MRI: Acquisition of Instrumentation for the Manipulation and Laser Spectroscopic Characterization of New Complexes

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With support from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, the Department of Chemistry at Western Kentucky University will acquire a dispersive Raman spectrometer and a detection system for an existing nitrogen-pumped dye laser. This equipment will enhance research in a number of areas including a) spectroscopic investigation of the formation of host-guest complexes of cyclophanes with aromatic molecules; b) synthesis and vibrational spectroscopy of N-heterocyclic carbene complexes of osmium tetroxide; and c) luminescence spectroscopy to investigate the complexes of lanthanide ions with chelating and macrocyclic ligands. Raman spectroscopy provides a powerful probe of molecular information. Raman scattering is complementary to infrared absorption in that it probes fundamentally different types of molecular vibrational modes. For biological samples, Raman scattering is the preferred method because it is not affected by the polar water environment that absorbs strongly in the infrared. These studies will have an impact in the biological and environmental sciences, and the pharmaceutical industry.