PERIOD: MAY - JUNE - JULY Catalytic reactions are all based on the same principle, namely reduction of the activation energy associated with breaking and formation of new chemical bonds at the active sites. Despite this common feature, heterogeneous, homogeneous and enzymatic catalysis appear as three separate areas that have been developed independently with modest reciprocal contamination. This PhD course is focused on catalysis science, unifying heterogeneous, homogeneous and enzymatic catalysis into a single, conceptually coherent structure. Fundamentals and future perspectives in catalysis will be considered during this course.

1. The structure of proteins: the primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures; driving forces of protein folding; dynamics and flexibility of proteins; disordered linkers in complexes and their functional roles; thermodynamics of protein flexibility; The determination of protein structures. The role of artificial intelligence in protein folding. 2. Enzymes and their function: the structure of enzymes; the enzymatic process; enzyme kinetics; single-substrate reactions; Michaelis–Menten kinetics; multi-substrate reactions; non-Michaelis-Menten kinetics; factors influencing the enzymatic activity; temperature, pH, activation, inhibition; reversible inhibition; irreversible inhibition; allostery; biogenic regulation. 3. Principles of catalysis: Introduction to the science of catalysis; heterogeneous, homogeneous and enzymatic catalysis; catalytic activity, selectivity and yield; kinetics of catalytic reactions; reaction rates; transition state theory; the Arrhenius equation; steps in heterogeneous catalysis; the Sabatier principle; the Bell-Evans-Polanyi principle; chemisorption and physisorption; Langmuir-Hinshelwood versus Eley-Rideal mechanisms; Mars and van Krevelen mechanism. 4. The concept of active site: Dynamic behavior of active sites; active sites in heterogeneous catalysis: historical background, single-site heterogeneous catalysts, self-repairing phenomena in single-site heterogeneous catalysts, small metal particles, zeolites, oxides; active sites in enzymatic catalysis; allosterically regulated enzymes: the case of ATCase; the role of active sites and electric fields in transition state; active sites in homogenous catalysis, catalytic cycles and flexibility. 5. Complexity in catalysis: Complexity in heterogeneous, homogeneous, and enzymatic catalysis; synergies and antagonisms; unification of heterogeneous, homogeneous and enzymatic catalysis into a single, conceptual

Martedì 1 settembre 2020 (15:00 -17:00) Giovedì 3 settembre 2020 (15:00 -17:00) Martedì 8 settembre 2020 (15:00 -17:00) Giovedì 10 settembre 2020 (15:00 -17:00) Martedì 15 settembre 2020 (15:00 -17:00) Giovedì 17 settembre 2020 (15:00 -17:00) Martedì 22 settembre 2020 (15:00 -17:00) Giovedì 24 settembre 2020 (15:00 -17:00) Martedì 29 settembre 2020 (15:00 -17:00) Giovedì 1 ottobre 2020 (15:00 -17:00) Il corso sarà tenuto in modalità telematica (virtual classroom).

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Gli studenti e le studentesse con disabilità o con Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento (DSA), oltre alla segnalazione tramite procedura informatizzata, sono invitati a comunicare anche direttamente al/la docente titolare dell'insegnamento, con un preavviso non inferiore ad una settimana dall'avvio della sessione d'esame, gli strumenti compensativi concordati con l'Unità Special Needs, al fine di permettere al/la docente la declinazione più idonea in riferimento alla specifica tipologia di esame.