Michael Kojo Ainooson (PhD)

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS 
Ph.D.   Date of Award (25/07/2014); Inorganic Chemistry; Institute for Inorganic Chemistry, Georg-August University, Goettingen, Germany.
MSc  Date of Award (25/05/2010); Inorganic Chemistry; University of Johannesburg, South Africa
B.Sc.   Date of Award (25/05/2006); Chemistry; Department of Chemistry, University of Ghana, Legon.

RESEARCH INTEREST
Bioinorganic chemistry, catalysis, bio-polymer composites and architectures, sustainable and Green chemistry

AREA OF SPECIALIZATION
Organometallic Chemistry; Inorganic Chemistry, Homogeneous Catalysis, Organic Synthesis
MAJOR RESEARCH /PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN
On-going research projects:
Current research involves

i. Catalysis: Water soluble phosphine catalysts for the hydrogenation of plant based oils to commodity fuels.
ii. Biopolymers  architectures (cellulose nancrystals and  PLA's) for biomedical applications
iii. New classes of ligands from bio-sources for metal speciation and water purification
iv. Wood fuels as a source of commodity materials
v. v. Ligno-cellulosic and biomass fuels
vi. Isolation and screening and testing of new classes of biodegradable pesticides
vii. Bioiniorganic Chemistry: Synthesis of new class of pyrazolyl based ligands with applications as antimalarial, antibiotic and antifungal properties.

viii. Coordination and Inorganic Chemistry

Research projects completed over the last five years
Research involved the synthesis of transition metal complexes as catalysts with possible applications in the production of biodegradable polymers.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Books and Publications
1. Book Chapter: Comprehensive Inorganic Chemistry II: Topic: ‘Bimetallic approaches in olefin polymerization and metathesis.’ M. Ainooson and F. Meyer (Eds.: J. Reedijk, K. Poeppelmeier); Elsevier, 2013, Vol. 8, 433.

2. Ethylene and styrene carbon monoxide copolymerization catalyzed by pyrazolyl palladium(II) complexes, C. Obuah, M. K. Ainooson, S. Boltina, I. A. Guzei, K. Nozaki and J. Darkwa. Organometallics, 2013, 32, 980.

3. Pyrazolylimine iron and cobalt, and pyrazolylamine nickel complexes: synthesis and evaluation of nickel complexes as ethylene oligomerization catalysts, M. K. Ainooson, I. A. Guzei, L. C. Spencer and J. Darkwa, Polyhedron, 2013, 53, 295.

4. [(3,5-Di-tet -butyl-2-ethoxybenzylidene)[2-(3,5-di-tert -butyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)ethyl]amine, L. C. Spencer, I. A. Guzei, M. K. Ainooson and J. Darkwa. Acta Cryst., 2012. E68, o2515.

5. Pyrazolyl iron, cobalt, nickel, and palladium complexes: Synthesis, molecular structures, and evaluation as ethylene oligomerization catalysts. M. K. Ainooson, S. O. Ojwach, I. A. Guzei, L. C. Spencer and J. Darkwa, J. Organomet. Chem., 2011, 696, 1528.

6. Constructor graph description of the hydrogen bonding supramolecular assembly of 2-pyrazolyl-1-yl-ethyl ammonium chloride and diaqua-dichloro-bis(hydroxyethylammonium)cobalt(II) dichloride. I. A. Guzei, L. C. Spencer, M. K. Ainooson and J. Darkwa, Acta Crystallogr C Cryst. Struct. Commun., 2010, 66, 4, m89.

7. Intramolecular hydrogen bonding in dichloridobis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-1H-pyrazole-κN2)cobalt(II) as a consequence of ligand steric bulk. I. A. Guzei, L. C. Spencer, M. K. Ainooson and J. Darkwa, Acta Crystallogr C Cryst. Struct. Commun., 2010, 66:m336