Multielectron Photochemistry of Small Molecules

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Professor Daniel Nocera of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is supported by the Division of Chemistry for his research exploring how light can be used to drive multielectron transformations of small molecules with emphasis on energy related substrates. New insights into the design of multielectron reagents, of electronic structure predisposed to multielectron reactivity, and of the mechanism of multielectron transfer processes will emerge from this research. The development of two-electron mixed-valence chemistry holds similar promise for developing multielectron photoprocesses of small molecule activation and energy conversion.Meeting global energy needs over the next century requires greater understanding of key fundamental science issues for the elaboration of new carbon-neutral energy conversion schemes. To understand the chemistry of the activation and use of small molecules of energy consequence, including carbon dioxide, nitrogen and methane, in addition to hydrogen, water and oxygen, new multielectron inorganic redox reactions will be investigated with the aim of understanding of the reactivity of metal complexes in electronic excited states beyond conventional one-electron transfer. The combination of synthesis with photochemistry and spectroscopy will give undergraduates, graduate students and postdocs a unique training experience in a forefront inorganic chemistry program.