Thèse Photo-Production Of Eco-Friendly Renewable Flavors Using Myrcene H/F - Doctorat.Gouv.Fr

Établissement : Nantes Université École doctorale : Matière, Molécules, Matériaux et Géosciences Laboratoire de recherche : CHIMIE ET INTERDISCIPLINARITE : SYNTHESE, ANALYSE, MODELISATION Direction de la thèse : Mireia RODRIGUEZ I ZUBIRI ORCID 0000-0001-8229-0774 Date limite de candidature : 2026-06-25T00:00:00
We will develop an innovative strategy to investigate the sustainable and efficient hydroamination
of terpenes as an alternative to petrochemicals, towards the preparation of fragrances. The aim of
this PhD is to develop sustainable heterogeneous (reusable) catalysts based on earth-abundant
transition metal (Zn, Ni, Fe) covalently grafted onto MOFs supports4 containing embedded
plasmonic nanoparticles (Au, Ag).5 The catalytic activity, as well as the leaching and recycling
performance of the resulting assemblies, will be tested in the hydroamination of -myrcene. The
light irradiation of embedded plasmonic nanoparticles will enhance the kinetics of the zinc-catalysed
hydroamination reaction due to plasmon effect.6 Modelling DFT studies7 of the supported catalysts
will be done in collaboration with I. Del Rosal (LPCNO, Toulouse) to: a) disclose the catalytic
mechanisms operating with heterogeneous systems and b) improve their performance from the
rational theoretical feed-back.
In the frame of this project, the recruited candidate will:

- Synthesize, isolate and characterize organic and organometallic compounds, including
water and oxygen sensitive compounds, such as: a) nitrogen, phosphorous and NHC containing
ligands and b) their organometallic complexes with ZnII, NiII, FeIII etc precursors.
- Synthesize MOF frameworks using the selected ligands.
- Coordinate metal precursors to the organic linkers of the MOFs.
- Prepare Au/Ag plasmonic nanoparticles.
- Incorporate plasmonic nanoparticles into the MOF structures.
- Evaluate and optimize the catalytic performance, recycling, leaching and Lyfe Cycle
Assessment of the resulting heterogeneous catalysts in the hydroamination of myrcene.
- Analyse, rationalize, and report the results.

The project is part of an interdisciplinary collaboration between two teams: one in Ceisam
laboratory at Nantes University and one with ISCR at University of Rennes. The recruited person will
be located at the Ceisam laboratory and will spend 12 months at the ISCR laboratory. The research
will be supervised by Mireia Rodriguez-Zubiri (Ceisam, Nantes) and Audrey Denicourt (OMC/ISCR,
Rennes).

• Chimie