An article published by researchers from the Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta" - Politecnico di Milano on «ChemSusChem», has been selected by the Board of the Interdivisional Group of Green Chemistry of the Italian Chemical Society Journal as the best scientific article of the year published by Italian scientists.

The article, whose first author is Vincenzo Ruta (postdoc researcher at CFALab), presents a single-atom catalyst, composed of copper atoms anchored on nanographite functionalized with a pyrrolic compound, which enables the Ullmann C-O coupling reaction in a highly efficient and sustainable way. The work fits into the themes of sustainable chemistry, demonstrating an innovative approach of "rational catalyst design" that allows to switch from a homogeneous catalysis process to one based on solid materials, thus increasing its efficiency and reducing its environmental impact.

The award was presented during the National Workshop of the Group Green Chemistry – Chimica Sostenibile Società Chimica Italiana (Turin, 24 and 25 October 2024).

Copper Single Atoms Chelated on Ligand-Modified Carbon for Ullmann-type C−O Coupling

Vincenzo Ruta, Giovanni Di Liberto, Francesco Moriggi, Yurii P. Ivanov, Giorgio Divitini, Gianlorenzo Bussetti, Vincenzina Barbera, Mark A. Bajada, Maurizio Galimberti, Gianfranco Pacchioni, Gianvito Vilé
ChemSusChem 2024, 17, e202301529
> View the paper