Development of Transformations for Direct Synthesis of Nitrogen-containing Organic Compounds from Dinitrogen

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K21203
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 34:Inorganic/coordination chemistry, analytical chemistry, and related fields
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Nishibayashi Yoshiaki 東京大学, 大学院工学系研究科(工学部), 教授 (40282579)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 窒素固定 / モリブデン / 触媒反応の / 含窒素有機化合物 / イソシアニド

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Based on the results of the construction of a pseudo-catalytic cycle that successfully proceeded via molybdenum-nitride and molybdenum-isocyanate complexes as key intermediates, isocyanate anions were successfully synthesized from dinitrogen molecule in a catalytic manner. A detailed investigation on the reaction conditions for the catalytic reaction achieved that the catalytic reaction proceeded when the Mo-PCP complex was used as a catalyst. At present, 9 equivalents of isocyanate anion were produced based on the molybdenum atom of the catalyst. This research result is the first successful example in the world of catalytic generation of nitrogen-containing organic compounds from nitrogen gas, which was the goal of this research project.

Free Research Field

有機金属化学、錯体化学、有機化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究課題で達成した研究内容を踏まえると、工業的なアンモニア合成法であるハーバー・ボッシュ法で合成するアンモニアを経ることなく、窒素ガスから含窒素有機化合物を直截合成することが実現可能となる。これは、学術的に研究課題であるだけで無く工業的にも画期的な手法の開発となり、歴史に残る偉業と成り得る。