James Boncella (University of Florida) is supported by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry Program for his work with early transition metal imido/amido compounds. The presence of several pi donors in the coordination sphere and the two electron change between M(IV) and M(VI), where M= Mo or W, provide an opportunity for unusual reactivity. Complexes such as (N,N-bis(trimethylsilyl)-o-phenylenediamide)M(=NPh)(arene) show olefin polymerization and hydrogenation activity. The arylimido and -amido ligands will be modified to determine the effects on bonding and reactivity, particularly oxidative addition. The complexes will also be used to model hydrodesulfurization using sulfur-containing substrates such as thiophene and hydrodeoxygenation chemistry using oxygenated aromatics.
This fundamental study will explore the effects of subtle changes in a metal complex. Study of these organometallic species may lead to a new understanding of industrial processes such as olefin polymerization, hydrogenation, hydrodesulfurization and hydrodeoxygenation.
