Discovering and developing new chemistry for phosphorus, arsenic, antimony and bismuth

新材料、催化剂和药物的发现和开发依赖于对分子结合方式（结构和化学键）以及分子与其他化合物反应方式（化学反应性）的基本理解。由于碳元素在生命功能中的直接重要性，一个巨大的碳化学数据库是可用的。然而，相比之下，其他元素的化学性质是肤浅的。在有效的无机药物、新型聚合物材料和新型电子材料的发现中，烟原元素（磷、砷、锑和铋）的重要性日益显现，这需要对它们的基础化学有透彻和全面的了解。我们正在研究制备或合成含有P、As、Sb或Bi的新型重要分子的高效和有效的途径，在这些分子中，烟原中心表现出不寻常的局部结构，参与新的连接，或提供具有新的光谱、物理或反应性的材料。我们正在为致烟原的基础化学建立新的方向，我们的研究项目正在改变化学家们对非金属元素化学的一般看法。烟原是特别有趣的元素，因为它们通常容纳一对孤电子，但同时可以携带一个正电荷。在这种情况下，我们正在发展富电子的烟原中心作为刘易斯受体的配位化学。我们2006-2010年研究计划的目标是合成和表征具有代表性的化合物：1)发展烟原阳离子刘易斯受体的配位化学。2)第一链多磷阳离子的合成与表征是磷化学研究的新方向。3)富电子烟原Lewis受体络合物衍生扩展体系的制备。

Discovery and development of new materials, catalysts and pharmaceuticals relies on the fundamental understanding of the way in which molecules are held together (structure and chemical bonding) and the way they react with other compounds (chemical reactivity).  An enormous database is available for the chemistry of carbon due to the direct importance of this element in life functions.  However, the chemistry of other elements is superficially developed in comparison.  The emerging importance of the pnictogen elements (phosphorus, arsenic, antimony and bismuth) in the discovery of effective inorganic pharmaceuticals, novel polymeric materials and new electronic materials, requires a thorough and comprehensive understanding of their fundamental chemistry.  We are investigating efficient and effective preparative or synthetic routes to new, fundamentally important molecules containing P, As, Sb or Bi, in which the pnictogen center exhibits an unusual local structure, is engaged in a new connectivity, or provides materials with new, spectroscopic, physical or reactivity properties. We are establishing new directions in the fundamental chemistry of the pnictogens and our research program is changing the way in which chemists consider the chemistry of the non-metal elements in general.  The pnictogens are especially interesting elements as they typically accommodate a lone pair of electrons, but can simultaneously carry a positive charge.  In this context, we are developing the coordination chemistry of electron-rich pnictogen centers as Lewis acceptors. The objectives of our research programs for 2006-2010 are the synthesis and characterization of compounds that represent: 1) Development of the coordination chemistry of pnictogen cation Lewis acceptors. 2) The synthesis and characterization of the first catena-polyphosphorus cations as a fundamental new direction in phosphorus chemistry. 3)  The preparation of extended systems derived from complexes of electron-rich pnictogen Lewis acceptors.