Spectroscopy and Imaging of Organometallic Complexes

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Professor Dong-Sheng Yang of the University of Kentucky is funded by the Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms A (CSDM-A) Program for a project titled "Spectroscopy and Imaging of Organometallic Complexes." The conversion of hydrocarbons, the major constituents of petroleum and natural gas, into chemical feedstocks is an important commercial process. The design of selective and efficient catalysts (species that facilitate a chemical reaction) is a current area of much interest. This study will look at the way metal atoms interact with hydrocarbons. This information will show how hydrocarbons can be converted into other chemicals and should guide the design of new catalysts that can reduce the energy required for hydrocarbon conversion. The project provides technically challenging training for a diverse group of students at all levels and prepares them for careers in industry, academia, or the public sector.Ttransient organometallic complexes formed in the reactions of the neutral lanthanide atoms and small hydrocarbons will be characterized by single-photon ZEKE/MATI spectroscopy, PEVMI, and two color IR-UV photoionization. Accurate IEs, metal-ligand and ligand based vibrational frequencies, and structural differences between the neutral and cationic species will be determined. Electronic states and molecular structures will be investigated by comparing the spectra of chemically and electronically similar molecular systems and by combining the spectroscopic measurements with theoretical calculations. The investigator is active in the development of undergraduate curricula and in the mentoring programs for local K-12 students.