Expanding Reductive Chemistry and Oxidation State Diversity within the Synthetic Chemistry of the Rare-Earth Metals

加州大学欧文分校的William J. Evans教授得到了美国国家科学基金会化学部化学合成项目的支持。本研究涉及稀土元素的化学反应。稀土元素由于具有多种技术用途，已被指定为重要的国家资源。它们在磁学和量子计算中非常重要，这些技术具有广泛的潜在应用前景。该项目还寻求应用，包括开发最小，最有效的磁铁，称为单分子磁铁。此外，学生在使用和应用战略资源的训练。该项目的一个组成部分还包括一项面向初中和高中的推广计划，让学生了解稀土元素、它们的应用以及科学研究的价值。镨（II）、钆（II）、铽（II）、钬（II）、铒（II）和镥（II）的化学性质正在被探索，以评估它们意想不到的4fn5d1电子构型可能引起的特殊化学反应。这些电子构型不同于传统的镧系金属的+2氧化态（4fn+1结构），可以形成新的基本类型的氧化还原化学的基础。新的稀土离子钇（II） （4d1构型）的化学性质也正在研究中以作比较。合成了一系列新的+2离子配合物，研究了它们的反应性、磁性和光谱性质。由于这些化合物是光活性双自由基，它们在合成、磁性和小分子活化方面提供了有趣的新选择。在其他应用中，人们正在追求量子比特的发展。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Professor William J. Evans at the University of California, Irvine, is supported by the Chemical Synthesis Program of the Chemistry Division at NSF. This research addresses chemical reactions of rare-earth elements. Rare-earth elements have been designated critical national resources due to their many technological applications. They are important in magnetism and quantum computing - technologies that have broad potential applications. The project also pursues applications including the development of the smallest, most efficient, magnets, called single-molecule magnets. In addition, students are trained in the use and applications of strategic resources. A component of the project also involves an outreach program to middle and high schools to expose students to rare earths elements, their applications, and the value of scientific research. The chemistry of praseodymium(II), gadolinium(II), terbium(II), holmium(II), erbium(II), and lutetium(II), is being explored to evaluate the special chemical reactions that can arise from their unexpected 4fn5d1 electron configurations. These electron configurations differ from traditional +2 oxidation states of the lanthanide metals (4fn+1 configurations) and could form the basis for new fundamental types of redox chemistry. The chemistry of the new rare earth ion, yttrium(II) (4d1 configuration) is also being studied for comparison. New series of complexes of these +2 ions are synthesized and their reactivity and magnetic and spectroscopic properties are investigated. As these compounds are photoactive diradicals, they present intriguing new options in synthesis, magnetism, and small molecule activation. Among other applications, the development of quantum bits, or qubits, is being pursued.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.