Dual station inert atmosphere glovebox for the preparation of group 4 and lanthanide complexes for catalysis

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Early transition metals, such as titanium as well as lanthanide metals (found at the bottom of the periodic table) are very reactive metals that are known to promote challenging bond-forming reactions.  However, because they are so reactive, they can be difficult to work with and as a consequence, they are frequently overlooked as important metals for the development of new industrially relevant catalysts.  Our research group has initiated a research program that is developing a new family of easily varied catalysts, amidate complexes, that are quickly assembled from commercially available starting materials.  To date, we have established that titanium and zirconium complexes of these easily prepared systems display unparalleled reactivity in the selective formation of C-N bonds.  The efficient synthesis of C-N bonds immediately relevant to the pharmaceutical industry, as many medicinally active target molecules contain N.  On-going work continues to explore the potential application of this class of complexes for the selective catalytic synthesis of C-C bonds as well as the preparation of C-N bonds from nitrogen gas.  One of the challenges of working with these metals is their reactivity with atmospheric moisture and oxygen.  The compounds we make cannot be exposed to air.  To continue our internationally recognized research program, our group of approximately 10 researchers urgently requires a glovebox.  This specialized box allows the researcher to work under a non-reactive (inert) atmostphere, such as argon.  We can use this glovebox, in combination with specialized air-sensitive handling techniques (Schlenk techniques) to continue developing the exciting chemistry of this new class of complexes.  Unfortunately, at present we do not have adequate access to glovebox space to continue these investigations efficiently.  Securing adequate funds for the purchase of a new glovebox for the laboratory will immediately improve the experimental resources of all the researchers in the Schafer group (undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral level trainees).