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technology goes to Canada| qualitas1998.net
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Chemistry: Italian-Israeli technology goes to Canada
SiliCycle licensor of the TEMPOrGel catalyst developed between Jerusalem and Palermo
Canadian chemical company SiliCycle Inc., which produces and commercializes a whole set of functionalized silica gels for primary customers of the pharmaceutical and fine chemicals industry, has licensed a catalytic technology jointly invented by Mario Pagliaro, a research chemist at Italy's Research Council (Cnr) based in Palermo, and David Avnir, a chemistry professor at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The technology (U.S. Patent 6,797,773 B1) refers to silica-based materials known as TEMPOrGel suitable for the catalytic oxidation of alcohols -- oxygen-containing hydrocarbons -- whose oxidation derivatives are precursors to practically any useful product employed by the fine chemicals industry.
Prepared via so called "sol-gel" process and further doped with the organic molecule TEMPO, these hybrid materials are a true "off-the-shelf" oxidation catalysts -- pick up the right material for the desired synthesis -- capable to selectively convert different alcohols either to valuable commercial products known as carbonyls; or to others named carboxylic acids that include powerful drugs such as alpha-hydroxyacids and aminohydroxyacids.
Invented by Professor Avnir 20 years ago these materials are termed "hybrids" since they have at the same time inorganic and organic nature. They opened the route to a new field of chemical research that unifying the realms of organic and materials chemistry has resulted in the development of an impressive multiplicity of applications including synthesis, chemical sensing, optics, electronics and biochemistry.
“This technology -- says Pagliaro -- will provide chemical companies with distinct economic advantages. Along with unique selectivity which is not attainable with TEMPO in solution, our materials are produced from a derivative of the expensive chemical TEMPO called oxo-TEMPO which is easily obtained from the readily available chemical TAA (or triacetonamine)".
“We are convinced - adds SiliCycle's marketing and research manager Francois Béland -- that these materials will meet uniquely advanced customer requirements. We plan to commercialize the materials early in 2006, while this new partnerhsip crucially adds to our technology portfolio taking place with leading research groups in the field of sol-gel materials”.
"We are particularly pleased on this agreement with the world-company leader in the field of functionalized silica -- continues Elena Canetti, vice president of the Yissum technology transfer office of the Hebrew University -- as it is becoming clear that similarmaterials will find numerous new applications in the pharma and chemical industries”.
"Catalysts for the fine chemicals industry are the next frontier of the advanced applications of sol-gel materials -- adds Professor David Avnir --. It is nice that modified silica gels doped with TEMPO will be amongt the first such applications as the technology is a synergistic mix of two extremely versatile chemical technologies -- namely TEMPO-based oxidation catalysis and the sol-gel process for the preparation of reactive glasses".
Dr. Pagliaro, co-invented the technology during his Ph.D. in Israel at the end of the 90's. Along with research chemist Rosaria Ciriminna at Palermo's Insitute of nanostructured materials, they later developed the technology working in close ties with leading international research groups and with industry.
Based in Quebec City, SiliCycle is a market leader in the development, production and marketing of high-quality functionalized silica gels with the ability to quickly modify these gels to meet the specific requirements of a global clientele. Incorporated in 1995 thanks to the venture capital fund for innovation of the Quebec's Government and ever since led by Hugo St-Laurent the company has rapidly become leader in the global market with a production capacity that ranges from small-customized batches to large scale.
Palermo, Jerusalem and Quebec City - December 20, 2005
Further information:
| Dr. Mario Pagliaro - Cnr Tel: +39 328 628 03 99; +39 091 680 93 70 E-mail: mario.pagliaro@ismn.cnr.it Web: www.qualitas1998.net/ismn |
Dr. Francois Béland - SiliCycle Inc. |
Elena Canetti -
Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem VP Marketing - Materials, Engineering & Computer Science Tel: +972 2 6586684 Cell: 052-608433 E-mail: elena@yissum.co.il Web: www.yissum.co.il |
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