Dr. Guy Bertrand, Chemistry Department, University of California - Riverside, is supported by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry Program of the Chemistry Division for studies of stable, localized 1,3-diradicals based on boron and heavier main group elements. Recently some four-membered ring compounds containing alternating boron and phosphorus atoms have been shown to exist as singlet diradicals. This project aims to extend the range of such compounds that behave as diradicals and determine the factors that control the diradical character. Improved syntheses of PBPB diradicals will be devised to provide a range of compounds. These will be used to evaluate the influence of substituents on the relative energy and on the singlet/triplet gap of the diradicals. To increase the diradical character, singlet diradicals will be formed as extended oligomers. Finally, new families of diradicals based on boron, carbon, and other group 14 atoms will be sought. The synthetic investigations will be guided by theoretical predictions.
The availability of diradicals that can be handled under standard laboratory conditions will raise the likelihood of practical applications, such as conductive non-metallic materials. Additionally, this project is at the interface between physical, organic and inorganic chemistry and is therefore well suited to the education of scientists at all levels. Reflecting the University of California - Riverside's classification as a minority serving institution, a diverse student body will be involved in the project. This research will also promote collaborative research and the exchange of undergraduates, graduates and postdoctoral fellows between UC Riverside and several French universities.
