Dr Antoine Buchard
Profile
Antoine is a Whorrod Research Fellow at the Centre for Sustainable Chemical Technologies (CSCT), researching the use of renewable resources for sustainable production of degradable polymers, high-value chemicals and clean energy using organometallic catalysis.
Originally from France Antoine completed his PhD at Ecole Polytechnique in 2009 under the supervision of Professor Pascal Le Floch. He then moved to Imperial College London to undertake a postdoctoral research fellowship with Professor Charlotte Williams which involved the development of CO2/epoxide copolymers. Antoine returned to France in 2011 to gain industrial experience as a research engineer at Air Liquide.
In April 2013 Antoine began independent research at the CSCT. His work is based on a joined experimental/theoretical approach. Experiments focus on simple ligand design and abundant metal complexes synthesis, and computational chemistry is used as a tool to guide research targets, elucidate reaction mechanisms and help devise better catalysts.
His research interests are focused on three main themes:
- Polymers
The synthesis of monomers from renewable resources such as glycerol and sugars are investigated to develop polymers that offer an alternative to those derived from petrochemicals. The structure and mechanical properties of the polymers are then analysed to assess their potential for application.
- Hydrogen Energy
The reactivity of water with organometallic complexes is studied at a molecular level, using experimental and computational chemistry. The goal is to design a catalyst for the sustainable production of hydrogen via thermal and photo-assisted steps.
- Small molecules
Activation of abundant small molecules such as N2, CO2 and O2 by coordination to metal complexes is investigated to catalytically transform them into valuable chemicals including amines, carbonates and nitrates. Collaboration with the Chemical Engineering Department aims to develop the small molecule activation into a flow process to enable intensification.
Publications
Tognetti, V., Buchard, A., Auffrant, A., Ciofini, I., Le Floch, P. and Adamo, C., 2013. Ethylene dimerization catalyzed by mixed phosphine–iminophosphorane nickel(II) complexes: a DFT investigation. Journal of Molecular Modeling, 19 (5), pp. 2107-2118.
Buchard, A., Jutz, F., Kember, M. R., White, A. J. P., Rzepa, H. S. and Williams, C. K., 2012. Experimental and computational investigation of the mechanism of carbon dioxide/cyclohexene oxide copolymerization using a dizinc catalyst. Macromolecules, 45 (17), pp. 6781-6795.
Kember, M. R., Jutz, F., Buchard, A., White, A. J. P. and Williams, C. K., 2012. Di-cobalt(ii) catalysts for the copolymerisation of CO2 and cyclohexene oxide: support for a dinuclear mechanism? Chemical Science, 3 (4), pp. 1245-1255.
Cao, T.-P.-A., Buchard, A., Le Goff, X. F., Auffrant, A. and Williams, C. K., 2012. Phosphasalen yttrium complexes: Highly active and stereoselective initiators for lactide polymerization. Inorganic Chemistry, 51 (4), pp. 2157-2169.
Buchard, A., Bakewell, C., Weiner, J. and Williams, C., 2012. Recent developments in catalytic activation of renewable resources for polymer synthesis. In: Meier, M. A.R., Weckhuysen, B. M. and Bruijnincx, P. C. A., eds. Organometallics and Renewables. Berlin: Springer, pp. 175-224.
Kember, M. R., Copley, J., Buchard, A. and Williams, C. K., 2012. Triblock copolymers from lactide and telechelic poly(cyclohexene carbonate). Polymer Chemistry, 3 (5), pp. 1196-1201.
Jutz, F., Buchard, A., Kember, M. R., Fredriksen, S. B. and Williams, C. K., 2011. Mechanistic investigation and reaction kinetics of the low-pressure copolymerization of cyclohexene oxide and carbon dioxide catalyzed by a dizinc complex. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 133 (43), pp. 17395-17405.
Buchard, A., Kember, M. R., Sandeman, K. G. and Williams, C. K., 2011. A bimetallic iron(iii) catalyst for CO2/epoxide coupling. Chemical Communications, 47 (1), pp. 212-214.
Kember, M. R., Buchard, A. and Williams, C. K., 2011. Catalysts for CO2/epoxide copolymerisation. Chemical Communications, 47 (1), pp. 141-163.
Buchard, A., Platel, R. H., Auffrant, A., Le Goff, X. F., Le Floch, P. and Williams, C. K., 2010. Iminophosphorane neodymium(III) complexes as efficient initiators for lactide polymerization. Organometallics, 29 (13), pp. 2892-2900.
Picot, A., Dyer, H., Buchard, A., Auffrant, A., Vendier, L., Le Floch, P. and Sabo-Etienne, S., 2010. Interplay between hydrido/dihydrogen and amine/amido ligands in ruthenium-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of ketones. Inorganic Chemistry, 49 (4), pp. 1310-1312.
MacDowell, N., Florin, N., Buchard, A., Hallett, J., Galindo, A., Jackson, G., Adjiman, C. S., Williams, C. K., Shah, N. and Fennell, P., 2010. An overview of CO2 capture technologies. Energy & Environmental Science, 3 (11), pp. 1645-1669.
Buchard, A., Payet, E., Auffrant, A., Goff, X. L. and Floch, P. L., 2010. Iminophosphorane-based [P2N2] rhodium complexes: synthesis, reactivity, and application in catalysed transfer hydrogenation of polar bonds. New Journal of Chemistry, 34 (12), pp. 2943-2949.
Klemps, C., Buchard, A., Houdard, R., Auffrant, A., Mezailles, N., Le Goff, X. F., Ricard, L., Saussine, L., Magna, L. and Le Floch, P., 2009. Chromium (iii)-bis(iminophosphoranyl)methanido complexes: synthesis, X-ray crystal structures and catalytic ethylene oligomerization. New Journal of Chemistry, 33 (8), pp. 1748-1752.
Buchard, A., Heuclin, H., Auffrant, A., Le Goff, X. F. and Le Floch, P., 2009. Coordination of tetradentate X2N2 (X = P, S, O) ligands to iron(II) metal center and catalytic application in the transfer hydrogenation of ketones. Dalton Transactions, 2009 (9), pp. 1659-1667.
Buchard, A., Auffrant, A., Ricard, L., Le Goff, X. F., Platel, R. H., Williams, C. K. and Le Floch, P., 2009. First neodymium(III) alkyl-carbene complex based on bis(iminophosphoranyl) ligands. Dalton Transactions, 2009 (46), pp. 10219-10222.
Buchard, A., Komly, B., Auffrant, A., Le Goff, X. F. and Floch, P. L., 2008. A mixed phosphine−iminophosphorane tetradentate ligand: Synthesis, coordination to group 10 metal centers, and use as catalyst in Suzuki−Miyaura coupling. Organometallics, 27 (17), pp. 4380-4385.
