Electrophilic Activation of Metal Complexes Through Bimetallic Complex Formation

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This starter grant award of the Chemistry Division to San Diego State University supports the research of Professor David Burkey. The theme of the research is the use of electrophilic activation in manipulating the reactivity of transition-metal complexes. A bimetallic complex will be generated by binding a second metal species to a ligand of the original complex. The incoming metal species will withdraw electron density from an aromatic substituent at the site of attachment in the complex, thereby modifying the nature and reactivity of the original metal complex. New types of bimetallic complexes with imido, carbyne, acetylene, and isocyanide groups as the bridging ligands in these studies function as excellent electronic bridges, maximizing cooperative interactions between the two metals. The reactivity of the bimetallic complexes will be examined with emphasis on identifying and exploiting new types of reactivity unavailable to the individual metal complexes. Formation of bimetallic complexes such as studied in this project may be an effective means of producing catalysts as well as in developing new organometallic materials which exhibit desirable optical and magnetic properties. Such compounds can serve as models for new types of metal-containing polymers with other desirable material properties.