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Organic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 546566134

The energy sector has a major impact on climate change. According to EU-Green Deal, the production and use of energy account for nearly 75% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions, majorly caused by carbon dioxide. Often overlooked, however, is the fact that fluorinated compounds also significantly contribute to global warming. On of these climate killers is sulfurhexafluoride (SF6) which fuels global warming 23.000 times more efficiently than CO2. Thus SF6 emission is a serious concern and must be reduced dramatically to avert climate change. CatalyticFix-SF6 aims to explore new pathways to meet the SF6 challenge through catalytic activation and conversion of SF6 into valuable chemical building blocks. Under the defined objectives, new co-operative catalytic methods will be outlined to selectively install fluorine atoms or pentafluorosulfanyl groups into carbon frameworks via late-stage functionalization using SF6 as the key reagent. These methods will not only contribute to SF6 fixation but also pave the way for efficient access to versatile fluorinated compounds. With their extensive application, organofluorines have become synonymous for pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and functional materials. Overall, developing new fluorination protocols using SF6 would be the ideal strategy to transform industrial waste into valuable material. The overall goal of this project is to establish the "recycle of SF6 in chemical synthesis" as a viable mitigation pathway through sustainable catalysis.

• DFG Programme: WBP Position