Prof. Arjan W. Kleij

Catalysis

Group Leader

Arjan W. Kleij 

Postdoctoral Researchers

Bart Limburg / Debasish Ghorai / Arianna Brandolese / David Hermann Lamparelli / Matteo Lanzi / Dimitrios Skoulas / Thirusangu M Senthamarai Ganapathy / Balazs L. Toth

PhD students

Chang Qiao / Aleria Garcia Roca / Alba Villar Yanez / Gaia Stojanovic

Masters Students

Diego Fernando Meneses Sanchez

Visiting PhD student

Jixiang Ni / Xuetong Li / Qian Zeng / Fengyun Gao / Wangyu Shi

Visiting Students

Dirk Husstege / Ilaria Grimaldi / Lorenz B Dittrich

Summary

The group of Prof. Kleij focuses on the conversion of small molecules, such as CO2, into heterocyclic compounds useful in the synthesis of fine chemical and pharmaceutical products. The carboxylative conversion of these heterocycles and related structures is used to discover new stereo and enantioselective transformations with the ultimate goal of synthesizing relevant and complex molecules. In addition, biomass compounds such as terpenes are used to design different types of polyesters and polycarbonates with new properties of potential interest for industry.

Publications

Unusual DBU-catalyzed decarboxylative formation of allylic thioethers from vinyl cyclic carbonates and thiols
Ni, J.; Lanzi, M.; Kleij, A. W.
Org. Chem. Front. 2022, 9

Carbon dioxide chemistry towards carbon-neutrality
Das, S.; D’Elia, V.; He, L. N.; Kleij, A. W.; Yamada, T
GreenChE 2022, 3 (2), 93-95

Functional CO2 based heterocycles as precursors in organic synthesis
Kleij, A. W.
BOOK CHAPTER In: «Advances in Catalysis«, Elsevier, 2022

MORE PUBLICATIONS

Renewable Beta-Elemene based Cyclic Carbonates for the Preparation of Oligo(hydroxyurethane)s
Maquilón, C.; Brandolese, A.; Alter, C.; Hoevelmann, C.; Della Monica, F.; Kleij, A. W.
ChemSusChem 2022

Simple Halogen-Free, Biobased Organic Salts Convert Glycidol to Glycerol Carbonate under Atmospheric CO2 Pressure
Poolwong, J.; Aomchad, V.; Del Gobbo, S.; Kleij, A. W.; D’Elia, V.
ChemSusChem 2022

Decoding Key Transient Inter-Catalyst Interactions in a Reductive Metallaphotoredox-Catalyzed Allylation Reaction
Limburg, B.; Cristòfol, A.; Kleij, A. W.
Am. Chem. Soc. 2022

Catalyst Engineering Empowers the Creation of Biomass-Derived Polyesters and Polycarbonates
Brandolese, A.; Kleij, A. W.
Acc. Chem. Res. 2022

Continuous organocatalytic flow synthesis of 2-substituted oxazolidinones using carbon dioxide
Zanda, N.; Zhou, L.; Alza, E.; Kleij, A. W.; Pericas, M. A.
Green Chem. 2022

Domino Synthesis of Bicyclic 3,5-Anhydro Furanose Mimics Using a Binary Al(III) Complex/Halide Catalyst
Qiao, C.; Villar-Yanez, A.; Garay-Ruiz, D.; Benet Buchholz, J.; Bo, C.; Kleij, A. W.
ACS Catal. 2022, 12, 5464–5469

A Novel Catalytic Route to Polymerizable Bicyclic Cyclic Carbonate Monomers from Carbon Dioxide
Qiao, C.; Shi, W.; Brandolese, A.; Benet-Buchholz, J.; Escudero-Adán, E. C.; Kleij, A. W.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022

Catalytic Ring-Opening Copolymerization of Fatty Acid Epoxides: Access to Functional Biopolyesters
Brandolese, A.; Della Monica, F.; Pericàs, M. A.; Kleij, A. W.
Macromolecules 2022, 55 (7), 2566–2573

Dual Cobalt/Organophotoredox Catalysis for Diastereo- and Regioselective 1,2-Difunctionalization of 1,3-Diene Surrogates Creating Quaternary Carbon Centers
Xue, S.; Cristòfol, A.; Limburg, B.; Zeng, Q.; Kleij, A. W.
ACS Catal. 2022, 12, 3651–3659

A Biosourced Epoxy Resin for Adhesive Thermoset Applications
Moreira, V. B.; Alemán, C.; Rintjema, J.; Bravo, F.; Kleij, A. W.; Armelin, E.
ChemSusChem 2022

Novel Biobased Epoxy Thermosets and Coatings from Poly(limonene carbonate) Oxide and Synthetic Hardeners
Bonamigo Moreira, V.; Rintjema, J.; Bravo, F.; Kleij, A: W.; Franco, L.; Puiggalí, J.; Alemán, Armelin, E.
ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2022

Cascade Transformation of Carbon Dioxide and Alkyne-1,n-diols into Densely Substituted Cyclic Carbonates
Li, X.; Villar-Yanez, A.; Ngassam Tounzoua, C.; Benet-Buchholz, J.; Grignard, B.; Bo, C.; Detrembleur, C.; Kleij, A. W.
ACS Catal. 2022, 12, 2854–2860

Surface science approach to the heterogeneous cycloaddition of CO2 to epoxides catalyzed by site-isolated metal complexes and single atoms: A review
D’Elia, V.; Kleij, A. W.
GreenChE 2022

Cyclization Reactions with CO2
Kleij, A. W.
BOOK CHAPTER In: «The Chemical Transformations of C1 Compounds«, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2022, 22, (ISBN: -13: 978-3-527-3)

Biobased Terpene Derivatives: Stiff and Biocompatible Compounds to Tune Biodegradability and Properties of Poly(butylene succinate)
Zeinali, R.; del Valle, L. J.; Franco, L.; Yousef, I.; Rintjema, J.; Alemán, C.; Bravo, F.; Kleij, A. W.; Puiggalí, J.
Polymers 2022, 14 (1), 161

Ni-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Silylation of Alkynyl Carbonates: Access to Chiral Allenes via Enantiospecific Conversions
Guo, K.; Zeng, W.; Villar-Yanez, A.; Bo, C.; Kleij, A. W.
Org. Lett. 2022, 24 (2), 637–641

Nickel-Catalyzed Allylic Substitution Reactions: An Evolving Alternative
Ghorai, D.; Cristofol, A.; Kleij, A. W.
Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2022, 2022 (2), e20210082

Projects

Programa Interreg
Tecnologías Químicas para la Valorización de Residuos Industriales en los Pirineos
Ref: EFA308/19 – TRIPyr

Research Group Kleij
AGAUR | 2021 SGR 00853

Training Network in Innovative CO2 Transformations and Valorization Route
MCIN | Ref: EIN2020-112346 – Carbon MonoPoly

Advancing the Catalytic Construction of Quaternary Stereocenters
MCIN | Ref: PID2020-112684GB-100

Design and Scale Up of Biobased Functionalized Polycarbonates for Adhesive and Coating Applications
MCIN | Ref: PDC2021-120952-I00 – MacroLemon

 

Theses Supervised

Chang Qiao
June 23, 2022
Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Visible-light metallaphotoredox strategies for organic transformations through the cleavage of Csp3-CI bonds

 

Features

D-CARBONIZE project: a new era for sustainable polymers
https://www.iciq.org/d-carbonize-project-a-new-era-for-sustainable-polymers/

Dr. Lamparelli wins Cinzia Chiappe award
https://www.iciq.org/dr-lamparelli-wins-cinzia-chiappe-award/

ICIQ’s Bio-Based Polymer Platform: From Agrofood Waste to Paints, Coatings, Adhesives and Lightweight Composites
https://www.iciq.org/iciqs-bio-based-polymer-platform-from-agrofood-waste-to-paints-coatings-adhesives-and-lightweight-composites/