Cationic boranes - Synthesis, reduction, and generation of radicals

Francois P Gabbai博士，德克萨斯农工大学化学系，由无机、生物无机和有机金属化学项目资助，研究阳离子硼烷的合成、电化学和还原成中性自由基。更具体地说，将制备具有吡啶、吖啶、铵、磷和磺胺基团的单官能团和双官能团阳离子硼烷。对这些化合物进行还原，以确定硼烷的阳离子性质是否有助于降低其还原电位并增加所产生自由基的稳定性。不寻常的键基，包括单电子硼-硼sigma键和π键，将在实验和理论上进行研究。这些研究应该揭示硼烷的阳离子性质如何影响它们的氧化能力。这项研究将促进对主要族元素成键的基本认识。本研究制备的化合物将是强氧化剂，并有望在有机化合物的氧化中得到应用。研究生、本科生和博士后将在合成无机化学领域获得优秀的培训和研究经验。

Dr. Francois P Gabbai, Chemistry Department, Texas A&M University, is supported by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry Program to explore the synthesis of cationic boranes, their electrochemistry and their reduction into neutral radicals. More specifically, monofunctional and bifunctional cationic boranes featuring pyridinium, acridinium, ammonium, phosphonium and sulfonium moieties will be prepared. These compounds with be reduced to determine if the cationic character of the boranes serves to decrease their reduction potential and increase the stability of the resulting radicals. Unusual unusual bonding motifs including one-electron boron-boron sigma and pi bonds will be investigated both experimentally and theoretically. These studies should reveal how the cationic nature of the boranes influences their oxidative power. This research will advance the fundamental understanding of the bonding of the main group elements. The compounds produced in this study will be strong oxidants and applications in the oxidation of organic compounds are anticipated. Graduate students, undergraduate students and postdoctoral associates will receive excellent training and research experiences in forefront synthetic inorganic chemistry.