Fluorinated Organometallic Complexes

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Dr. Russell P. Hughes, Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College, is supported by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Program of the Chemistry Division to investigate processes in which a transition metal activates carbon-fluorine bonds. The principal objectives of the study are to develop the syntheses of transition-metal fluoroalkyl complexes and use these complexes as reagents to functionalize fluorocarbon chains. Reactions will be developed for the destruction of fluorocarbons to CO and HF using common reagents such as hydrogen and water. Another process that converts C-F to C-H bonds at room temperature using hydrogen gas will be investigated as route to the mild conversion of hydrofluorocarbons. The details of how the metal center is capable of activating these normally unreactive C-F bonds will be probed and the extent of pi-backbonding from the metal to antibonding C-F group orbitals will be measured.Fluorinated organic molecules play important roles in our lives and the long term quality of our environment. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) and perfluorocarbons (PFC's) are thought to be responsible for ozone depletion and global warming. Replacements for these substances are the environmentally friendly hydrofluorocarbons (HFC's). Thus, there is a need to devise efficient ways to recycle and destroy CFC's and PFC's, and to prepare HFC's. This study aims toward developing transition metal centers that can make and break bonds between carbon and fluorine. It will permit metal catalysts to be developed that perform efficient and precisely controlled chemical reactions on fluorocarbons.