The Experimental Physical Chemistry program supports the collaborative research projects of Professor Leah O'Brien at Southern Illinois University and Professor James O'Brien at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. The O'Briens and their students will use high-resolution electronic spectroscopy to study platinum- and palladium-containing radicals in the gas phase. Absorption spectra will be obtained using an intracavity laser spectrometer located at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. Visible and near-infrared emission spectra will be recorded using the Fourier transform emission spectrometer at the Kitt Peak McMath-Pierce Solar Observatory. These high-resolution spectroscopic studies will be complemented by theoretical calculations to understand the details of the electronic structure and bonding in the transition metal systems. These species are characterized by open shell structures, which give rise to a host of interactions between nuclear, electronic, vibrational, and rotational degrees of freedom. The work will lead to a deeper understanding of metal-ligand interactions and potentially provide insight on metal-catalyzed reactions. This collaborative project between researchers at a primarily undergraduate institution and a major research university will train undergraduate and MS level graduate students in the techniques of contemporary experimental and theoretical spectroscopy. The project also contains an outreach program that will allow talented high school students to participate in the research.
