With this award from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities Multiuser Program (CRIF:MU), Professor Marsha I. Lester will acquire an X-ray diffractometer to be used by many users in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania as well as by some researchers from neighboring institutions. The main research projects that will benefit from this award are in areas of synthesis, catalysis, and materials. Examples involve NHC-carbene catalyzed reactions, peptide synthesis, design, characterization of organic cages that bind xenon with high affinity which are useful for biological imaging, identification of asymmetric organic compounds and perylenequinone natural products, polyborane compounds, asymmetric catalysis, and mechanistic investigations. The diffractometer will also be used in outreach activities involving K12 students and teachers as well as undergraduate and graduate students.
An X-ray diffractometer allows accurate and precise measurements of the full three dimensional structure of a molecule, including bond distances and angles, and provides accurate information about the spatial arrangement of a molecule relative to neighboring molecules. The studies described here will impact a number of areas, including chemistry, materials chemistry and biochemistry. This instrument will be an integral part of teaching as well as research.
