Synthetic Inorganic Chemistry

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This award in the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry Program provides continued support for research on weakly coordinating anions by Dr. Christopher A. Reed, Chemistry Department, University of California at Riverside. The goal of the project is to develop the chemistry of partially chlorinated carborane anions. These anions are non-nucleophilic and non-oxidizing, providing a non-reactive "least coordinating anion". Acids such as H(CB11H6Cl6) are superacidic yet otherwise gentle reagents. This combination of properties makes it possible to study protonation of very weak bases such as buckminsterfullerenes, hydrocarbons, and noble gases. The superacid chemistry will be extended to "supermethyl" and "superoxidant" reagents.Acid-base reactions are among the most fundamental and important reactions in chemistry and biology. This research explores the extremes of acid behavior. Development of this chemistry has implications for numerous chemical processes, including olefin polymerization, petroleum cracking, boron neutron capture therapy and battery technology. It may lead to new chemical reagents and selective catalysts.