EAGER: Subsulfide and Subselenide Chemistry

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This award in the Chemical Synthesis (SYN) program within the CHE Division supports work by Professor John F. Berry at the University of Wisconsin ? Madison to carry out fundamental studies of the redox properties of sulfur and selenium bound to transition metals. These studies will test the hypothesis that a new oxidation state of sulfur, subsulfide, can be stabilized by coordination to transition metals. This investigation involves examination of the electronic structure of previously reported sulfur/transition metal compounds, as well as newly designed compounds, using a variety of physical methods. Electrochemical and chemical reactivity of coordinated sulfur species will be investigated so that the electronic and chemical properties of the subsulfide ion may be elucidated.The oxidation and reduction chemistry of sulfur and the nature of sulfur-sulfur bonding are critical to many important biological problems and new technologies. The development of subsulfide chemistry can have a long-term impact on the understanding of disulfide bond formation in proteins, and can potentially lead to new technologies such as new catalytic processes and dyes for photovoltaic devices.