Cooperative bimetallic catalysis is an emerging field of research in recent years. The concept of bimetallic catalysis relies on simultaneous activation of the substrate(s) where the two metal centers in the catalyst act synergistically/cooperatively. Such synergy leads to the formation of product(s) with higher efficiency and selectivity when compared to their individual counterpart. Therefore, the utilization of such bimetallic catalysis is a challenging and rapidly evolving area in the field of homogeneous catalysis. The field of catalytic aromatic alkylation, both Friedel-Crafts (FC) and non-FC types, is highly important for the synthesis of various chemicals at bench/industrial scale. In view of this, sustained attention is given to improve the rate, efficiency, substrate scope, and product selectivity of this reaction. So far, such improvement mostly relied on non-cooperative type of catalysts. Certainly, one should expect to add a valuable contribution into catalytic aromatic alkylation by invoking the concept of cooperative bimetallic catalysis.
Susmita Podder,Guide: Dr. Sujit Roy, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology,Kharagpur, 2007