My initial research interests and activities focused on industrial applications of synthetic organic chemistry, particularly on the development of new products and improved catalytic routes to existing products. A central theme of my research embraced catalytic routes to simple aliphatic, highly functionalized, and polymeric amines via techniques such as hydrogenation, reductive alkylation/amination, and acid-catalyzed aminations.
After retiring from Air Products, I joined Professor Wachs’ group as a Research Associate. At Lehigh, my research interests include selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx by supported vanadia tungsta catalysts, the influence of the method of preparation on properties of the resulting catalysts, and selective metal oxide-catalyzed oxidations (eg, of ethylene to ethylene oxide and of butane to maleic anhydride).
Publications with the Wachs Group
Olefin Metathesis over Supported MoOx catalysts: Influence of the Oxide Support, B. Zhang, M. E. Ford, I. E. Wachs, Catal. Science Technology,
2023, 13, 217-225.
Effect of redox promoters (CeOx and CuOx) and surface sulfates on the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO with NH3 by supported V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalysts, M. Guo, B. Mosevitzky Lis, M. E. Ford, C. Liu, Q. Liu, I. E. Wachs, Appl. Catal. B: Environmental,
2022, 306, 121128-1.
The effect of non-redox promoters (AlOx, POx, SiOx and ZrOx) on the supported V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalysts for selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3, M. Guo, B. Mosevitzky Lis, M. E. Ford, C. Liu, Q. Liu, I. E. Wachs, Appl. Catal. B: Environmental,
2022, 306, 121128-2.
Nature and Reactivity of Oxygen Species on/in Silver Catalysts during Ethylene Oxidation, T. Pu, A. Setiawan, B. Mosevitzky Lis, M. Zhu, M. E. Ford, S. Rangarajan, I. E. Wachs, ACS Catal.,
2022, 12, 4375-4381.
Resolving the Oxygen Species on Ozone Activated AgAu Alloy Catalysts for Oxidative Methanol Coupling, T. Pu, J.-M. Jehng, A. Setiawan, B. Mosevitzky Lis, M. E. Ford, S. Rangarajan, I. E. Wachs, J. Phys. Chem. C,
2022, 126, 21568-21575.
Structure-Activity Relationships of Copper- and Potassium- Modified Iron Oxide Catalysts during Reverse Water-Gas Shift Reaction, M. Gu, S. Dai, R.
Qiu, M. E. Ford, C. Cao, I. E. Wachs and M. Zhu, ACS Catalysis,
2021, 11, 12609-12619.
Structure-Activity Relationships of Hydrothermally Aged Titania-Supported Vanadium-Tungsten Oxide Catalysts for SCR of NOx
Emissions with NH3, J-K. Lai, N. R. Jaegers, B.
Mosevitzky Lis, M. Guo, M. E. Ford, E. Walter, Y. Wang, J-Z. Hu and I. E. Wachs, ACS Catalysis,
2021, 11, 12096-12111.
Nature of Reactive Oxygen Intermediates on Copper-Promoted
Iron-Chromium Oxide Catalysts during CO2 Activation, M. Zhu, P. Tian, M. E.
Ford, J. Chen, J. Xu, Y-F. Han and I. E. Wachs, ACS Catalysis,
2020, 10, 7857-7863.
Probing the surface of promoted CuO-Cr2O3-Fe2O3 catalysts during CO2
activation, M. Zhu, J. Chen, L. Shen,
M. E. Ford, J. Gao, J. Xu, I. E. Wachs and Y-F. Han, Applied
Catalysis B: Environmental,
2020, 271, 1-6.
Overview of Selective Oxidation of Ethylene to Ethylene Oxide by Ag Catalysts,
T. Pu, H. Tian, M. E. Ford, S. Rangarajan and I. E. Wachs, ACS Catalysis,
2019, 9, 10727-10750.
Activation and deactivation of the commercial-type CuO-Cr2O3-Fe2O3 high temperature shift catalyst,
M. Zhu, P. Tian, J. Chen, M. E. Ford, J. Xu, I. E. Wachs and Y-F. Han, AIChE
J.,
2019, e16846.
Reaction Pathways and Kinetics for Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) of Acidic NOx Emissions from Power Plants with NH3, M. Zhu, J.-K. Lai, U. Tumuluri, M.E. Ford, Z. Wu, and I.E. Wachs, ACS Catalysis, 2017, 7, 8358-8361.
A decade+ of operando spectroscopy studies, A. Chakrabarti, M.E. Ford, D. Gregory, R. Hu, C.J. Keturakis, S. Lwin, Y. Tang, Z. Yang, M. Zhu, M.A. Banares, I.E. Wachs, Catalysis Today, 2017, 283, 27-53.
Influence of catalyst synthesis method on selective catalytic reduction (SCR) or NO by NH3 with V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalysts, Y. He, M.E. Ford, M. Zhu, Q. Liu, U. Tumuluri, Z. Wu, I.E. Wachs, Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2016, 193, 141-150.
Selective catalytic reduction of NO by NH3 with WO3-TiO2 catalysts: Influence of catalyst synthesis method, Y. He, M.E. Ford, M. Zhu, Q. Liu, Z. Wu, I.E. Wachs, Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2016, 188, 123-133.
Selected Industrial Publications
Interactions of Rh(III)-Dihydrido-Bis(phosphine) Complexes with Semicarbazones, M.B. Ezhova, B.O. Patric, K.N. Sereviratne, B.R. James, F.J. Waller, M.E. Ford, Inorganic Chemistry, 2005, 44, 1482-1491.
New chiral N,P-oxazolines, and their Ir complexes in asymmetric hydrogenation of an imine, M.B. Ezhova, B.O. Patrick, B.R. James, F.J. Waller, M.E. Ford, Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical, 2004, 224, 71-79.
Interaction of rhodium(I) bisphosphine complexes with semicarbazones to give orthometellated rhodium(III) complexes*, M.B. Ezhova, B.O. Patric, B.R. James, M.E. Ford, F.J. Waller, Russian Chemical Bulletin, International Edition, 2003, 2707-2714.
Formation and Catalytic Hydrogenation of the Dimer of 1,2,3,4,5,7a-hexahydroimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine, C.A. Mirkin, J.E. Premecz, M.E. Ford, T.A. Johnson, Journal of Heterocyclic Chemistry, 1993, 30, 839-840.
Shape-Selective Mordenite-Catalyzed Amination of Ethanolamine to Ethylenediamine, M. Deeba, M.E. Ford, T.A. Johnson, J.E. Premecz, Journal of Molecular Catalysis, 1990, 60, 11-17.
Direct amination of olefins: A comparative study over erionite and Y zeolites, M. Deeba and M.E. Ford, Zeolites, 1990, 10, 794-797.
Allylamine from Allyl Alcohol, W.E. Carroll, R.J. Daughenbaugh, D.D. Dixon, M.E. Ford, M. Deeba, Journal of Molecular Catalysis, 1988, 44, 213-215.
Heterogeneous Acid-Catalyzed Amination of Isobutene to tert-Butylamine, M. Deeba and M.E. Ford, Journal of Organic Chemistry, 1988, 53, 4594-4596.
Direct Amination of Ethylene by Zeolite Catalysis, M. Deeba, M.E. Ford, T.A. Johnson, Journal of the Chemical Society, Chemical Communications,1987, 562-563.
Gas Chromatographic Separation of Substituted Pyridines, J.E. Premecz, M.E. Ford, Journal of Chromatography A, 1987, 388, 23-35.
Selected Patents and Patent Applications
N,N-dialkylpolyhydroxyalkylamines as surfactants in water-based compositions, I.K. Meier, M.E. Ford, R.J. Goddard, US 20060100127 A1.
N,N'-dialkyl derivatives of polyhydroxyalkyl alkylenediamines for surfactant compositions with good solubility and cleanability, moderate foaming, and reduced dynamic and equilibrium surface tension, M.E. Ford, C.P. Kretz, K.R. Lassila, R.P. Underwood, I.K. Meier, US 20060013780 A1.
Bis(3-alkoxypropan-2-ol) sulfides, sulfoxides, and sulfones: new preparative methods, A.W. Wang, K.R. Lassila, M.E. Ford, J.R. Krock, N.M. Martin, G.G. Zhang, US 7476766.
N-Methylated amines from selective vapor phase amination of amino ether alcohols, J.W. Mitchell, R.P. Underwood, M.E. Ford, G.A. Vedage, H.-X. Li, US 7009081.
Gemini Glycidyl Ether Adducts of Polyhydroxyl Alkylenediamines, C.P. Kretz, K.R. Lassila, M.E. Ford, US 6924315.
Selective Reductive Amination of Nitriles, J.N. Armor, M.E. Ford, W.E. Carroll, US 6399830.
Ortho-alkylated Tolidines, K.R. Lassila, M.E. Ford, K.M. Kem, S.M. Clift, US 5453478.
Poly(vinylammonium formate), M.E. Ford, US 5393842.
Process for making amidine-containing copolymers, M.E. Ford, US 5324792.
