Dr. Steven Koch, Chemistry Department, SUNY at Stony Brook, is supported by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry Program of the Chemistry Division for studies into iron cyanide chemistry. Fe-CN synthetic chemistry, including the direct reaction chemistry of Fe(II) and Fe(III) with cyanide, will be developed with the objectives of exploring the chemistry of cis- and trans-[Fe(II,III)(CN)4L2]n-, preparing other Fe-CN complexes with monodentate ligands, and utilizing the large solvent effects on the redox potential of Fe-CN compounds to effect their reactivity with small molecules such as N2. Monomeric Fe-CN complexes will be used to form new 1-, 2- and 3-dimensional Prussian blue-like extended systems with controlled electronic, electrochemical and magnetic properties. Finally, the chemistry of Fe with CN- and nitric oxide (NO) ligands will be studied with respect to the in vitro and physiological reaction chemistry of nitroprusside.
Historically, iron-cyanide chemistry is the oldest, continuously studied area of transition metal inorganic chemistry, dating to the 1704 synthesis of Prussian blue. There is a current renaissance in transition metal cyanide chemistry in efforts to prepare Prussian blue-like extended structures and Prussian blue-like fragments. One driving force is the design and synthesis of new types of Fe-CN systems which are apt to exhibit such technologically important properties as single-molecule magnetism, electrochromism, photomagnetism and ion exchange and ion sensing materials. It is noted that Prussian blue has been approved as a "new" drug to be used for the treatment of radioactive contamination. Thus Fe-CN chemistry is currently under active investigation in medicinal, bioinorganic and materials chemistry. The project will serve to train graduate and undergraduate students, including women and underrepresented minorities. In addition, the PI will continue his efforts to promote the use of the Cambridge Structural Database in general chemistry and in advanced high school chemistry education.
