Developing New Molecular Architectures for Devices for Photoinitiated Electron Collection

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This award in the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry Program supports research on development of supramolecular inorganic complexes by Dr. Karen J. Brewer of the Chemistry Department, Virginia Polytechnic University. Transition metal systems containing extended light-absorbing organic moieties will be synthesized and tested for their ability to facilitate photoinitiated multielectron transfer. The basic molecular design will involve the coupling of two light absorbers to a central, catalytically active metal center that will serve as the site of collection of the electrons. The light absorber systems will be multimetallic and designed to have metal-based highest occupied molecular orbitals that are localized on the periphery of the molecules, well separated from the central site of localization of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital. The remote metal centers will then function as electron donors for the central electron collecting core. Details of the spectroscopic and electrochemical properties of these systems will be determined and used to optimize the design. Materials that convert light energy to chemical energy are necessary for development of solar energy devices. Storage and delivery of many electrons under desired conditions is an important goal. Many natural processes such as the reduction of carbon dioxide and nitrogen fixation require many electrons. In this fundamental research project, some new multi-metal compounds will be synthesized and tested for their efficiency in absorbing light energy and in releasing many electrons for use in chemical reactions.