RUI - Supraoctahedral Rhenium and Molybdenum Clusters: N-Heterocyclic Carbenes and Exploration Into the Coordination of Fischer vs Schrock Carbenes

化学系化学合成（SYN）项目的该奖项支持伊利诺伊州立大学Lisa F. Szczepura教授的一个项目，该项目旨在研究与多金属系统（簇）结合的碳配体的化学性质，并加强伊利诺伊州立大学STEM学科中代表性不足的少数民族的参与。提出的研究对这些簇在催化等应用中的未来使用至关重要。Szczepura教授和学生们将开发新的方法来处理这些含有稳定碳烯的簇。除了开发新方法外，人们还对确定这些团簇对产生新型发光材料的影响感兴趣。此外，Szczepura教授还将参与本科生和研究生的培训和指导，为校园内未被充分代表的少数民族举办STEM博览会，并管理一个旨在提高未被充分代表的学生在科学领域成功率的项目。研究了含n -杂环碳（NHC）配体的六核硒化铼和氯化钼簇的合成方法。NHCs对这些簇核的物理性质和小分子活化的影响将是主要的兴趣。该奖项还将允许探索分离含有更活跃的Fischer和Schrock carbenes的上八面体簇的可行性。由于具有钼和铼核的团簇通常显示出有趣的光物理性质，因此提出的研究将使这些团簇适应于传感器和发光材料等应用。

This award in the Chemical Synthesis (SYN) program in the Division of Chemistry supports a project by Professor Lisa F. Szczepura from Illinois State University to examine the chemistry of carbene ligands bonded to multi-metal systems (clusters), and enhancing involvement of underrepresented minorities in STEM disciplines at Illinois State. The proposed studies are critical to the future use of these clusters in applications such as catalysis. Professor Szczepura and students will develop new methods for these clusters containing stabilizing carbenes. In addition to developing new methods, there is an interest in determining the impact of these clusters in yielding novel light-emitting materials. In addition, Professor Szczepura will engage in training and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, running a STEM fair for underrepresented minorities on campus, and administering a program aimed at improving the success rate of underrepresented students in the sciences.Synthetic methodologies will be developed for the preparation of hexanuclear rhenium selenide and molybdenum chloride clusters containing N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands. The impact the NHCs have on the physical properties and small molecule activation of these cluster cores will be of primary interest. This award will also allow for an exploration into the viability of isolating supraoctahedral clusters containingthe more reactive Fischer and Schrock carbenes. Since the clusters with molybdenum and rhenium cores typically display interesting photophysical properties, the proposed research will enable these clusters to be adapted for applications such as sensors and luminescent materials.