Catalysis of Organic Reactions

Abstract

This special issue of Topics in Catalysis is devoted to discussions of catalysis applied particularly to the preparation of organic compounds and documents the proceedings of the 24th Biennial Conference of the Organic Reactions Catalysis Society (ORCS), held in Annapolis, Maryland from April 15th through April 19th, 2012. ORCS seeks to advance practical applications of catalysis for making organic compounds by fostering discussions, providing opportunities for members to present their work, and facilitating dissemination of scientific knowledge. At the 24th meeting, we celebrated two Paul N. Rylander award winners. The Paul N. Rylander Award is sponsored by BASF and is awarded annually to researchers who have made significant contributions in the application of catalysis in organic reactions. The 2011 winner, Thomas A. Puckette of the Eastman Chemical Company, was honored for his contribution to low-pressure Rh hydroformylation reactions and the development of previously undiscovered ligands. The 2012 winner, Melanie S. Sanford of the University of Michigan, was honored for her work in Pd-catalyzed C–H activation reactions. The two awardees reflect the essence of ORCS. Professor Sanford, through basic research, has been opening new paths for industrially relevant compounds while diminishing the environmental impact of their manufacture. Dr. Puckette’s research has been in an industrial setting where he has specialized in pioneering new pathways for catalyst systems operating at commercial scale. Dr. Puckette’s research has focused on the development of ligands that, prior to his work, were carefully avoided to prevent poisoning. The connection between fundamental and applied research in furthering catalysis deployed throughout the world is the vision of ORCS. Bringing the two worlds together is what makes ORCS, as a society, unique. The 24th biennial conference was organized into six major symposia as follows: