The Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry Program supports the research of Jason A. Halfen, Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, investigating non-heme iron(IV) complexes for synthetically and biologically significant reactions. These non-heme complexes consist of oxorion(IV) and imidoiron(IV) centers bonded to 1,4,8-trimethylcyclam-based frameworks with variable pendant groups (i.e., new pentadentate ligands). The identity and bonding properties of the pendant groups may correlate with the geometry, stability, and reactivity of the resultant iron complexes and influence C-N bond formation in metal-mediated olefin aziridination reactions. These catalytic reactions produce target molecules useful to the pharmaceutical industry. Research students at this primarily undergraduate institution participate in every aspect of the synthesis, characterization and reactivity studies, working in interdisciplinary teams with collaborators from the University of Minnesota.
