Synthetic Inorganic Chemistry

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This award in the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry program supports research by Professor Christopher A. Reed at the University of California at Riverside to develop a new class of weakly coordinating anions based on the icosahedral carborane. New carborane acids will be synthesized to open new areas of acid chemistry by: (a) protonating molecules previously considered too weakly basic to protonate such as Xe and Cr(CO)6; (b) protonating delicate molecules that decompose in acid such as P4, S8, and fullerenes; and, (c) allowing for the isolation of intermediates of acid catalyzed processes for detailed study on the preparative timescale. A super-methylating reagent consisting of a methyl cation and carborane anion will also be developed. The chemistry of a superoxidants involving triarylaminium carboranes will be explored. The synthetic inorganic chemistry emphasizes the isolation of pure materials and their characterization by single crystal X-ray structure determination. This project develops new super- acid, methyl and oxidant chemistry and will involve students from traditionally under-represented groups, particularly Hispanics, who are among the populations served by UC Riverside to attract them to frontline chemical research and careers in chemistry.