Rg

Research
groups

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The Catalysis of Chemical Processes and its contribution to sustainable chemistry represents the Institute’s most extensive research line. Its main purpose is to develop processes and products that exploit resources more efficiently and minimise waste. It comprises research into all spheres of chemical catalysis: homogeneous, heterogeneous and enantioselective catalysis, the development of new ligands and catalytic processes and the design and simulation of catalytic reactors.

The other line of research at ICIQ focuses on the field of Renewable Energies and Environmental Research, with the aim to contribute to the obtaining of new energy solutions by providing sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. Several groups are currently working on the generation of hydrogen from water through sustainable processes, the development of more efficient photovoltaic devices and the CO2 conversion into liquid fuels and feedstock for the chemical industry.

Cf

Scientific Core Facilities

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Area Manager:
Dr. Gisela Colet

Administrative Support:
Eva Casco

The Research Support Area provides the scientific instrumentation needed to carry out the research at the ICIQ. The area is organized in different Units, each one comprising one or several related techniques, or, alternatively, comprising a group of techniques used by a particular research discipline.

In 2016, the area is made up of the following 11 Units:

  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
  • X-Ray Diffraction
  • High Resolution Mass Spectrometry
  • Chemical Reaction Technologies
  • Chromatography, Thermal Analysis and Electrochemistry
  • Heterogeneous Catalysis
  • Photophysics
  • Spectroscopy and Kinetics
  • High Throughput Experimentation
  • Glass Blowing Workshop
  • Mechanical Workshop

Specialized technicians ensure the maintenance and correct use of the equipment, develop applications for the techniques available and train the researchers in preparing samples, using the equipment, understanding the applications and processing data.

To provide ICIQ researchers with information about the techniques available in the Area, the Research Support Area also organizes seminars and short courses with invited speakers.

The courses, seminars and workshops organized during 2016 were the following:

  • High Throughput Experimentation course. Theory and lab sessions. Dr. Ana Bellomo (expert in the field with previous experience working in University of Pennsylvania, Princeton and Merck Co.), Dr. Xisco Caldentey and Xavier Castan (HTE Unit staff). (2nd-6th de May, 8h/day).
  • Fluorescence course. Theory and practice sessions. Dr. Fernando Bozoglián, Spectroscopy Unit manager (4th & 11th February, 1h & 1h30’, plus practical sessions)
  • Information session about NMR resources in the ICIQ intranet. Dr. Gabriel González. NMR Unit manager (19th July, 45’).
  • FTIR & Raman seminar. Dr. Fernando Bozoglián Spectroscopy Unit manager (29th September, 2h).
  • Cambridge Crystallographic Database (CCD) seminar. Dr. Marta Martínez, X-Ray Diffraction Unit Technician (17th November, 2h 30’).
  • Periodical seminars, every three months roughly, to present the scientific core facilities to all the ICIQ newcomers: the techniques available and how to become a user. Dr.Gisela Colet, Research Support Area Manager.

The Research Support Area also plays a role advising the researchers in the purchase of scientific instrumentation and setting up and managing the Institute scientific infrastructures.

Finally, the Research Support Area also participates in some of the Institute Scientific outreach activities. In 2016 these activities were the following: participation in the programme “Crazy about Chemistry” giving different seminars; participation in Science Week; and a talk about RSA to Secondary School students.

  • Talk to secondary school students from Lestonnac School, Tarragona (Gisela Colet).
  • Participation in the programme “Crazy about Chemistry” giving different seminars (Noemí Cabello, Jordi Benet, Georgiana Stoica, Simona Curreli and Gisela Colet).
  • Talk to Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) students from INS Pere Martell (Tarragona) about chemical risk management in the Institute (Xavier Blanch & Gisela Colet).
  • Talk to primary school students from CEIP Pau Casals, el Vendrell (Gisela Colet).
Op

Ongoing
projects

Competitive research projects awarded in 2016

Title Institution PI Import (€)
Pilot Plant Production of Controlled doped Nanoporous Carbonaceous Materials for Energy and Catalysis Applications (686163-POROUS4APP) REA (EC) López 334.707
Catalytic reductive carboxylation of unactivated olefins with carbon dioxide (713677-OLE-DIOX) ERCEA (EC) Martín 149.500
A novel platform for user-friendly spectroscopy at very low temperatures and under strong magnetic fields (713539-U-SPEC) ERCEA (EC) Galán-Mascarós 150.000
Light-Driven Asymmetric Organocatalysis (681840-CATA-LUX) ERCEA (EC) Melchiorre 2.000.000
Critical Raw materials Elimination by a top-down Approach To hydrogen and Electricity generation (721065-CREATE) REA (EC) Galán-Mascarós 350.625
An artificial leaf: a photo-electro-catalytic cell from earth-abundant materials for sustainable solar production of CO2-based chemicals and fuels (732840-A-LEAF) REA (EC) Galán-Mascarós, López, Lloret 879.712,50
Entrepreneuring Dynamic Selforganized Interfaces In Photocatalysis: A Multidisciplinary Training Network Converting Light Into Products(PhotoTrain) REA (CE) Melchiorre 463.345,92
Electrochemical Conversion of Renewable Electricity into Fuels and Chemicals (ELCOREL) REA (CE) Melchiorre 463.345,92
Title Institution PI Import (€)
Soluciones desde la Química de Coordinación para el Desafío Energético: Materiales Avanzados para transformación y almacenamiento de Energía (CTQ2015-71287-R) MINECO Galán-Mascarós 135.520
Simulaciones teóricas en catálisis homogénea: bases para una industria circular (CTQ2015-68770-R) MINECO López 135.520
Carboxilación de materia orgánica con dióxido de carbono catalizada por metales de transición (CTQ2015-65496-R) MINECO Martín 234.740
Sistemas Catalíticos Inmovilizados Robustos para la Producción Sostenible de Productos Químicos de Alto Valor Añadido (CTQ2015-69136-R) MINECO Pericàs 326.700
Síntesis de amoniaco en condiciones suaves inducida por luz (CTQ2015-73028-EXP) MINECO Llobet 50.000
FLOW4HEALTH Desarrollo de procesos en flujo continuo para la indústria químico farmacéutica (RTC-2016-5807-1) MINECO Pericàs 441.441
Catalizadores electrofílicos avanzados para la síntesis de sistemas complejos (CTQ2016-75960-P) MINECO Echavarren 440.440
Nuevos Conceptos para la Activación Asimétrica de Pequeñas Moléculas a Través de Catálisis Fotoredox y Metálica (CTQ2016-75311-P) MINECO Garcia Suero 84.700
Catalizadores moleculares para la descomposición del agua por medio de la luz solar (CTQ2016-80058-R) MINECO Llobet 272.250
Reduciones químicas mediadas por la luz. De combustibles a compuestos solares (CTQ2016-80038-R) MINECO Lloret 84.700
Organocatálisis Fotoquímica Enantioselectiva: Utilizando la Luz para Generar Moléculas Quirales Biológicamente Relevantes (CTQ2016-75520-P) MINECO Melchiorre 254.100
Procesos de transferencia de carga en dispositivos fotovoltaicos híbridos: nanocristal semiconductor/molécula orgánica semiconductora (CTQ2016-80042-R) MINECO Palomares 166.980
Alternativas a las Tradicionales Reacciones de Acoplamiento Cruzado para Favorecer la Formación de Enlaces CC: Investigación de Sistemas Bimetálicos y Catálisis de Cobalto (CTQ2016-79942-P) MINECO Pérez-Temprano 84.700
Conversión catalítica en continuo de dióxido de carbono en vectores energéticos químicos (CTQ2016-75499-R) MINECO Urakawa 156.090
Title Institution PI Import (€)
Oxidative upgrading of light alkanes by unsteady-state operation Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) Urakawa 355.293

Ongoing competitive research projects in 2016

Title Total amount (€) Period PI
Exploring Chemical Reactivity with Organocatalysis (ORGANAUT) 1.500.000 2011-16 Melchiorre
Chasing a Fundamental Challenge in Catalysis: A Combined Cleavage of Carbon-Carbon Bonds and Carbon Dioxide for Preparing Functionalized Molecules (FUNCBONDS) 1.423.800 2011-16 Martín
Building-up Chemical Complexity into Multifunctional Molecule-based Hybrid Materials (CHEMCOMP) 1.940.400 2012-16 Galán-Mascarós
Advancing gold Catalysis (CATGOLD) 2.499.060 2013-18 Dr. Echavarren
Towards a Greener Reduction Chemistry by Using Cobalt Coordination Complexes as Catalysts and Light-driven Water Reduction as a Source of Reductive Equivalents (648304-GREENLIGHT_REDCAT) 1.999.063 2015-20 Lloret-Fillol
Light-Driven Asymmetric Organocatalysis (681840-CATA-LUX) 2.000.000 2016-21 Melchiorre
Ratiometric FRET Based Nanosensors for Trypsin Related Human Recessive Diseases (665775-2-NanoSi) 150.000€ 2015-16 Palomares
A Solar-Powered Hydrolyzer (664719-HYDRER) 150.000 2015-16 Galán-Mascarós
Big Data for Catalysis (680900-BigData4Cat) 149.875 2015-16 López
Catalytic reductive carboxylation of unactivated olefins with carbon dioxide (713677-OLE-DIOX) 149.500 2016-17 Martín
A novel platform for user-friendly spectroscopy at very low temperatures and under strong magnetic fields (713539-U-SPEC) 150.000 2016-18 Galán-Mascarós
Pilot Plant Production of Controlled doped Nanoporous Carbonaceous Materials for Energy and Catalysis Applications (686163-POROUS4APP) 334.707 2016-20 López
Functionalized Magnetic Nanoparticles and their Application in Chemistry and Biomedicine (Mag(net)icFun) 547.975 2013-16 Pericàs
Entrepreneuring Dynamic Selforganized Interfaces In Photocatalysis: A Multidisciplinary Training Network Converting Light Into Products(PhotoTrain) 463.345,92 2016-20 Melchiorre
ICIQ International Postdoctoral Mobility Programme (ICIQ-IPMP) 2.028.752 2012-17 Solà
Polyoxometalate Chemistry for Molecular Nanoscience(PoCheMoN) N/A 2012-16 Galán-Mascarós, Bo
Title Total amount (€) Period PI
Producción sostenible de hidrogeno a partir de agua y luz por la vía molecular (CTQ2013-49075-R) 304.920 2014-16 Llobet
Organocatálisis viníloga en cascada: control remoto de la estereoquímica en moléculas complejas (CTQ2013-45938-P) 204.490 2014-16 Melchiorre
Nanocristales semiconductores y moléculas orgánicas de bajo peso molecular para dispositivos que convierten (CTQ2013-47183-R) 182.710 2014-16 Palomares
Avances en nuevos métodos para la formación directa de los enlaces carbono-carbono, carbono nitrógeno y más allá (CTQ2013-46705-R) 148.830 2014-16 Shafir
Receptores y sensores sintéticos para la detección supramolecular de moléculas de bajo peso molecular relacionadas con la salud (CTQ2014-56295-R) 206.910 2015-17 Ballester
Nanocápsulas de óxidos metálicos y complejos de metales de transición: abordando los retos de la sociedad desde la nanociencia molecular y la catálisis (CTQ2014-52824-R) 108.900 2015-17 Bo
Desarrollo de nuevas metodologías eficientes para la síntesis de bio-carbonatos (CTQ2014-60419-R) 151.250 2015-17 Kleij
Catálisis homogénea computacional: fotones, dioxigeno, dióxido de carbono (CTQ2014-57761-R) 156.090 2015-17 Maseras
Desarrollo de nuevas reacciones de oxidación de hidrocarburos basadas en catalizadores de yodo en alto estado de oxidación (CTQ2014-56474-R) 250.470 2015-17 Muñiz
Modularidad y regulación distal en sistemas catalíticos como estrategias eficientes en síntesis estereoselectiva. Aplicación a la síntesis de compuestos con interés biológico (CTQ2014-60256-P) 134.310 2015-17 Vidal
Soluciones desde la Química de Coordinación para el Desafío Energético: Materiales Avanzados para transformación y almacenamiento de Energía (CTQ2015-71287-R) 135.520 2016-18 Galán-Mascarós
Simulaciones teóricas en catálisis homogénea: bases para una industria circular (CTQ2015-68770-R) 135.520 2016-18 López
Carboxilación de materia orgánica con dióxido de carbono catalizada por metales de transición (CTQ2015-65496-R) 234.740 2016-18 Martín
Sistemas Catalíticos Inmovilizados Robustos para la Producción Sostenible de Productos Químicos de Alto Valor Añadido (CTQ2015-69136-R) 326.700 2016-19 Pericàs
FLOW4HEALTH Desarrollo de procesos en flujo continuo para la indústria químico farmacéutica (RTC-2016-5807-1) 441.441 2016-19 Pericàs
Catalizadores electrofílicos avanzados para la síntesis de sistemas complejos (CTQ2016-75960-P) 440.440 2016-19 Echavarren
Nuevos Conceptos para la Activación Asimétrica de Pequeñas Moléculas a Través de Catálisis Fotoredox y Metálica (CTQ2016-75311-P) 84.700 2016-19 Garcia Suero
Catalizadores moleculares para la descomposición del agua por medio de la luz solar (CTQ2016-80058-R) 272.250 2016-19 Llobet
Reduciones químicas mediadas por la luz. De combustibles a compuestos solares (CTQ2016-80038-R) 84.700 2016-19 Lloret
Organocatálisis Fotoquímica Enantioselectiva: Utilizando la Luz para Generar Moléculas Quirales Biológicamente Relevantes (CTQ2016-75520-P) 254.100 2016-19 Melchiorre
Procesos de transferencia de carga en dispositivos fotovoltaicos híbridos: nanocristal semiconductor/molécula orgánica semiconductora (CTQ2016-80042-R) 166.980 2016-19 Palomares
Alternativas a las Tradicionales Reacciones de Acoplamiento Cruzado para Favorecer la Formación de Enlaces CC: Investigación de Sistemas Bimetálicos y Catálisis de Cobalto (CTQ2016-79942-P) 84.700 2016-20 Pérez-Temprano
Conversión catalítica en continuo de dióxido de carbono en vectores energéticos químicos (CTQ2016-75499-R) 156.090 2016-19 Urakawa
Unidad de proyectos y colaboraciones internacionales ICIQ (EUC2013-50884) 140.000 2014-16 Pericàs
Encarando los retos que la sociedad tiene planteados mediante investigación colaborativa en catálisis (CTQ2014-52974-REDC) 53.000 2014-16 Pericàs
Nuevas estrategias catalíticas de funcionalización c-h para síntesis química (EUIN2015-62710) 4.100 2015-16 García-Suero
Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa 2013 (SEV-2013-0319) 4.000.000 2014-18 Pericàs
Title Total amount (€) Period PI
Química Organometàl·lica en Síntesi Orgànica (2014 SGR 818) 33.600 2014-17 Echavarren
Galán Mascarós Research Group (2014 SGR 797) 28.800 2014-17 Galán-Mascarós
Grushin's Group (2014 SGR 1473) 17.200 2014-17 Grushin
Grup de Catàlisis Redox ( RED-CAT ) (2014 SGR 915) 27.000 2014-17 Llobet
Theoretical Heterogeneous Catalysis Group (T-HeCat) (2014 SGR 145) 30.100 2014-17 López
Grup d'activació catalítica d'enllaços inerts - CATINERT (2014 SGR 884) 25.800 2014-17 Martín
Modelatge computacional de la catàlisi homogènia (2014 SGR 409) 18.000 2014-17 Maseras
Melchiorre Group (2014 SGR 1059) 38.400 2014-17 Melchiorre
Muñiz's Group (2014 SGR 889) 15.000 2014-17 Muñiz
Grup de recerca en matèries i dispositius optoelectrònics (2014 SGR 763) 17.200 2014-17 Palomares
Grup de Recerca en Sistemes Catalítics Modulars (SICAM) (2014 SGR 827) 30.100 2014-17 Pericàs
Urakawa research group (2014 SGR 893) 12.900 2014-17 Urakawa

Swiss National Science

Title Total amount (€) Period PI
Carbon Dioxide Hydrogenation: New Synthetic Perspectives for Chemical Energy Carriers 252.259 2014-16 Urakawa

Japan Science and Technology Agency

Title Total amount (€) Period PI
Oxidative upgrading of light alkanes by unsteady-state operation 355.293 2016-20 Urakawa