Chris Torres

We study molecular phenomena that occur at the solid-liquid interface which affect liquid-phase oxidations over Ti-zeolite catalysts. These processes can be performed with varying pore geometry and hydrophilic environment along with different oxidant and solvent combinations. We make kinetic measurements using classical chemical engineering techniques and combine these experiments with UV-Vis, Raman, and IR spectroscopy, as well as calorimetry experiments to better understand how these design choices affect the selective oxidation of alkenes to epoxides through the stabilization of product transition states.