RUI: Anionic Multitopic N-Heterocyclic Carbenes: Building Blocks for Molecular and Supramolecular Architectures

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The Chemical Synthesis program of the Chemistry Division supports Professor Daniela Tapu from Kennesaw State University to investigate the synthesis and characterization of a series of rigid ligands that are designed to support multimetallic complexes and supramolecular cages. This project challenges conventional models of chemical bonding and structure. Understanding the relationship between molecular architecture, electronic structure and chemical reactivity of these new compounds may allow the development of more efficient homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts, and may lead to strategies to facilitate their recovery. This research has the potential to positively impact both the catalysis industry and academic research. Broader impacts include the training and mentoring of undergraduate and M.S. students including students from lower income families and groups traditionally underrepresented in the STEM disciplines.This project targets a pallet of novel rigid anionic multitopic non-chelating N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) that can be applied in coordination chemistry and catalysis. These carbenes function as building blocks for a series of zwitterionic bi- and tri-metallic complexes, as well as metallosupramolecular systems, novel architectures that are not accessible with the current NHC ligands. Central to these tasks are the development of new synthetic methodologies and strategies to facilitate the synthesis of the target molecules and the evaluation of their catalytic properties. The proposed work will provide broad-based student training from developing synthetic methods to access the targeted carbenes and their complexes to characterizing their physical and electronic structures, to studying their reactivities.