Dr. Philip P. Power, Chemistry Department, University of California - Davis, is supported by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry Program, to study low valent compounds of group 13, 14, and 15 elements. Ortho-Terphenyl and related ligands will provide a protected cavity which will allow low coordinate metal species to exist under conditions where they would normally be unstable. Metal-metal bonded species will be formed from these complexes. The results are expected to support the emerging viewpoint that a lack of hybridization rather than inherently weak pi interactions is the primary reason multiple metal-metal bonding is rarely encountered in the heavier p-block metals. The systems will be explored by a range of physical techniques including x-ray diffraction, multinuclear and dynamic nmr, uv-visible, infrared, and epr spectroscopies.

The question of the nature of an element's chemical bonds is one of the most basic in chemistry. This project will probe the ability of aluminum, gallium, indium, germanium, tin, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony and bismuth to form double or triple bonds. In general these elements prefer single bonds, but in some cases can be induced to participate in multiple bonding. The results of the study will define the sorts of compounds these elements can form and will contribute to the design of, e.g., catalysts or advanced materials that are based on them.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Chemistry (CHE)
Application #
0094913
Program Officer
Joseph L. Templeton
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2001-02-01
Budget End
2004-07-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2000
Total Cost
$405,000
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Davis
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Davis
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
95618