Theo M. Smit

Theo M. Smit (born 4 July 1975) is a Dutch chemist who has made several contributions to the field of polymerization catalysis.

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After completing a MSc. at Rijksuniversiteit Leiden, Dr. Smit gained a PhD at Imperial College London under the supervision of Prof. Vernon C. Gibson. The title of his thesis was 'Heteroatom substitutued bis(imino)pyridine and bis(phenoxy-amine) transition metal complexes for the polymerisation of olefins'. His work lead to publications in various peer-reviewed journals.^1-3

Presently Dr. Smit in employed within Prof. Gibson's group to carry out PostDoctoral research into new initiators for the polymerization of functional monomers.

Affectionatly known as SmitHead by his colleagues, Dr. Smit is in the process of relocating to Germany and starting employment with BASF.

References

1. S. McTavish, G. J. P. Britovsek, T. M. Smit, V. C. Gibson, A. J. P White, D. J. Williams, "Iron-based ethylene polymerization catalysts supported by bis(imino)pyridine ligands: Derivatization via deprotonation/alkylation at the ketimine methyl position", J. Mol. Catal. A: Chemical, 2007, 261(2), 293-300.
2. T. M. Smit, A. K. Tomov, V. C. Gibson, A. J. P. White, D. J. Williams, "Dramatic effect of heteroatom backbone substituents on the ethylene polymerization behavior of bis(imino)pyridine iron catalysts", Inorg. Chem., 2004, 43(21), 6511-2.
3. G. J. Clarkson, V. C. Gibson, P. K. Y. Goh, M. L. Hammond, P. D. Knight. P. Scott Peter, T. M. Smit, A. J. P. White, D. J. Williams, "Group 4 catalysts for ethene polymerization containing tetradentate salicylaldiminato ligands", Dalton Trans., 2006, 46, 5484-91.