The current technology for conversion of these molecules is inefficient and expensive, and operates at high temperatures. Furthermore, excessive amounts of carbon dioxide are generated in the consumption of these raw materials. Therefore, new ways to reduce excessive emissions and conserve precious natural resources will be required to sustain the growing pressures on the Earth to supplement humanity's consumption-based lifestyle. The approach at SEMC is based on the de novo, rational design of new technologies from the ground up through a process involving conceptual design, computational study, and experimental discovery. One of the major emphases within SEMC is the development of new single-site catalysts for the activation and eventual rupture of strong bonds. The goal of new catalysts is to reduce the temperature and pressures required to operate the molecular conversion. Next generation catalysts will be key to lower-temperature processes. Catalysts increase the rate of chemical reactions at lower temperatures and are utilized in very small amounts. There are currently no catalysts that can efficiently convert natural gas, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen, or water at lower temperatures to useful materials or extract the energy stored in the bonds of these molecules. SEMC is addressing these challenges by designing new catalysts to convert these molecules into products that society uses daily. The Roy A. Periana group recently published an article in the multidisciplinary journal "Science" that describes the use of main group, lead and thallium trifluoroacetate salts that convert a natural gas stream (comprising methane, ethane, and propane) to the respective trifluoroacetate esters, which include methyltrifluoroaceate, ethyltrifluoroacetate, ditrifluoroacetateethyleneglycol, propyl-2-trifluoroacetate, and 1,2-difluoroaceatatepropylglycol. It was found that the system readily led to the rapid oxidation of the natural gas stream at 180 °C and was capable of reacting with a mixed gas stream or each alkane independently. This result could lead to a new class of molecular reagents for the selective conversion of alkanes to liquid products having impacts on the transportation fuels and petrochemical industries.