Expanding Reduction Chemistry via the f Orbital Metals

威廉·埃文斯，加州大学欧文分校，由无机，生物无机和有机化学计划的支持，继续研究镧系金属的特殊还原化学。 具体来说，他正在研究“空间诱导还原”，这是最近发现的一种用（C5 Me 5）3Sm观察到的反应，（C5 Me 5）3Sm是一种非常拥挤的分子，具有异常长的金属-碳距离。埃文斯希望将这种与尺寸相关的还原扩展到其他镧系元素，这些元素通常不参与还原化学。第二个研究领域涉及TmI 2，DyI 2和NdI 2的化学，这些化合物是最近才制备的高度还原化合物。这些二价镧系元素与氮、小分子氧化物和碳氢化合物的反应将被研究。镧系金属的独特性质为开发新型还原反应性提供了机会。 由于还原是化学反应的基本类型之一，这可以广泛地影响合成和催化化学。此外，通过这项研究，学生将在f元素的化学训练。

William Evans, University of California-Irvine, is supported by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry Program for continuing studies of the special reduction chemistry of the lanthanide metals. Specifically, he is studying "sterically induced reduction", a recently discovered reaction observed with (C5Me5)3Sm, a very crowded molecule with unusually long metal-carbon distances. Evans hopes to extend this size-related reduction to other lanthanides, which do not usually participate in reductive chemistry. The second research area involves the chemistry of TmI2, DyI2, and NdI2, highly reducing compounds that have only recently been prepared. The reactions of these divalent lanthanides with nitrogen, small molecule oxides, and hydrocarbons will be studied.The unique properties of the lanthanide metals offer opportunities to develop new types of reductive reactivity. Since reduction is one of the basic types of chemical reactions, this can broadly impact both synthetic and catalytic chemistry. In addition, through this research, students will be trained in the chemistry of the f-elements.