Resesarch Initiation Award: Investigating the Structure, Bonding and Reactivity of Metal-ethylene Complexes using Infrared Laser Spectroscopy

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The Historically Black Colleges and Universities-Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) Research Initiation Awards (RIAs) provide support to STEM faculty at HBCUs including junior faculty who are starting to build a research program and mid-career faculty returning to the faculty ranks after holding an administrative post or who need to redirect and rebuild a research program. Faculty members may pursue research at their home institution, at an NSF-funded Center, at a research intensive institution or at a national laboratory. The RIA projects are expected to help further the faculty member's research capability and effectiveness, to improve research and teaching at his or her home institution, and to involve undergraduate students in research experiences. With support from the National Science Foundation, the University of The Virgin Islands (UVI) will conduct research and enhance its Physical Chemistry curriculum, which will aid in enhancing UVI's research capabilities and the educational experiences of undergraduates. The goal of the project is to increase the retention and graduation rates of undergraduate students in STEM at UVI by involving them in world-class, pioneering scientific research. The combined research and educational efforts are expected to expand the participation of groups underrepresented in STEM and support the nation's efforts in building a robust STEM workforce.The goal of this project is to study transition metal-ethylene cations of the form TM(C2H4)n+ using infrared photo-dissociation spectroscopy and computational chemistry. Findings from this project will provide insight into the bonding, structure, coordination and reactivity of TM(C2H4)n+ complexes. These species are key intermediates and products in reactions that are important to both the chemical industry and fundamental science. This knowledge can facilitate the exposition of reaction mechanisms and provide the first spectroscopic evidence for cyclization and oligomerization reactions of these species in the gas phase. This project will offer early immersion in innovative scientific research for undergraduate students. Research will be conducted at the University of Georgia during the summer and continue at UVI during the school year.