RUI - Supraoctahedral Rhenium and Molybdenum Clusters: N-Heterocyclic Carbenes and Exploration Into the Coordination of Fischer vs Schrock Carbenes

化学系化学合成(SYN)项目的这一奖项支持伊利诺伊州立大学的Lisa F.Szczepura教授的一个项目，该项目旨在研究卡宾配体与多金属系统(簇)结合的化学，并加强代表不足的少数族裔对伊利诺伊州STEM学科的参与。拟议的研究对于这些簇合物在催化等应用中的未来应用至关重要。Szczepura教授和学生们将为这些包含稳定卡宾的簇开发新的方法。除了开发新的方法外，人们还感兴趣的是确定这些团簇在生产新型发光材料方面的影响。此外，Szczepura教授将致力于培训和指导本科生和研究生，在校园内为代表不足的少数族裔举办STEM博览会，并管理一个旨在提高代表不足的学生在科学领域的成功率的计划。将开发合成方法来制备含有N-杂环卡宾(NHC)配体的六核硒化铍和氯化钼簇合物。NHC对这些团簇核心的物理性质和小分子活化的影响将是主要感兴趣的。该奖项还将允许探索分离包含活性更强的费希尔和施罗克卡宾的超八面体簇合物的可行性。由于具有钼和Re核的团簇通常显示出有趣的光物理性质，因此拟议的研究将使这些团簇能够适应传感器和发光材料等应用。

This award in the Chemical Synthesis (SYN) program in the Division of Chemistry supports a project by Professor Lisa F. Szczepura from Illinois State University to examine the chemistry of carbene ligands bonded to multi-metal systems (clusters), and enhancing involvement of underrepresented minorities in STEM disciplines at Illinois State. The proposed studies are critical to the future use of these clusters in applications such as catalysis. Professor Szczepura and students will develop new methods for these clusters containing stabilizing carbenes. In addition to developing new methods, there is an interest in determining the impact of these clusters in yielding novel light-emitting materials. In addition, Professor Szczepura will engage in training and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, running a STEM fair for underrepresented minorities on campus, and administering a program aimed at improving the success rate of underrepresented students in the sciences.Synthetic methodologies will be developed for the preparation of hexanuclear rhenium selenide and molybdenum chloride clusters containing N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands. The impact the NHCs have on the physical properties and small molecule activation of these cluster cores will be of primary interest. This award will also allow for an exploration into the viability of isolating supraoctahedral clusters containingthe more reactive Fischer and Schrock carbenes. Since the clusters with molybdenum and rhenium cores typically display interesting photophysical properties, the proposed research will enable these clusters to be adapted for applications such as sensors and luminescent materials.