Redox Mechanisms Involving Main Group Centers

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Edwin S. Gould of Kent State University is supported by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry Program in an ongoing program of research dealing with oxidation-reduction reactions involving main-group centers. One part of this proposal deals with oxidations of strongly reducing main-group species, including In(I), Ga(II), and Ge(I). The study aims to elucidate factors that favor one-electron or two electron processes, and to clarify in what way and for what reasons reactions of these reductants differ from reactions of more usual inorganic reductants. A second part of the proposal concerns the effect of metal ions on reactions of the peroxynitrite ion. The goal of this section is to understand how and why metal ions change the rates and selectivities of peroxynitrite reactions.Reactivity patterns of the elements on the right side of the periodic table (the so-called main group elements) are of central importance the functioning of biological systems and in the fabrication of solid state electronic devices, as well as in many other socially significant scientific and technological areas. Nevertheless, some aspects of the chemistry of these elements have received much less attentions from inorganic chemists than corresponding reactions of other elements. In particular, the peculiar reactivity patterns of lower oxidations states of the semi-metals indium, germanium and gallium have only recently been started to be explored. This research aims at gaining understanding of the factors that account for the unusual chemical features of these low-valent species. This will be important in future applications of these elements, and also help to sort out aspects of other complicated oxidation-reduction processes. The oxidation-reduction chemistry of compounds of nitrogen and oxygen is also being studied in this program. These reactions have been recently identified as having great biological and medical importance.