Sunney Chan

Prof. Sunney Chan

California Institute of Technology, Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Pasadena, CA, USA

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

25Years (2002-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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16 February 2017 in Chemical Reviews
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Journal Article
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VWVincent C.-C. Wang
Vincent C.-C. Wang
SMSuman Maji
Suman Maji
PCPeter P.-Y. Chen
Peter P.-Y. Chen
HLHung Kay Lee
Hung Kay Lee
SYSteve S.-F. Yu
Steve S.-F. Yu
Sunney ChanSunney Chan
Sunney Chan

8 July 2008 in Accounts of Chemical Research
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
Sunney ChanSunney Chan
Sunney Chan
SYSteve S.-F. Yu
Steve S.-F. Yu

18 February 2013 in Angewandte Chemie International Edition
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Journal Article
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Sunney ChanSunney Chan
Sunney Chan
YLYu‐Jhang Lu
Yu‐Jhang Lu
PNPenumaka Nagababu
Penumaka Nagababu
SMSuman Maji
Suman Maji
MHMu‐Cheng Hung
Mu‐Cheng Hung
MCMichael K. Chan
Michael K. Chan

26 January 2016 in Energy & Environmental Science
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Journal Article
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CLChih-Cheng Liu
Chih-Cheng Liu
CMChung-Yuan Mou
Chung-Yuan Mou
SYSteve Sheng-Fa Yu
Steve Sheng-Fa Yu
Sunney ChanSunney Chan
Sunney Chan
The development of a heterogeneous catalyst capable for efficient selective conversion of methane into methanol with multiple turnovers under ambient conditions is reported here. The catalyst is assembled by immobilizing into mesoporous silica nanoparticles the tricopper complex [CuICuICuI(7-N-Etppz)]1+, where 7-N-Etppz stands for the organic ligand 3,3′-(1,4-diazepane-1,4-diyl)bis[1-(4-ethylpiperazine-1-yl)propan-2-ol]. This tricopper cluster complex has been previously shown to mediate efficient methane oxidation without over-oxidation in homogeneous solution when the catalytic turnover is driven by hydrogen peroxide in acetonitrile. The turnover mechanism of the catalyst is similar between the two formulations. However, the heterogeneous formulation exhibits dramatically higher catalytic efficiencies and turnover numbers, with commensurate improvements in chemical yields, offering the most proficient catalyst for the selective conversion of methane into methanol at room temperature developed to date. To explain the efficient methane oxidation, the over-solubility of nonpolar gases, such as methane, in liquids confined in nanoporous solids is evoked. The much higher solubility of methane within the pores of the mesoporous silica nanoparticles, as compared to the bulk solubility, led to very efficient turnover of the concentrated confined methane. This success underscores the advantages of using nanoparticles to support chemical catalysts for this difficult chemical transformation under these conditions.

25 June 2021 in Journal of the American Chemical Society
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Journal Article
Closed access
WCW.-H. Chang
W.-H. Chang
HLH.-H. Lin
H.-H. Lin
ITI-K. Tsai
I-K. Tsai
SHS.-H. Huang
S.-H. Huang
SCS.-C. Chung
S.-C. Chung
Sunney ChanSunney Chan
Sunney Chan

28 February 2018 in Angewandte Chemie International Edition
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Journal Article
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NTNatarajan Thiyagarajan
Natarajan Thiyagarajan
DJDamodar Janmanchi
Damodar Janmanchi
YTYi‐Fang Tsai
Yi‐Fang Tsai
WWWondemagegn Hailemichael Wanna
Wondemagegn Hailemichael Wanna
RRRavirala Ramu
Ravirala Ramu
SYSteve Sheng-Fa Yu
Steve Sheng-Fa Yu