Welco2me to Le Roux' Group Web-Page
Our researches are on both fundamental and applied aspects in tailor-made organometallic compounds, structured hybrid materials and catalysis. Work involves synthesis, testing and characterization of novel organometallic compounds for a wide range of applications, particularly in the areas of both green homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis (including surface organometallic chemistry (SOMC) and establishing structure activity/reactivity-relationship studies), as well as for medical imaging.
More precisely, our researches are ultimately directed toward assessing the roles of organometallics principally based on non-endangered elements in sustainable catalysis (including green and energy chemistry) and developing new catalytic reactions for converting readily available small molecules such as CO2 and olefins into more valuable products. This chemistry resulted in the discovery of a number of greener catalysts and new catalytic reactions, such as i) the development of less endangered transition metal based catalysts for the copolymerization of CO2 with epoxides or from bio-resources for the production of sustainable polymers, ii) the hydrodeoxygenation of oxygen-enriched biomasses and derivatives into aromatics and cycloalkanes, iii) the selective transformation of ethylene into useful building blocks for the downstream refinement of oil (as plasticizers, lubricants and pharmaceuticals products).
Our current research is also extended now on developing functionalized macrocyclic ligands for stabilizing the traditionally less used radiometals (titanium-45, for instance) for the positron emission tomography (PET) imaging.
Research interest:
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Organometallic chemistry
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Transformation of carbon dioxide into useful products
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Activation of small molecules
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Biomass valorization
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PET chemistry
