Low oxidation state main group chemistry

这项建议中概述的研究计划涉及几个新的无机试剂家族的开发和研究。尤其是，这项研究侧重于主族的化学，其中包括元素周期表中的S块和p块元素。尽管这些元素是许多重要材料(如半导体砷化镓)和化合物(如磷酸盐)的组成部分，与有机化学或过渡金属化学相比，许多含有这类元素的分子的化学仍然知之甚少。我们的研究包括合成新的主族化合物，以及通过使用计算化学对化学物种和反应进行准确的模拟。目标化合物由新的化学类别组成，这些化学物质含有氧化状态和配位数异常低的主族元素。具有非常低的氧化态的原子的化合物是富含电子的，通常是高活性的。我们已经找到了调节化合物的反应活性的方法，使它们稳定到足以被分离，但仍具有所需的反应特性。我们的化合物允许方便地合成许多用传统方法难以或不可能制成的化合物，我们努力使用我们的新试剂来获得许多前所未有的化学物质。我们还将探索我们的试剂(及其衍生的化学物质)作为形成新的或重要材料的前体的用途。尤其重要的是我们对由磷和其他主族元素组成的新聚合物(塑料)的研究；这些材料的性能将与传统塑料有很大不同。除了它们的合成用途外，所研究的化合物将为主族元素的化学基础方面提供许多新的见解。这些研究提供的理解构成了合理设计和开发主族化合物衍生的化学品和材料所必需的基础。

The research program outlined in this proposal entails the development and investigation of several new families of inorganic reagents.  In particular, this research is focused on the chemistry of the main group, which includes the elements of the s- and p-blocks of the periodic table.  Although these elements are components in many important materials (e.g. the semi-conductor gallium arsenide) and chemical compounds (e.g. phosphates), the chemistry of these many of the molecules containing such elements remains poorly understood in comparison to those of organic chemistry or transition metal chemistry.     Our studies include both the synthesis of new main group compounds and the accurate modeling of chemical species and reactions through the use of computational chemistry.  The target compounds consist of new classes of chemicals that contain main group elements in unusually low oxidation states and coordination numbers.  Compounds containing atoms in very low oxidation states are electron-rich and are typically highly reactive.  We have found ways to mediate the reactivity of our compounds so that they are stable enough to be isolated yet still possess the desired reactivity characteristics.  Our compounds allow for the convenient synthesis of many compounds that are difficult or impossible to make using traditional methods and we endeavour to use our new reagents to obtain many unprecedented types of chemicals.  We will also explore the utility of our reagents (and chemicals derived from them) as precursors for the formation of new or important materials.  Of particular importance are our investigations of new polymers (plastics) that are composed of phosphorus and other main group elements instead of carbon; these materials will have properties that are much different than conventional plastics.  In addition to their synthetic utility, the compounds studied will provide many new insights into the fundamental aspects of the chemistry of the main group elements.  The understanding provided by such studies form the foundation necessary for the rational design and development of chemicals and materials derived from main group compounds.