Compounds of the metals copper, silver, gold, nickel, palladium and platinum are very important catalysts and are becoming increasingly important as solids with desirable magnetic or electrical properties. This research project, the focus of which is the synthesis and characterization of new compounds of these metals, is expected to result in new catalysts and interesting new solid materials, such as one-dimensional conductors. The research may also provide a better understanding of the metal-sulfur clusters in enzymes and of the way in which gold binds to biological tissues. The influence of transition metal ions and ligand bonding on the structure and reactivity of coordination compounds broadly describes this work. In particular, the focus will be on transition metal compounds primarily of the nickel and copper triad elements which contain sulfur and ylide ligands. Specific studies of importance relate to M-M, C-S, S-S and M-S bond formation and rupture, and the properties of the transition-metal organometallic species produced. Structural studies using X-ray crystallography form an important part of this work. Of special interest in this proposal is the development of new understanding concerning the role of a second metal center in influencing the oxidative-addition, reductive-elimination reaction chemistries at metal centers with 8, 9 or 10 d-electrons. The addition of small molecules across the M-M bond also is to be explored. The new heterotrimetallic species containing a linear Au.....Pt.....Au arrangement will receive special study due to its oxidation properties and linear stacked arrangement in the solid state.
