MRI: Acquisition of a Single Crystal X-ray Diffractometer as a Regional Resource for Research and Education

该奖项由主要研究仪器项目和化学研究仪器项目支持。孟菲斯大学正在购买一台配备铜源的单晶X射线衍射仪，以支持赵轩教授、查尔斯·加纳教授、蒂莫西·布鲁斯特教授、肯莎·克拉克教授以及其他同事。通常，X射线衍射仪可以准确和精确地测量分子的完整三维结构，包括键距离和角度，并提供关于分子相对于邻近分子的空间排列的准确信息。这里描述的研究影响到许多领域，包括有机化学和无机化学、材料化学和生物化学。该仪器是该机构在化学、生物化学和其他工程领域的本科生和研究生的教学和科研培训的组成部分。此外，衍射仪对孟菲斯大学的教学和培训、外展活动和本科生研究以及阿肯色州立大学、阿肯色州中央大学和罗兹学院等主要本科机构(PUI)的地区合作伙伴都有广泛的影响。授予X射线衍射仪的目的是加强各级研究和教育。通过开发具有氧化还原活性配体的催化剂，以活化氢和二氧化碳等小分子，从而改进商品和工业化学品的合成，该仪器带来的科学成果提供了相关的社会效益。该仪器还用于表征基于过渡金属的受阻Lewis对，用于涉及甲烷等小分子的活化和催化转化，并用于探索用于电子转移和合作催化反应的双核金属络合物的基本性质。此外，它还有利于烯烃加氢反应催化剂的制备，以及制氢过程中催化中间体的结构表征。衍射仪还用于表征生物活性分子的结构构象，并用于研究环低聚乳酸与具有生物意义的金属离子的主客体化学。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award is supported by the Major Research Instrumentation and the Chemistry Research Instrumentation programs. The University of Memphis is acquiring a single crystal X-ray diffractometer equipped with a copper source to support Professors Xuan Zhao, Charles Garner, Timothy Brewster, Kensha Clark, as well as other colleagues. In general, an X-ray diffractometer allows accurate and precise measurements of the full three-dimensional structure of a molecule, including bond distances and angles, and provides accurate information about the spatial arrangement of a molecule relative to neighboring molecules. The studies described here impact many areas, including organic and inorganic chemistry, materials chemistry and biochemistry. This instrument is an integral part of teaching as well as research and research training of undergraduate and graduate students in chemistry, biochemistry and other engineering fields at this institution. In addition, the diffractometer has broad impact on teaching and training, outreach activities, and undergraduate research at the University of Memphis as well as regional partners from primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) such as those from Arkansas State University, University of Central Arkansas and Rhodes College.The award of the X-ray diffractometer is aimed at enhancing research and education at all levels. The science enabled by this instrument provides relevant societal benefits through the development of catalysts with redox-active ligands for activation of small molecules such as hydrogen and carbon dioxide which improve the synthesis of commodity and industrial chemicals. The instrumentation is also used for the characterization of transition metal-based frustrated Lewis pairs for activation and catalytic transformations involving small molecules like methane, and in the exploration of fundamental properties of binuclear metal complexes used for electron-transfer and cooperative catalysis reactions. In addition, it benefits preparation of catalysts for alkene hydrogenation reactions, and the structural characterization of catalytic intermediates during hydrogen production. The diffractometer is also used to characterize the structural conformations of biologically active molecules, and for studying host-guest chemistry of cyclic oligo-lactic acid with metal ions of biological significance.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.