Marcel Schlaf

Prof Schlaf
Email: 
mschlaf@uoguelph.ca
Phone number: 
519-824-4120 ext. 53002/53753
Office: 
MACN 339
Lab: 
MACN 240/342/347/SSC 5106
Website links: 
Prof Marcel Schlaf website

Education and Employment

  • 1992 Diplom-Chemiker, Universität Würzburg, Bavaria, Germany
  • 1996 Ph. D. in Inorganic Chemistry, University of Toronto, Canada
  • 1997 NSERC post-doctoral fellow, University of Ottawa, Canada
  • 1998 NSERC post-doctoral fellow, Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA
  • 1999 Assistant Professor, University of Guelph, Canada
  • 2004 Associate Professor, University of Guelph, Canada
  • 2011 Professor of Chemistry, University of Guelph, Canada

Instrumentation

  • High-pressure Hydrogenation Laboratory
  • Organometallic/Inorganic/Organic Synthesis Laboratory (vacuum lines & glove-box)
  • GC, HPLC-RI, EA, Karl-Fischer

Research Themes

  • Transition Metal Catalyzed Transformations of (Poly)Alcohols, Sugars and Sugar Alcohols
  • Organometallic Chemistry: Design and Development of New Ionic Hydrogenation and Hydrogenolysis Catalysts
  • Biomass Conversion through Selective Deoxygenation
  • Remediation and uses of Red Mud (bauxite residue)
  • Coordination Chemistry
  • Fundamental and Policy Issues with Respect to Sustainable Systems

53) Elise M.-J. Banz Chung, Maryanne K. Stones, Elnaz Latifi, Cameron Moore, Andrew D. Sutton, Gary Umphrey, Dmitriy V. Soldatov,1 and Marcel Schlaf.
Ruthenium triphos complexes [Ru(X(CH2PPh2)3-κ3-P)(NCCH3)](OTf)2; X = H3C-C , N) as catalysts for the conversion of furfuryl acetate to 1,4-pentanediol and cyclopentanol in aqueous medium.
Can. J. Chem., 2021, 99 (2), 113-126.

52) Maryanne K. Stones, Elise M.-J. Banz Chung, Igor Tadeu da Cunha, Ryan J. Sullivan,Parnian Soltanipanah, Megan Magee, Gary J. Umphrey, Cameron M. Moore, Andrew D. Sutton and Marcel Schlaf
Conversion of Furfural Derivatives to 1,4-Pentanediol and Cyclopentanol in Aqueous Medium Catalyzed by trans-[(2,9-Dipyridyl-1,10-phenanthroline)(CH3CN)2Ru](OTf)2
ACS Catalysis, 2020, 10, 2667-2683.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.9b05055

51) Maryanne K.Stones, Ryan J.Sullivan, Dmitriy V. Soldatov and Marcel Schlaf
Synthesis and characterization of novel tetradentate ruthenium complexes of a pyridine-o-phenylenediamine based chelate ligand.
Inorganica Chimica Acta Volume 502, 1 March 2020
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ica.2019.119391

50) Beverly McClenaghan, Marcel Schlaf, Megan Geddes, Joshua Mazza, Grace Pitman, Kaileigh McCallum, Samuel Rawluk, Karen Hand, Gard W. Otis
Behavioral responses of honeybees, Apis cerana and Apis mellifera, to Vespa mandarinia marking and alarm pheromones Journal of Apicultural Research
Journal of Apicultural Research, 2019, 58, 141-148.

49) Marcel Schlaf
Looking for acidity - or - the case of the missing chlorine: an option for a global closed loop alkalinity-acidity cycle for bauxite residue neutralization.
Refereed Conference Paper for the "2nd Bauxite Residue Valorisation and Best Practices", Athens, Greece, 7-10/05/2018.

and

Searching for acidity - or - the case of the missing chlorine: An option for a global closed loop alkalinity-acidity cycle for bauxite residue neutralization based on HCl from PVC recycling.
Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy, 2019, 5, 1-8.

48) Elnaz Latifi, Austin D. Marchese, Margaret C.W. Hulls, Dmitriy V. Soldatov and Marcel Schlaf
[Ru(triphos)(CH3CN)3](OTf)2 as a homogeneous catalyst for the hydrogenation of biomass derived 2,5-hexanedione and 2,5-dimethyl-furan in aqueous acidic medium.
Green Chem. 2017, 19, 4666-4679.
DOI: 10.1039/C7GC01956D

47) By invitation:
Ryan Sullivan, Jin Kim, Caroline Hoyt, Louis A. (Pete) Silks III and Marcel Schlaf
"Ruthenium-8-Quinolinethiolate-Phenylterpyridine vs Ruthenium-Bipyridine-Phenyl-terpyridine Complexes as Homogeneous Water and High Temperature Stable Hydrogenation Catalysts for Biomass-Derived Substrates"
Polyhedron, 2015, 108, 104-114. Special Issue: "Inorganic Chemistry in Canada"
DOI: 10.1016/j.poly.2015.10.049

46) By invitation:
Thomas A. Minard, Christopher T. Oswin, Fraser D.C. Waldie, Jennifer K. Howell, Benjamin M.T. Scott, Domenico Di Mondo, Ryan J. Sullivan, Benjamin Stein, Michael Jennings and Marcel Schlaf
"In situ generation of water-stable and -soluble ruthenium complexes of pyridine-based chelate-ligands and their use for the hydrodeoxygenation of biomass-related substrates in aqueous acidic medium." J. Mol. Catal. A: Chem. 2016, 422, 175-187.-Special Issue/Collection in honour of Prof. Ulf Schuchardt’s 70th birthday: “Catalysis for Biorefining”

45) Marcel Schlaf, Elham Karimi, Véronique Joillet and Christopher F.G. Gissane
"Synergistic Co-Processing of Red Mud with Pyrolysis Bio-Oil: From Neutralization to Catalysis."
Refereed Conference Paper for "Bauxite Residue Valorisation and Best Practices", KU Leuven, Belgium, 5-7/10/2015. Proceedings published in book form: ISBN 9789460189784.

44) Ryan Sullivan, Enaz Latifi, Benjamin K.-M. Chung, Dmitriy Soldatov, Marcel Schlaf
"Hydrodeoxygenation of 2,5-hexanedione and 2,5-dimethylfuran by water-, air- and acid-stable homogeneous ruthenium and iridium catalysts." ACS Catalysis, 2014, 4116-4128.
DOI: 10.1021/cs501202t.

43) Eliane Cristina de Resende, Iara do Rosário Guimarães Carvalho, Marcel Schlaf and Mário César Guerreiro, "Red Mud Water from the Bayer Process as a Catalyst for the Desulfurizaiton of Hydrocarbon Fuels. RSC Adv. , 2014, 4, 47287-47296.
DOI: 10.1039/C4RA07635D

42) Véronique Jollet, Christopher Gissane and Marcel Schlaf "Optimization of the neutralization of Red Mud by pyrolysis bio-oil using a design of experiments approach." Energy Environ. Sci., 2014, 7, 1125-1133.
DOI: 10.1039/c3ee43585g.

41) Domenico DiMondo , Michelle E. Thibault , James Britten , and Marcel Schlaf “Comparison of the Catalytic Activity of [(eta5-C5H5)Ru(2,2'-bipyridine)(L)]OTf versus [(eta5-C5H5)Ru(6,6'-diamino-2,2'-bipyridine)(L)]OTf (L = labile ligand) in the Hydrogenation of Cyclohexanone. Evidence for the Presence of a Metal–Ligand Bifunctional Mechanism under Acidic Conditions.” Organometallics, 2013, 32 (21), pp 6541–6554.
DOI: 10.1021/om400871v

40) Andrew D. Sutton, Fraser D. Waldie, Ruilian Wu, Marcel Schlaf, Louis A. “Pete” Silks III, John C. Gordon. "The Hydrodeoxygenation of Bioderived Furans into Alkanes." Nature Chemistry, 2013, 5, 428-432.
DOI: 10.1038/nchem.1609

39) Elham Karimi, Ivo Freitas Teixeira, Ariel Gomez, Eliane de Resende, Christopher Gissane, Jay Leitch, Véronique Jollet, Isabella Aigner, Franco Berruti, Cedric Briens, Peter Fransham, Brent Hoff, Nick Schrier, Rochel M. Lago, Stefan W. Kycia, Richard Heck, and Marcel Schlaf. "Synergistic co-processing of an acidic hardwood derived pyrolysis bio-oil with alkaline Red Mud bauxite mining waste as a sacrificial upgrading catalyst. " Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2014, 145, 187.
DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2013.02.007

38) Eliane Cristina De Resende, Christopher Gissane, Rob Nicol, Richard J. Heck, Mário César Guerreiro, Jakelyne Viana Coelho, Luiz Carlos Alves de Oliveira, Pietro Palmisano, Franco Berruti, Cedric Briens, Marcel Schlaf. "Synergistic Co-Processing of Red Mud Waste from the Bayer Process and a Crude Untreated Waste Stream from Bio-Diesel Production." Green Chem., 2013,15, 496-510.
DOI: 10.1039/C2GC36714A,

37) Alberto Acosta-Ramirez, Marcello Bertoli, Dmitry G. Gusev and Marcel Schlaf "Homogeneous catalytic hydrogenation of long-chain esters by an osmium pincer complex and its potential application in the direct conversion of triglycerides into fatty alcohols." Green Chem., 2012, 14, 1178.
DOI: 10.1039/C2GC15960K

36) By inivitation:
Elham Karimi, Ivo Freitas Teixeira, Leandro Passos Ribeiro, Ariel Gomez, Rochel M. Lago, Glenn Penner, Stefan W. Kycia and Marcel Schlaf* "Ketonization and Deoxygenation of Alkanoic Acids and Conversion of Levulinic Acid to Hydrocarbons using a Red Mud Bauxite Mining Waste as the Catalyst." Catalysis Today, 2012, 190, 73.
DOI: 10.1016/j.cattod.2011.11.028

35) S.E. Gillard Kingma, M.E. Thibault, K.J. Betteridgec, M. Schlaf, C.J. Gartleya, T.S. Chenier "Permeability of the equine embryonic capsule to ethylene glycol and glycerol in vitro." Theriogenology, 76, 2011, 1540-1551.
DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2011.06.026

34) Domenico Di Mondo, Devipriya Ashok, Fraser Waldie, Nick Schrier, Michael Morrison and Marcel Schlaf "Stainless steel as a catalyst for the total deoxygenation of glycerol and levulinic acid in aqueous acidic medium." ACS Catalysis, 2011, 1, 355-364.
DOI: 10.1021/cs200053h

33) Michelle Thibault, Domenico DiMondo, Michael Jennings, Patricia Verardi Abdelnur, Marcos N. Eberlin, Marcel Schlaf "Cyclopentadienyl and pentamethylcyclopentadienyl ruthenium complexes as catalysts for the total deoxygenation of 1,2-hexanediol and glycerol." Green Chemistry 2011, 13, 357-366.
DOI: 10.1039/C0GC00255K

32) Elham Karimi, Cedric Briens, Franco Berruti, Sina Moloodi, Tommy Tzanetakis, Murray J.  Thomson, Marcel Schlaf* "Red Mud as a Catalyst for the Upgrading of Hemp Seed Pyrolysis Bio-Oil." Energy & Fuels, 2010, 24, 6586-6600.
DOI: 10.1021/ef101154d

31) Elham Karimi, Ariel Gomez, Stefan W. Kycia and Marcel Schlaf* "Thermal Decomposition of Acetic and Formic Acid Catalyzed by Red Mud – Implications for the Potential Use of Red Mud as a Pyrolysis Bio-Oil Upgrading Catalyst." Energy & Fuels, 2010, 24, 2747.
DOI: 10.1021/ef1000375

30) Deeb Taher, Michelle E. Thibault,Domenico Di Mondo,[Michael Jennings and Marcel Schlaf* "Acid-, Water- and High-Temperature Stable Ruthenium Complexes for the Total Catalytic Deoxygenation of Glycerol to Propane." Chem. Eur. J. , 2009, 15, 10132-10143.
DOI: 10.1002/chem.200901427

29) Marcel Schlaf, Michelle Thibault, Domenic DiMondo, Deeb Taher, Elham Karimi, Devipriya Ashok. "Group 8 Metal Complexes as Homogeneous Ionic Hydrogenation and  Hydrogenolysis Catalysts for the Deoxygenation of Biomass to Petrochemicals – Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies and the Story so far." International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering, 7, 2009, A34.
DOI: 10.2202/1542-6580.1905

28) Marcel Schlaf, Prasenjit Ghosh, Paul J. Fagan, Elisabeth Hauptman,and R. Morris Bullock "Catalytic Deoxygenation of 1,2-Propanediol to Give n-Propanol" Adv. Synth. & Cat. 2009, , 351, 789-800.
DOI: 10.1002/adsc.200800685

27) Matthias Bierenstiel, Magdalena Dymarska, Ebbing de Jong and Marcel Schlaf "An Evaluation of the Noyori System “in reverse”: Thermodynamic and Kinetic Parameters of Secondary Alcohol Transfer Dehydrogenation Catalyzed by [(eta6-1-iPr-4-Me-C6H4)Ru(HN-CR`R``-CR`R``NTs)], R` = H, Me, Ph, R`` = H, Me." Editor's Choice Paper in J. Mol. Cat A., 2008, 290, 1-14.
DOI: 10.1016/j.molcata.2008.05.009

26) Jennessa Ji Youn Youm, Marcel Schlaf and Matthias Bierenstiel* "Acceleration of bromide mediated benzoylperoxide oxidations of secondary alcohols in aqueous organic solvents." Tetrahedron Letters, 2008, 49, 3199-3203.
DOI: 10.1016/j.tetlet.2008.03.098

25) Martin Bosch, Sean Handerson and Marcel Schlaf*. "Optimized Synthesis of Vinyl Ether Sugars and Vinyl Glycosides through Transfer Vinylation Catalyzed by (4,7-Ph2-phen)Pd(OOCCF3)2." Journal of Carbohydrate Chemistry, 2008, 27, 103-112.
DOI: 10.1080/07328300802030852

24) Ryan R. Dykeman, Kylie L. Luska, Michelle E. Thibault, Matthew D. Jones, and Marcel Schlaf*, Monther Khanfar, Nicolas J. Taylor, James F. Britten and Laura Harrington. "Catalytic deoxygenation of terminal-diols under acidic aqueous conditions by the ruthenium complexes [(eta-6-arene)Ru(X)(N-N)](OTf)n, X = H2O, H, eta-6-arene = p-Me-iPr-C6H4, C6Me6, N-N = bipy, phen, 6,6'-diamino-bipy, 2,9-diamino-phen, n = 1,2). Influence of the ortho-amine substituents on catalytic activity." J. Mol. Cat. A, 2007, 277, 233-251.
DOI:10.1016/j.molcata.2007.08.008

23) Michelle E. Thibault, Kylie L. Luska, and Marcel Schlaf. “An improved synthesis of 6,6-diamino-2,2-bipyridine.” Synthesis, 2007, 791-793.
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-965905

22) By invitation:
Marcel Schlaf “Selective Deoxygenation of Sugar Polyols to a,w-Diols and Other Oxygen Content Reduced Materials – A New Challenge to Homogeneous Ionic Hydrogenation and Hydrogenolysis Catalysis.” Dalton Trans., 2006, 4645 - 4653.
DOI: 10.1039/B608007C

21) Mee-Kyung Chung and Marcel Schlaf. "Regioselectively Trisilylated Hexopyranosides Through Homogeneously Catalyzed Silane Alcoholysis." J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2005, 127, 18085-18092.
DOI: 10.1021/ja056283i

20) Matthias Bierenstiel, Paul J. D’Hondt, Marcel Schlaf. “Investigations into the selective oxidation of vicinal diols to alpha-hydroxy ketones with the NaBrO3/NaHSO3 reagent: pH dependence, stoichiometry, substrates and origin of selectivity.” Tetrahedron, 2005, 61, 4911-4917.
DOI:10.1016/j.tet.2005.03.056

19) Zhi Xie and Marcel Schlaf. "Direct transformation of terminal vic-diols to primary alcohols and alkanes through hydrogenation catalyzed by [cis-Ru(6,6’-Cl2-bipy)2(OH2)2](CF3SO3)2 in acidic medium." Journal of Molecular Catalysis A, 2005, 229, 151-158.
DOI:10.1016/j.molcata.2004.11.018

18) D.Malevich, J.Li, M.K. Chung, C.McLaughlin, M.Schlaf and J.Lipkowski. "In situ-IRRAS studies of the effect of Nafion on CO adsorption and electro-oxidation at Pt nano-particles." Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry, 2005, 9, 287-276.
DOI: 10.1007/s10008-004-0596-8

17) Mee-Kyung Chung and Marcel Schlaf. "A Catalytic Synthesis of Thiosilanes and Silthianes: Palladium Nanoparticle Mediated Cross-Coupling of Silanes with Thio Phenyl and Thio Vinyl Ethers through Selective Carbon-Sulfur Bond Activation." J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2004, 126, 7386-7392.
DOI: 10.1021/ja049386u

16) Matthias Bierenstiel and Marcel Schlaf. "delta-Galactonolactone: Synthesis, Isolation and Comparative Structure and Stability Analysis of an Elusive Sugar Derivative." Eur. J. Org. Chem., 2004, 1474-1481.
DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.200300761

15) Martin Bosch and Marcel Schlaf. "Synthesis of Allyl and Alkyl Vinyl Ethers Using an in situ Prepared Air-Stable Palladium Catalyst. Efficient Transfer Vinylation of 1°, 2°, 3° Alcohols." J. Org. Chem., 2003, 68, 5225-5227.
DOI: 10.1021/jo034376h

14)  Mee-Kyung Chung, Galina Orlova, John D. Goddard, Marcel Schlaf, Robert Harris, Terrance J. Beveridge, Gisele White and F. Ross Hallett.  "Regioselective Silylation of Sugars through Palladium Nano Particle Catalyzed Silane Alcoholysis." J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2002, 124, 10508-10518.
DOI: 10.1021/ja026723v

13)  Sean Handerson and Marcel Schlaf.  "Palladium(II)-Catalyzed Transfer Vinylation of Protected Monosaccharides." Org. Lett., 2002, 4, 407-409.
DOI: 10.1021/ol017104e

12)  Mee-Kyung Chung, George Ferguson, Valerie Robertson and Marcel Schlaf. "Nature of the Active Silane Alcoholysis Catalyst in the RuwClx(CO)y(PMe3)z (w, x, y, z, = 1 or 2)
System – Ru2(mu -Cl)2Cl2(CO)4(PMe3)2 as a New Catalyst for Silane Alcoholysis in a Polar Solvent." Can. J. Chem., 2001, 79, 949-957.
DOI: 10.1139/v00-193

11)  Marcel Schlaf, Prasenjit Gosh, Paul J. Fagan, Elisabeth Hauptman and R. Morris Bullock. "Metal-Catalyzed Selective Deoxygenation of Diols to Alcohols."  Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2001, 3887-3890.
DOI: 10.1002/1521-3773(20011015)40:20<3887::AID-ANIE3887>3.0.CO;2-Q

10) Glenn A. Facey, Tina P. Fong, Dmitry Gusev, Peter M. Macdonald, Robert H. Morris, Marcel Schlaf, and Wei Xu. "Probing the Motion of the eta2-Dideuterium Ligand by Solution and Solid State 2H NMR Spectroscopy." Can. J. Chem., 1999, 1899-1910.
DOI: 10.1139/v99-184

9) Bartucz, T. Y.; Golombek, A.; Lough, A. J.; Maltby, P. A.; Morris, R. H.; Ramachandran,R.; Schlaf, M. ‘Protonation Reaction of trans-M(H)(SPh)(dppe)2, M = Ru, Os To Give Thiol and Dihydrogen Complexes: the X-ray Structure Determination of trans-Ru(H)(SPh)(dppe)2 and trans-[Os(H)(O2)(dppe)2]PF6.’ Inorg. Chem. 1998, 37, 1555-1562.
DOI: 10.1021/ic971050g

8) Schlaf, M.; Lough, A. J.; Morris, R. H. ‘Synthesis and Structure of the Chiral Dihydrogen Complex trans-[Ru(eta2-H2)H(R,R'-Me-DuPHOS)2]PF6, and the Dinitrogen Complex
trans-[Ru(N2)H(R,R'-Me-DuPHOS)2]PF6, (R,R'-Me-DuPHOS = 1,2-Bis((2R,5R)-2,5-dimethylphospholano) benzene)’, Organometallics, 1997, 16, 1253-1259.
DOI: 10.1021/om960410p

7) Schlaf, M.; Lough, A. J.; Morris, R. H. ‘Dihydrogen Thiolate v s. Hydride Thiol: Reactivity of the series of complexes MH(CO)(L)(PPh3)2, M =Ru, Os, L = pyridine-2-thiolate, quinoline-8-thiolate with acid.  X-ray Structure Determination of [Os(CO)(eta2- Spy)(pySH)(PPh3)]2{BF4}2’, Organometallics 1996, 15, 4423-4436.
DOI: 10.1021/om960411h

6) Schlaf, M.; Maltby, P. A.; Lough, A. J.; Morris, R. H. ‘Trans-[Os(eta2-H2)(CH3CN)(dppe)2][BF4]2 - Synthesis, Structure and Properties of a Stable and Highly Acidic Dihydrogen Complex. Perspectives on the Influence of the Trans-Ligand on the Dihydrogen Ligand.’ Organometallics 1996, 15, 2270-2278.
DOI: 10.1021/om960113k

5) Maltby, P. A.; Schlaf, M.; Steinbeck, M.; Lough, A. J.; Morris, R. H.; Klooster, W.; Koetzle, T.F.; Shrivastava, R.C. ‘Dihydrogen with Frequency of Motion Near the 1H Larmor Frequency. Solid State Structure and Solution NMR Spectroscopy of Osmium Complexes trans-[Os(H...H)X(PPh2CH2CH2PPh2)]+, X = Cl, Br.’ J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 5396-5407.
DOI: 10.1021/ja9529044

4) Lough, A.J.; Morris R.H.; Schlaf, M. ‘Crystal Structure of trans-dibromo-bis(bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane)-osmium(II), OsBr2(dppe)2.’ Z. Kristall. 1995, 210, 973-974.
DOI: 10.1524/zkri.1995.210.12.973

3) Schlaf, M.; Morris, R. H. ‘A Dihydrogen Complex, [Os(eta2-H2)(CO)(quS)(PPh3)2]+, in Equilibrium with its Coordinated Thiol Tautomer (quS = quinoline-8-thiolate).’ J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun. 1995, 625-626.
DOI: 10.1039/C39950000625

2) Morris, R. H.; Schlaf, M. ‘p-bonding of the Dihydrogen Ligand Probed by Mössbauer Spectroscopy.’ Inorg. Chem. 1994, 33, 1725-1726, correction 5366.
DOI: 10.1021/ic00086a026

1) Möhring, U.; Schäfer, M.; Kukla, F.; Schlaf, M.; Werner, H. ‘Kinetic and Mechanistic Investigation of the Sequential Hydrogenation of Phenylacetylene Catalyzed by Rhodium(I) Phosphine Complexes of the Type [Rh(eta2-O2Z)(PR3)2].’ J. Mol. Cat. A 1995, 99, 55-63.
DOI:10.1016/1381-1169(95)00028-3