Exploring the Molecular Chemistry of Selenium and Tellurium

元素硒和碲有广泛的工业和消费应用，从太阳能电池生产和钢铁制造到去屑洗发水。自然界已经进化出复杂的酶，其中硒是控制生化反应的关键成分，使其成为必需的微量营养素。与其在生物学中的重要作用相比，重硫在人造化学品中的使用落后于磷和硫等其他常见元素。鉴于新发现的巨大潜力，硒和碲（被称为“重硫元素”）正被越来越多地研究以寻找新的应用。2015年，加拿大是全球第四大稀土元素生产国，这进一步激励了人们探索这些元素的化学性质。

The elements selenium and tellurium have a wide range of industrial and consumer applications, from solar cell production and steel manufacture to anti-dandruff shampoos. Nature has evolved complex enzymes featuring selenium as a critical component in controlling biochemical reactions, making it an essential micronutrient. In contrast to its valuable role in biology, the use of the heavy chalcogens in man-made chemicals lags behind other common elements such as phosphorus and sulfur. Given this high potential for new discoveries, selenium and tellurium (known as the "heavy chalcogens") are being increasingly researched to find new applications. In 2015, Canada was the fourth-largest producer of these elements in the world, providing further incentive to explore the chemistry of these elements. The proposed research program will conduct investigations into the chemistry of new heavy chalcogen-containing ligands, which are molecules or ions that bind to metals. Studies of this nature exist in the literature, but they are relatively sparse, and often there is not enough data to correlate the structure of the ligands with their activity of the resulting metal complexes. We aim to prepare a library of related ligands, and systematically investigate their structure-activity relationships to establish protocols for the future rationale design of molecular metal complexes. The work will generate new discoveries of the fundamental chemistry of these ligands, which in turn will allow them to be incorporated into compounds with real-world applicability, such as catalysts for production of fine chemicals or pharmaceuticals, or improved light-harvesting materials. Training of highly-qualified personnel (HQP) will be of paramount importance in this study. 64% of the budget is dedicated to wages and stipends for a number of undergraduate and graduate student HQP, who will conduct this research and in turn learn valuable transferable skills. Developing strong research, communication, and problem-solving skills will allow them to transition to in-demand careers in government, academia, and industry.