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Professor Duncan Wass
Teams and roles for Duncan Wass
Professor
Inorganic Chemistry
Overview
My research interests are in organometallic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis. Catalysis is one of the key tools for low carbon manufacturing and achieving net zero, and I have wide ranging interests in both the fundamental science relevant to this and translating this science into new sustainable processes and applications. Specific areas of interest can be found under the 'Research' tab. I am also Director of the Cardiff Catalysis Institute (CCI), one of Cardiff's University Research Institutes, which brings together reseachers from across the University with an interest in catalysis.
Publication
2026
- Bates, S. et al. 2026. Ruthenium complexes bearing small bite angle PN ligands are effective catalysts for the upgrading of ethanol/methanol to isobutanol via the Guerbet reaction. Dalton Transactions 55 (34), pp.12476-12483. (10.1039/d6dt01350c)
- Kulik, T. V. et al. 2026. Mechanistic insights into sustainable catalytic pyrolysis of biomass‐derived ferulic acid: The role of alumina regeneration. Chemistry - A European Journal e71397. (10.1002/chem.71397)
- Kulik, T. et al. 2026. Catalytic pyrolysis of sinapic acid on nanoceria: surface complexes, valorization of products, experimental, and atomistic approaches. Chemistry-Sustainability-Energy-Materials 19 (1) e202501249. (10.1002/cssc.202501249)
2024
- Thomas, H. N. et al. 2024. First principles investigation of manganese catalyst structure and coordination in the p -xylene oxidation process. Catalysis Science & Technology 14 (19), pp.5634-5643. (10.1039/d4cy00284a)
- Sama, F. J. et al. 2024. Backbone-functionalised ruthenium diphosphine complexes for catalytic upgrading of ethanol and methanol to iso-butanol †. Dalton Transactions 53 (18), pp.8005-8010. (10.1039/d4dt00561a)
2023
- Gupta, P. et al. 2023. P,N-type phosphaalkene-based Ir(i) complexes: synthesis, coordination chemistry, and catalytic applications. Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers 10 (8), pp.2285-2293. (10.1039/D3QI00142C)
- Wingad, R. et al. 2023. Control in advanced biofuels synthesis via alcohol upgrading: catalyst selectivity to n ‐butanol, sec ‐butanol or isobutanol. ChemCatChem e202201410. (10.1002/cctc.202201410)
2022
- Branfoot, C. et al., 2022. Heterometathesis of diphosphanes (R2P–PR2) with dichalcogenides (R′E–ER′, E = O, S, Se, Te). Dalton Transactions 51 (22), pp.8906-8913. (10.1039/D2DT01093C)
2021
- King, A. M. et al. 2021. Rhenium complexes bearing tridentate and bidentate phosphinoamine ligands in the production of biofuel alcohols via the Guerbet reaction. Organometallics 40 (16), pp.2844-2851. (10.1021/acs.organomet.1c00313)
- Branfoot, C. et al., 2021. Radical-initiated P,P-metathesis reactions of diphosphanes: evidence from experimental and computational studies. Dalton Transactions 50 (20), pp.7094-7104. (10.1039/D1DT01013A)
2020
- King, A. M. et al. 2020. Manganese diphosphine and phosphinoamine complexes are effective catalysts for the production of biofuel alcohols via the Guerbet reaction. Organometallics 39 (21), pp.3873-3878. (10.1021/acs.organomet.0c00588)
- Mistry, K. et al., 2020. Transition metal cooperative Lewis pairs using platinum(0) piphosphine Mmonocarbonyl complexes as Lewis bases. Organometallics 39 (3), pp.468-477. (10.1021/acs.organomet.9b00568)
2019
- Hamilton, H. B. et al. 2019. Zirconium−nitrogen intermolecular frustrated Lewis pairs. Inorganic Chemistry 58 (9), pp.6399-6409. (10.1021/acs.inorgchem.9b00569)
- Carden, J. et al. 2019. Unlocking the catalytic potential of tris(3,4,5-trifluorophenyl)borane with microwave irradiation. Chemical Communications 55 (3), pp.318-321. (10.1039/C8CC09459D)
2018
- Baker, A. B. , Wass, D. F. and Trask, R. S. 2018. Thermally induced reversible and reprogrammable actuation of tough hydrogels utilising ionoprinting and iron coordination chemistry. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical 254 , pp.519-525. (10.1016/j.snb.2017.07.095)
2017
- Pellow, K. J. , Wingad, R. L. and Wass, D. F. 2017. Towards the upgrading of fermentation broths to advanced biofuels: a water tolerant catalyst for the conversion of ethanol to isobutanol. Catalysis Science & Technology 7 (21), pp.5128-5134. (10.1039/C7CY01553D)
- Everett, M. and Wass, D. F. 2017. Highly productive CO2 hydrogenation to methanol – a tandem catalytic approach via amide intermediates. Chemical Communications 53 (68), pp.9502-9504. (10.1039/C7CC04613H)
- Hamilton, H. and Wass, D. F. 2017. How important are radical mechanisms in frustrated Lewis Pair chemistry?. Chem 3 (2), pp.198-199. (10.1016/j.chempr.2017.07.003)
2016
- Aitchison, H. , Wingad, R. L. and Wass, D. F. 2016. Homogeneous ethanol to butanol catalysis Guerbet renewed. ACS Catalysis 6 (10), pp.7125-7132. (10.1021/acscatal.6b01883)
- Metters, O. J. et al., 2016. Catalytic dehydrocoupling of amine-boranes using cationic zirconium(IV)-phosphine frustrated Lewis pairs. ACS Catalysis 6 (10), pp.6601-6611. (10.1021/acscatal.6b02211)
- Baker, A. B. , Wass, D. F. and Trask, R. S. 2016. 4D sequential actuation: combining ionoprinting and redox chemistry in hydrogels. Smart Materials and Structures 25 (10) 10LT02. (10.1088/0964-1726/25/10/10LT02)
- Bolimowski, P. A. , Wass, D. and Bond, I. P. 2016. Assessment of microcapsule-catalyst particles healing system in high performance fibre reinforced polymer composite. Smart Materials and Structures 25 (8) 084009. (10.1088/0964-1726/25/8/084009)
- Wingad, R. L. et al. 2016. Catalytic conversion of methanol/ethanol to isobutanol – a highly selective route to an advanced biofuel. Chemical Communications 52 (29), pp.5202-5204. (10.1039/C6CC01599A)
- Flynn, S. R. et al., 2016. Zirconium-catalyzed imine hydrogenation via a frustrated Lewis pair mechanism. Organometallics 35 (6), pp.847-850. (10.1021/acs.organomet.6b00027)
- Bolimowski, P. A. , Bond, I. P. and Wass, D. 2016. Robust synthesis of epoxy resin-filled microcapsules for application to self-healing materials. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 374 (2061) 20150083. (10.1098/rsta.2015.0083)
- Metters, O. J. et al., 2016. Small molecule activation by intermolecular Zr(IV)-phosphine frustrated Lewis pairs. Journal of the American Chemical Society 138 (6), pp.1994-2003. (10.1021/jacs.5b12536)
- Chapman, A. M. , Flynn, S. R. and Wass, D. F. 2016. Unexpected formation of early late heterobimetallic complexes from transition metal frustrated Lewis pairs. Inorganic Chemistry 55 (3), pp.1017-1021. (10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5b01424)
2015
- Wingad, R. L. et al. 2015. Catalytic conversion of ethanol to n-butanol using ruthenium P–N ligand complexes. ACS Catalysis 5 (10), pp.5822-5826. (10.1021/acscatal.5b01327)
- Everitt, D. T. et al., 2015. Optimisation of epoxy blends for use in extrinsic self-healing fibre-reinforced composites. Polymer 69 , pp.283-292. (10.1016/j.polymer.2015.02.047)
- Everitt, D. T. et al., 2015. Application of a silver-olefin coordination polymer as a catalytic curing agent for self-healing epoxy polymers. Smart Materials and Structures 24 (5) 055004. (10.1088/0964-1726/24/5/055004)
- Mansell, S. M. , Russell, C. A. and Wass, D. 2015. Synthesis of chelating diamido Sn(iv) compounds from oxidation of Sn(ii) and directly from Sn(iv) precursors. Dalton Transactions 44 (21), pp.9756-9765. (10.1039/C5DT01022E)
- Forrest, S. J. K. et al., 2015. Cooperative Lewis pairs based on late transition metals: activation of small molecules by platinum(0) and B(C6F5)3. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 54 (7), pp.2223-2227. (10.1002/anie.201409872)
- Bianchini, G. et al., 2015. Photomodulable phosphines incorporating diarylethene moieties. RSC Advances 5 (14), pp.10795-10798. (10.1039/C4RA16127K)
2014
- Forrest, S. J. K. et al., 2014. Reversible CO exchange at platinum(0). An example of similar complex properties produced by ligands with very different stereoelectronic characteristics. Dalton Transactions 43 , pp.16335-16344. (10.1039/C4DT02303J)
- Coope, T. S. et al., 2014. Repeated self-healing of microvascular carbon fibre reinforced polymer composites. Smart Materials and Structures 23 (11) 115002. (10.1088/0964-1726/23/11/115002)
- Metters, O. J. et al., 2014. Generation of aminoborane monomers RR′N[double bond, length as m-dash]BH2 from amine–boronium cations [RR′NH–BH2L]+: metal catalyst-free formation of polyaminoboranes at ambient temperature. Chemical Communications 50 (81), pp.12146-12149. (10.1039/C4CC05145A)
- Kent, M. A. et al., 2014. Cobalt PCP pincer complexes via an unexpected sequence of ortho metalations. Organometallics 33 (20), pp.5686-5692. (10.1021/om500079j)
- Coope, T. S. et al., 2014. Metal triflates as catalytic curing agents in self-healing fibre reinforced polymer composite materials. Macromolecular Materials and Engineering 299 (2), pp.208-218. (10.1002/mame.201300026)
2013
- Stennett, T. E. et al., 2013. N,N‐diphospholylamines—A new family of ligands for highly active, chromium‐based, selective ethene oligomerisation catalysts. ChemCatChem 5 (10), pp.2946-2954. (10.1002/cctc.201300306)
- Dowson, G. R. M. et al., 2013. Catalytic conversion of ethanol into an advanced biofuel: Unprecedented selectivity for n-butanol. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 52 (34), pp.9005-9008. (10.1002/anie.201303723)
2011
- Chotima, R. et al., 2011. Cyclopropenylidene carbene ligands in palladium catalysed coupling reactions: Carbene ligand rotation and application to the Stille reaction. Dalton Transactions 40 (19), pp.5316-5323. (10.1039/c1dt10109a)
2009
- Green, M. et al., 2009. Rhodium complexes of cyclopropenylidene carbene ligands: Synthesis, structure, and hydroformylation catalysis. Organometallics 28 (5), pp.1476-1479. (10.1021/om801031a)
2008
- Daly, S. et al., 2008. Copper(I) diphosphine catalysts for C−N bond formation: Synthesis, structure, and ligand effects. Organometallics 27 (13), pp.3196-3202. (10.1021/om800139v)
2007
- Wass, D. F. et al. 2007. Cyclopropenylidene carbene ligands in Palladium C-C coupling catalysis. ChemInform 38 (47) 42. (10.1002/chin.200747042)
- Wass, D. F. et al. 2007. Cyclopropenylidene carbene ligands in palladium C−N coupling catalysis. Organometallics 26 (19), pp.4702-4703. (10.1021/om700695x)
- Wass, D. F. et al. 2007. Cyclopropenylidenecarbeneligands in palladium C–C coupling catalysis. Chemical Communications (26), pp.2704-2706. (10.1039/B702827J)
Articles
- Bates, S. et al. 2026. Ruthenium complexes bearing small bite angle PN ligands are effective catalysts for the upgrading of ethanol/methanol to isobutanol via the Guerbet reaction. Dalton Transactions 55 (34), pp.12476-12483. (10.1039/d6dt01350c)
- Kulik, T. V. et al. 2026. Mechanistic insights into sustainable catalytic pyrolysis of biomass‐derived ferulic acid: The role of alumina regeneration. Chemistry - A European Journal e71397. (10.1002/chem.71397)
- Kulik, T. et al. 2026. Catalytic pyrolysis of sinapic acid on nanoceria: surface complexes, valorization of products, experimental, and atomistic approaches. Chemistry-Sustainability-Energy-Materials 19 (1) e202501249. (10.1002/cssc.202501249)
- Thomas, H. N. et al. 2024. First principles investigation of manganese catalyst structure and coordination in the p -xylene oxidation process. Catalysis Science & Technology 14 (19), pp.5634-5643. (10.1039/d4cy00284a)
- Sama, F. J. et al. 2024. Backbone-functionalised ruthenium diphosphine complexes for catalytic upgrading of ethanol and methanol to iso-butanol †. Dalton Transactions 53 (18), pp.8005-8010. (10.1039/d4dt00561a)
- Gupta, P. et al. 2023. P,N-type phosphaalkene-based Ir(i) complexes: synthesis, coordination chemistry, and catalytic applications. Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers 10 (8), pp.2285-2293. (10.1039/D3QI00142C)
- Wingad, R. et al. 2023. Control in advanced biofuels synthesis via alcohol upgrading: catalyst selectivity to n ‐butanol, sec ‐butanol or isobutanol. ChemCatChem e202201410. (10.1002/cctc.202201410)
- Branfoot, C. et al., 2022. Heterometathesis of diphosphanes (R2P–PR2) with dichalcogenides (R′E–ER′, E = O, S, Se, Te). Dalton Transactions 51 (22), pp.8906-8913. (10.1039/D2DT01093C)
- King, A. M. et al. 2021. Rhenium complexes bearing tridentate and bidentate phosphinoamine ligands in the production of biofuel alcohols via the Guerbet reaction. Organometallics 40 (16), pp.2844-2851. (10.1021/acs.organomet.1c00313)
- Branfoot, C. et al., 2021. Radical-initiated P,P-metathesis reactions of diphosphanes: evidence from experimental and computational studies. Dalton Transactions 50 (20), pp.7094-7104. (10.1039/D1DT01013A)
- King, A. M. et al. 2020. Manganese diphosphine and phosphinoamine complexes are effective catalysts for the production of biofuel alcohols via the Guerbet reaction. Organometallics 39 (21), pp.3873-3878. (10.1021/acs.organomet.0c00588)
- Mistry, K. et al., 2020. Transition metal cooperative Lewis pairs using platinum(0) piphosphine Mmonocarbonyl complexes as Lewis bases. Organometallics 39 (3), pp.468-477. (10.1021/acs.organomet.9b00568)
- Hamilton, H. B. et al. 2019. Zirconium−nitrogen intermolecular frustrated Lewis pairs. Inorganic Chemistry 58 (9), pp.6399-6409. (10.1021/acs.inorgchem.9b00569)
- Carden, J. et al. 2019. Unlocking the catalytic potential of tris(3,4,5-trifluorophenyl)borane with microwave irradiation. Chemical Communications 55 (3), pp.318-321. (10.1039/C8CC09459D)
- Baker, A. B. , Wass, D. F. and Trask, R. S. 2018. Thermally induced reversible and reprogrammable actuation of tough hydrogels utilising ionoprinting and iron coordination chemistry. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical 254 , pp.519-525. (10.1016/j.snb.2017.07.095)
- Pellow, K. J. , Wingad, R. L. and Wass, D. F. 2017. Towards the upgrading of fermentation broths to advanced biofuels: a water tolerant catalyst for the conversion of ethanol to isobutanol. Catalysis Science & Technology 7 (21), pp.5128-5134. (10.1039/C7CY01553D)
- Everett, M. and Wass, D. F. 2017. Highly productive CO2 hydrogenation to methanol – a tandem catalytic approach via amide intermediates. Chemical Communications 53 (68), pp.9502-9504. (10.1039/C7CC04613H)
- Hamilton, H. and Wass, D. F. 2017. How important are radical mechanisms in frustrated Lewis Pair chemistry?. Chem 3 (2), pp.198-199. (10.1016/j.chempr.2017.07.003)
- Aitchison, H. , Wingad, R. L. and Wass, D. F. 2016. Homogeneous ethanol to butanol catalysis Guerbet renewed. ACS Catalysis 6 (10), pp.7125-7132. (10.1021/acscatal.6b01883)
- Metters, O. J. et al., 2016. Catalytic dehydrocoupling of amine-boranes using cationic zirconium(IV)-phosphine frustrated Lewis pairs. ACS Catalysis 6 (10), pp.6601-6611. (10.1021/acscatal.6b02211)
- Baker, A. B. , Wass, D. F. and Trask, R. S. 2016. 4D sequential actuation: combining ionoprinting and redox chemistry in hydrogels. Smart Materials and Structures 25 (10) 10LT02. (10.1088/0964-1726/25/10/10LT02)
- Bolimowski, P. A. , Wass, D. and Bond, I. P. 2016. Assessment of microcapsule-catalyst particles healing system in high performance fibre reinforced polymer composite. Smart Materials and Structures 25 (8) 084009. (10.1088/0964-1726/25/8/084009)
- Wingad, R. L. et al. 2016. Catalytic conversion of methanol/ethanol to isobutanol – a highly selective route to an advanced biofuel. Chemical Communications 52 (29), pp.5202-5204. (10.1039/C6CC01599A)
- Flynn, S. R. et al., 2016. Zirconium-catalyzed imine hydrogenation via a frustrated Lewis pair mechanism. Organometallics 35 (6), pp.847-850. (10.1021/acs.organomet.6b00027)
- Bolimowski, P. A. , Bond, I. P. and Wass, D. 2016. Robust synthesis of epoxy resin-filled microcapsules for application to self-healing materials. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 374 (2061) 20150083. (10.1098/rsta.2015.0083)
- Metters, O. J. et al., 2016. Small molecule activation by intermolecular Zr(IV)-phosphine frustrated Lewis pairs. Journal of the American Chemical Society 138 (6), pp.1994-2003. (10.1021/jacs.5b12536)
- Chapman, A. M. , Flynn, S. R. and Wass, D. F. 2016. Unexpected formation of early late heterobimetallic complexes from transition metal frustrated Lewis pairs. Inorganic Chemistry 55 (3), pp.1017-1021. (10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5b01424)
- Wingad, R. L. et al. 2015. Catalytic conversion of ethanol to n-butanol using ruthenium P–N ligand complexes. ACS Catalysis 5 (10), pp.5822-5826. (10.1021/acscatal.5b01327)
- Everitt, D. T. et al., 2015. Optimisation of epoxy blends for use in extrinsic self-healing fibre-reinforced composites. Polymer 69 , pp.283-292. (10.1016/j.polymer.2015.02.047)
- Everitt, D. T. et al., 2015. Application of a silver-olefin coordination polymer as a catalytic curing agent for self-healing epoxy polymers. Smart Materials and Structures 24 (5) 055004. (10.1088/0964-1726/24/5/055004)
- Mansell, S. M. , Russell, C. A. and Wass, D. 2015. Synthesis of chelating diamido Sn(iv) compounds from oxidation of Sn(ii) and directly from Sn(iv) precursors. Dalton Transactions 44 (21), pp.9756-9765. (10.1039/C5DT01022E)
- Forrest, S. J. K. et al., 2015. Cooperative Lewis pairs based on late transition metals: activation of small molecules by platinum(0) and B(C6F5)3. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 54 (7), pp.2223-2227. (10.1002/anie.201409872)
- Bianchini, G. et al., 2015. Photomodulable phosphines incorporating diarylethene moieties. RSC Advances 5 (14), pp.10795-10798. (10.1039/C4RA16127K)
- Forrest, S. J. K. et al., 2014. Reversible CO exchange at platinum(0). An example of similar complex properties produced by ligands with very different stereoelectronic characteristics. Dalton Transactions 43 , pp.16335-16344. (10.1039/C4DT02303J)
- Coope, T. S. et al., 2014. Repeated self-healing of microvascular carbon fibre reinforced polymer composites. Smart Materials and Structures 23 (11) 115002. (10.1088/0964-1726/23/11/115002)
- Metters, O. J. et al., 2014. Generation of aminoborane monomers RR′N[double bond, length as m-dash]BH2 from amine–boronium cations [RR′NH–BH2L]+: metal catalyst-free formation of polyaminoboranes at ambient temperature. Chemical Communications 50 (81), pp.12146-12149. (10.1039/C4CC05145A)
- Kent, M. A. et al., 2014. Cobalt PCP pincer complexes via an unexpected sequence of ortho metalations. Organometallics 33 (20), pp.5686-5692. (10.1021/om500079j)
- Coope, T. S. et al., 2014. Metal triflates as catalytic curing agents in self-healing fibre reinforced polymer composite materials. Macromolecular Materials and Engineering 299 (2), pp.208-218. (10.1002/mame.201300026)
- Stennett, T. E. et al., 2013. N,N‐diphospholylamines—A new family of ligands for highly active, chromium‐based, selective ethene oligomerisation catalysts. ChemCatChem 5 (10), pp.2946-2954. (10.1002/cctc.201300306)
- Dowson, G. R. M. et al., 2013. Catalytic conversion of ethanol into an advanced biofuel: Unprecedented selectivity for n-butanol. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 52 (34), pp.9005-9008. (10.1002/anie.201303723)
- Chotima, R. et al., 2011. Cyclopropenylidene carbene ligands in palladium catalysed coupling reactions: Carbene ligand rotation and application to the Stille reaction. Dalton Transactions 40 (19), pp.5316-5323. (10.1039/c1dt10109a)
- Green, M. et al., 2009. Rhodium complexes of cyclopropenylidene carbene ligands: Synthesis, structure, and hydroformylation catalysis. Organometallics 28 (5), pp.1476-1479. (10.1021/om801031a)
- Daly, S. et al., 2008. Copper(I) diphosphine catalysts for C−N bond formation: Synthesis, structure, and ligand effects. Organometallics 27 (13), pp.3196-3202. (10.1021/om800139v)
- Wass, D. F. et al. 2007. Cyclopropenylidene carbene ligands in Palladium C-C coupling catalysis. ChemInform 38 (47) 42. (10.1002/chin.200747042)
- Wass, D. F. et al. 2007. Cyclopropenylidene carbene ligands in palladium C−N coupling catalysis. Organometallics 26 (19), pp.4702-4703. (10.1021/om700695x)
- Wass, D. F. et al. 2007. Cyclopropenylidenecarbeneligands in palladium C–C coupling catalysis. Chemical Communications (26), pp.2704-2706. (10.1039/B702827J)
Research
Specific recent and current areas of interest are:
- Selective catalytic upgrading of small bio-alcohols into advanced biofuels
- Transition metal 'frustrated' Lewis pairs and cooperative catalysts
- Catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide into useful products
- Selective oligomerisation of olefins
- Using catalysis to make self-healing materials
- Catalytic conversion of waste (including plastics) into products
- Small bite angle phosphine ligands in catalysis
Teaching
CH3316: Homogeneous Catalysis
Biography
Duncan completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Durham (1992-1995). He then studied for his PhD (1995-1998) under the supervision of Professor Vernon Gibson CB FRS at Imperial College, London in the area of late transition metal olefin polymerisation catalysis. In 1999, he joined BP Chemicals Ltd, working in their Sunbury-on-Thames laboratories on various olefin polymerisation and oligomerisation projects. After secondment to a commercial sales and marketing team, he moved to BP's research site in Brussels, Belgium. Duncan moved back into an academic environment in 2004, joining the School of Chemistry at the University of Bristol and was promoted to Professor of Catalysis in 2012. He moved to Cardiff University in 2018 where he is currently Professor of Catalysis and Director of the Cardiff Catalysis Institute.
