9601048 Meyer This award, for a duration of three years, partially supports a cooperative research activity between Dr. Thomas J. Meyer of the Department of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina and Dr. F. Richard Keene of the Department of Molecular Sciences at James Cook University of North Queensland. The funds will primarily be used to support the travel expenses yearly for two graduate students from the University of North Carolina to spend two months in Dr. Keene's laboratory. The project focus is the design, preparation and exploitation of molecular systems which take advantage of new techniques developed at James Cook University. The new synthetic methodology allows the preparation of ruthenium complexes incorporating three different bidentate ligands. Using separate and overlapping electronic transitions involving each of the three ligands, molecules will be developed which absorb light from the UV through the visible and into the near-infrared. The collaborative development of novel chromatographic protocols will allow the preparation of molecular assemblies incorporating these antenna chromophores and energy transfer quenchers in a spatially defined manner, with an eye toward practicality in light to chemical energy conversion. The collaboration builds upon the expertise of Dr. Keene's laboratory which has developed synthetic techniques utilized in the manipulation of isomeric octahedral complexes and the North Carolina group under Dr. Meyer with expertise in molecular design and photophysical characterization. The combination of the two group's strengths should contribute to advances in understanding the conversion of light to chemical energy. The work in Australia is supported through the Department of Industry, Science and Tourism (DIST).
