MIT Department of Chemistry

Surprise discovery by MIT researchers could lead to improved catalysts for industrial reactions The process of catalysis — in which a material speeds up a chemical reaction — is crucial to the production of many of the chemicals used in our everyday lives. But even though these catalytic processes are widespread, researchers often lack a clear understanding of exactly how they work. A new analysis by researchers at MIT has shown that an important industrial synthesis process, the production of vinyl acetate, requires a catalyst to take two different forms, which cycle back and forth from one to the other as the chemical process unfolds. Previously, it had been thought that only one of the two forms was needed. The new findings are published today in the journal Science, in a paper by MIT graduate students Deiaa Harraz and Kunal Lodaya, @Bryan Tang PhD ’23, and MIT professor of chemistry and chemical engineering Yogesh Surendranath. “What we discovered,” Surendranath explains, “is that you actually have these solid metal materials converting into molecules, and then converting back into materials, in a cyclic dance.” He adds: “This work calls into question this paradigm where there’s either one flavor of catalysis or another. Really, there could be an interplay between both of them in certain cases, and that could be really advantageous for having a process that’s selective and efficient.” The synthesis of vinyl acetate has been a large-scale industrial reaction since the 1960s, and it has been well-researched and refined over the years to improve efficiency. This has happened largely through a trial-and-error approach, without a precise understanding of the underlying mechanisms, the researchers say. To learn more, see the link in the comments below.

We are saddened by the recent loss of Fred Greene, professor emeritus and physical organic chemist. A member of our community for over 40 years, he was a beloved professor and mentor, celebrated for his lasting impact on generations of chemists. “Greene’s dedication to teaching, mentorship, and the field of physical organic chemistry is notable,” said Professor Troy Van Voorhis, head of the Department of Chemistry, upon learning of Greene’s passing. “He was also a constant source of joy to those who interacted with him and his commitment to students and education was legendary. He will be sorely missed.” Greene, a native of Glen Ridge, N.J., was born on July 7, 1927 to parents Phillips Foster Greene and Ruth Altman Greene. He spent his early years in China where his father was a medical missionary with Yale-In-China. Greene and his family moved to the Philippines just ahead of the Japanese invasion prior to World War Il, and then back to the French Concession of Shanghai and to the US in 1940. He joined the Navy in December of 1944 and afterwards earned his Bachelor’s degree from Amherst College in 1949 and a PhD from Harvard University in 1952. Following a year at the University of California, Los Angeles as a research associate, he was appointed a Professor of Chemistry at MIT by then Department Head Arthur C. Cope in 1953 and retired in 1995. Greene was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1965 and received an honorary Doctorate from Amherst College for his research in free radicals. He served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Organic Chemistry of the American Chemical Society from 1962-1988. He was awarded a Special Fellowship form the National Science Foundation and spent a year at Cambridge University, Cambridge, England, and was a member of the Chemical Society of London. To learn more, visit the link in the comments below.

Andrea Marcano-Delgado has been at MIT for three years, and comes to Cambridge from Puerto Rico, where she grew up and completed her undergraduate studies. A graduate student in Professor Catherine Drennan’s lab, Andrea’s research focuses on unraveling the chemical mechanisms employed by methanogenic archaeal enzymes involved in acetoclastic methanogenesis. By structurally characterizing these enzymes using cryogenic electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography, the researchers aim to gain insights into ancient biochemical processes that gave rise to the metabolic pathways of Earth’s earliest life forms. “Growing up on a tropical island, I was constantly surrounded by nature,” said Andrea. “This early exposure fostered a deep respect for the environment and a commitment to protecting it. My decision to pursue a PhD in chemistry was inspired by a passion for understanding life at the molecular level and a commitment to addressing environmental problems through science.” In this month's Graduate Student Spotlight, Andrea Marcano Delgado shares how growing up in Puerto Rico inspired her current PhD studies, what big mystery she'd like to unravel, what invention has greatly improved the world, and more! Read more via the link in the comments below.

Women in Chemistry+ hosted an inaugural "Celebrating Women's Careers in Chemistry" event bringing together students, scientists, and industry representatives from all across New England for an evening rich in sharing science and research. The event, which included a career panel presentation from industry leaders, poster session, and networking, was held on March 6, 2025 and met with much success with over 200 attendees and 76 poster presenters. The goal of the event was to bridge the MIT Chemistry community with the greater Boston Community. WIC+ Co-Presidents Collette Gordon and Kathleen Downey and WIC+ Event Coordinator Ekua Beneman were eager to collaborate with the partner organizations to convene this first event. Collette Gordon commented: “During my first year as Co-President for WIC+, I aspired to bridge the gap between MIT WIC+ and local and national chemistry organizations and graduate institutions. My initial hopes for the CWCC event were to provide graduate students and undergraduates with a platform to explore varying career paths in chemistry, have a space to share their research journey, and form connections in both industry and academia." Read more via the link in the comments below.

By studying enzymes that perform evolutionarily ancient reactions, MIT chemist Daniel Suess is hoping to find solutions to global energy challenges. He’s interested in "global-scale chemical reactions . . . that impact the planet" and determine what the molecular composition of the biosphere will be. Early in the evolution of life, cells gained the ability to perform reactions such as transferring electrons from one atom to another. These reactions, which help cells to build carbon-containing or nitrogen-containing compounds, rely on specialized enzymes with clusters of metal atoms. By learning more about how those enzymes work, Suess hopes to eventually devise new ways to perform fundamental chemical reactions that could help capture carbon from the atmosphere or enable the development of alternative fuels. “We have to find some way of rewiring society so that we are not just relying on vast reserves of reduced carbon, fossil fuels, and burning them using oxygen,” he says. “What we’re doing is we’re looking backward, up to a billion years before oxygen and photosynthesis came along, to see if we can identify the chemical principles that underlie processes that aren’t reliant on burning carbon.” His work could also shed light on other important cellular reactions such as the conversion of nitrogen gas to ammonia, which is also the key step in the production of synthetic fertilizer. To learn more, please visit the link in the comments below.

Sensing speed is critical in the food safety testing field. Professor Tim Swager's lab devised a method to create Janus emulsions--synthetic particles that mimic the surface of living cells--to speed up sensing at a low cost. Support this research and more today during the MIT 24-Hour Challenge! Learn more via the link in the comments below!

Join us for the MIT 24-Hour Challenge today to support research such as quantum dots--tiny particles of semiconductor materials used in biomedical imaging (applications for illuminating tissues to guide doctors in surgery), TV screens, LEDs, and with the potential for quantum computing and photocatalysis--and more! It's the investment of dedicated time and scientific knowledge and expertise that takes a hypothesis from a nascent idea to world-changing impact. Join us to help keep the science going! Learn more via the link in the comments below.

The world is counting on MIT. During the 3.13.25 MIT 24-Hour Challenge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is counting on all of us. Support a world made better by Chemistry research. Did you know that Chemistry faculty Jeremiah Johnson's research group were able to produce a degradable version of what's known as a thermoset--a material that is useful in the manufacture of cars, electrical appliances, and other durable and heat-resistant products? This matters because thermosets can't be easily recycled and don't decompose because of the strength of their chemical bonds. Thanks to this research, these robust plastics can now be made recyclable. Stay tuned to learn more about the work of MIT Chemistry researchers and the impact of their work! Join us to learn more!

“Everything is a learning experience. I’m just going to go for it.” That’s the attitude that drives Kelvin M. Frazier, Ph.D. ’15—and it’s made him a pretty busy man. Currently, Frazier works as an assistant professor of chemistry, a sixth-grade math teacher, an AI consultant, and an R&B recording artist (he’s made the Billboard charts twice). “I am not a naturally gifted person, but I am a hard worker,” Frazier says. Raised in Savannah, Georgia, Frazier studied math and chemistry at Savannah State University. He hadn’t even heard of MIT until he started researching graduate schools and a friend suggested he apply. “I was like, what is MIT? She said, ‘Look it up.’ I Googled MIT and saw the technology there and thought, this is another level. So, I applied.” He earned his PhD in chemistry in the lab of Timothy Swager, the John D. MacArthur Professor of Chemistry. Frazier focused on chemical sensors that detect volatile organic compounds—work with applications in food and water quality, industrial environment, and health. “I like projects that have applications,” he says. After MIT, Frazier did some consulting and worked as an electrochemist to gain experience in the industry before moving into academia. He also decided it was time to pursue his lifelong love of music. “Once I got my PhD, I felt like I was free to dive deep into music. . .” he says. To learn more, visit the link in the comments below.

MIT hosted over 160 top high school students from 21 states at its Breakfast with Scientists--a unique opportunity for the young scientists to connect with leading scientific minds from around the world--during the AJAS/AAAS meetings in Boston. The students met and shared their work with MIT faculty, Nobel laureates, and STEM industry leaders. Professor Catherine Drennan, MIT professor of biology and chemistry and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, delivered a keynote address titled “Exploring the Molecular World.” To learn more, read the link in the comments below.