DEVELOP NEXT-GENERATION SINGLE-ATOM CATALYSTS FOR SUSTAINABLE CARBONYLATION CHEMISTRY

CHEMISTRY & GREEN CHEMISTRY

Lab: LCC

Duration: NanoX master Internship (8 months part-time in-lab immersion)

Latest starting date: 08/10/2026

Localisation: Laboratoire de chimie de coordination du CNRS
205 Rte de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse

Supervisors:
Rosa AXET rosa.axet@lcc-toulouse.fr

Work package:
This project focuses on the development of innovative single-atom catalysts based on Rh, Ru, and Co for the hydroformylation of alkenes and amines using CO₂ as a sustainable carbonyl source. The project combines catalyst design and synthesis, advanced nanomaterial characterization, and catalytic evaluation to address key challenges in green chemistry and sustainable chemical synthesis. The project is part of an international collaboration between Prof. Kyoko Nozaki and Dr. Xiongjie Jin (The University of Tokyo, Japan) and Dr. Rosa Axet (Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination, CNRS, Toulouse, France), offering a unique opportunity to work at the interface of homogeneous catalysis, nanoscience, and sustainable chemistry. The successful candidate will join a dynamic and international research environment, working closely with a PhD student while benefiting from close supervision and interactions with researchers from both collaborating laboratories. The project will contribute to the development of next-generation catalytic systems for a more sustainable chemical industry. The Laboratoire de chimie de coordination offers access to a comprehensive state-of-the-art research platform dedicated to catalysis and nanoscience. The student will receive hands-on training in catalyst synthesis, air-sensitive techniques (Schlenk line and glovebox), advanced characterization techniques (TEM, STEM, XPS, XAS, XRD, ICP, NMR, IR, GC and GC-MS), and catalytic testing. This multidisciplinary environment provides an excellent opportunity to develop a broad experimental skill set in modern catalysis and nanomaterials. The LCC is one of Europe's leading CNRS laboratories in coordination chemistry. Its research focuses on the design and characterization of original molecular and nanostructured systems at the interface of coordination chemistry, catalysis, materials science, and biology.

References:
(1) Jurado, L.; Posada-Perez, S.; Axet, M. R. Carbonylation reactions using single-atom catalysts. ChemCatChem 2024, 16, e202400543. DOI: 10.1002/cctc.202400543. (2) Jurado, L.; Esvan, J.; Luque-Alvarez, L. A.; Bobadilla, L. F.; Odriozola, J. A.; Posada-Perez, S.; Poater, A.; Comas-Vives, A.; Axet, M. R. Highly dispersed Rh single atoms over graphitic carbon nitride as a robust catalyst for the hydroformylation reaction. Catal. Sci. Technol. 2023, 13 (5), 1425-1436. DOI: 10.1039/d2cy02094g. (3) Ishikawa, H.; Jurado, L.; Coppel, Y.; Luque-Álvarez, L. A.; Bobadilla, L. F.; Simon, P.; Axet, M. R. Enhancing the robustness of rhodium single-atom catalysts for styrene hydroformylation through carbon nitride doping. ChemRxiv 2026 (0706). DOI: 10.26434/chemrxiv.15005683/v1. (4) M. Rosa Axet ORCID 0000-0002-2483-1533 IdHAL m-rosa-axet. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=inWFs2wAAAAJ&hl=fr; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2483-1533; https://cv.hal.science/m-rosa-axet. (5) Laboratoire de chimie de coordination, CNRS, Toulouse. https://www.lcc-toulouse.fr/. (6) The Nozaki group Graduate school of engineering, The University of Tokyo. https://park.itc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/nozakilab/indexE.html.

Areas of expertise:
Nanomaterials; sustainable chemistry; carbonylation; single-atom catalysts; heterogeneous catalysis Catalysis; nanoscience

Required skills for the internship:
Master's student (m1 completed or equivalent) in chemistry, materials science, or nanoscience with a strong background in inorganic, organometallic, physical, or materials chemistry and interest in catalysis, nanomaterials, and sustainable chemistry. Good experimental skills and ability to work carefully in the laboratory. Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in an international research environment. Good communication skills.