CAREER: Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of Iron-Functionalized Polyoxovanadate-Alkoxide Clusters for the Activation of Small Molecules

职业生涯：铁官能化多钒酸盐-醇盐簇合物的合成、表征和反应活性在考虑到当今社会面临的全球挑战时，确保未来能源资源的问题尤为突出。随着化石燃料的枯竭，化学家们将重点转向研究获得替代能源和生产化学品的合成方法。制定这种可持续和可再生战略的一个核心挑战是将二氧化碳和氮气等丰富但不具活性的分子转化为满足社会需求的有用化学品。在自然界中，这些丰富的分子的转化是通过多金属组件来完成的，这些组件共享和转移进行有用的化学反应所需的电子。受这些系统的启发，马特森博士正在研究金属氧化物团簇和过渡金属之间的电子相互作用。这个项目的目标是了解过渡金属如何协同工作，以调解化学污染物强键的多电子激活。马特森博士在罗切斯特积极参与了一系列外展活动，这是她之前化学教师培训的基础。这些活动旨在通过示范增加对青年学生的接触，并培训教师更有效地与学生交流，从而改进向青年学生传播科学知识。在美国国家科学基金会化学部化学合成计划的资助下，马特森博士和她的研究小组正在研究一类铁官能化的多氧钒酸-醇盐簇合物的合成和反应性。这些六核、多金属、Lindqvist原子簇具有丰富的氧化还原化学，使它们成为与小分子(如CO2)活化相关的多电子转换的理想中介平台。氮气、氮氧化物等)。除了建立一种通用的合成路线来获得铁官能化的多钒酸盐-醇盐簇合物外，马特森博士还致力于通过化学计量氧化还原反应来理解这些非局域体系的电子性质。这些研究工作正在产生一类独特的金属配体，以支持使用第一排过渡金属中心的多电子转换；重点是金属氧化物骨架作为氧化还原活性储存库的能力。马特森博士积极参与多项外展活动，旨在促进向年轻学生传播科学内容。马特森实验室正在进行的研究和推广活动将对社区内的化学教育和研究产生重大的更广泛的影响。

CAREER: Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of Iron-Functionalized Polyoxovanadate-Alkoxide Clusters for the Activation of Small MoleculesIn considering the global challenges society faces today, the issue of securing future energy resources is particularly conspicuous. As fossil fuels are depleted, chemists have turned their focus to investigating synthetic methods for obtaining alternative energy resources and producing chemicals. A central challenge to developing such sustainable and renewable strategies is the conversion of abundant, yet unreactive, molecules such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen into useful chemicals that meet societal needs. In Nature, the conversion of these abundant molecules is accomplished by multi-metal assemblies that share and transfer the electrons required to carry out the useful chemical reactions. Drawing inspiration from these systems, Dr. Matson is investigating the electronic interactions between metal-oxide clusters and transition metals. The goal of this project is to understand how transition metals work cooperatively to mediate the multi-electron activation of the strong bonds of chemical pollutants. Dr. Matson is actively engaged in a number of outreach activities in Rochester, building upon her previous training as a chemistry teacher. These events are designed to improve the dissemination of scientific knowledge to young students by increasing exposure through demonstrations and training teachers to be more effective in their communication with students. With funding from the Chemical Synthesis Program of the Chemistry Division of the National Science Foundation, Dr. Matson and her research group are investigating the synthesis and reactivity of a family of iron-functionalized polyoxovandate-alkoxide clusters. These hexanuclear, multi-metallic, Lindqvist clusters possess rich redox chemistry, making them ideal platforms for the mediation of multi-electron transformations pertinent to the activation of small molecules (e.g. CO2. N2, NOx, etc.). In addition to establishing a general synthetic route to access iron-functionalized polyoxovanadate-alkoxide clusters, Dr. Matson is working to develop an understanding of the electronic properties of these delocalized systems through stoichiometric redox reactivity. These research efforts are generating a unique class of metalloligands to support multi-electron transformations using first-row transition metal centers; with a focus on the ability of the metal-oxide framework to serve as a redox-active reservoir. Dr. Matson is actively engaged in multiple outreach initiatives targeted at facilitating dissemination of scientific content to young students. The research and outreach initiatives ongoing in the Matson Lab will lead to significant broader impacts on chemistry education and research within the community.