The technique of X-ray crystallography is a powerful tool for the determination of the molecular structure of compounds as diverse as small polypeptides and complex metal clusters. When combined with the latest computer software, the technique is becoming remarkably easy to put into practice. Access to X-ray crystallographic instrumentation markedly improves the ability of chemists to carry out frontier research. The Department of Chemistry at the University of Wyoming will use this award from the Chemical Instrumentation Program to help acquire an automated X-ray diffractometer. The areas of chemical research that will be enhanced by the acquisition are as follows: 1) Design and synthesis of binuclear manganese complexes 2) Design and synthesis of new inorganic clusters 3) Ligation properties of chelating fluoroalkylphosphines 4) Asymmetric alkylation of carbamate alpha-oxocarbanions 5) Vesicles derived from cleavable double-chain surfactant- based vesicles 6) Photooxidation of sulfur-containing protein.
