Events in inorganic chemistry.

Student-Invited Inorganic Chemistry Seminar: Between Layered Solids and 2D Materials: Synthesis-Driven Exploration of the Functional Properties of MAX Phases and MXenes

My group is routed in solid state and materials chemistry but draws inspiration from research challenges in the context of polymers/advanced manufacturing, physics as well as energy and ceramics technologies. Carbides and nitrides are a fantastic platform to develop sustainable and innovative synthesis strategies as well as explore their physicochemical and functional properties. Within that space, we focus on layered solids and two-dimensional materials that belong to the large – and growing – families of MAX phases and MXenes.

Mn(III) trihalides: missing high-potential oxidants and useful reagents in benzylic C–H functionalization and stereoselective alkene dihalogenation

CrCl3 and FeCl3 are stable, useful compounds. So, where is MnCl3? Seeded by this curiosity, my research focuses on a class of manganese compounds that have historically been inaccessible due to their instability: Mn(III) tri-halide and tri-pseudohalide complexes. We found the instability arises from an unusual electronic structure and their extremely high one-electron reduction potentials. Nature leverages these properties in processes such as photosynthesis, microbial metabolism, and the oxidative degradation of organic matter.

Mechanism-Guided Approach to Late First-Row Transition Metal Catalysis

This presentation highlights two complementary, mechanism-guided approaches to advancing catalytic transformations. The first centers on constructing electronic structure-reactivity relationship in metal–ligand multiple-bond systems. Specifically, we investigated two series of square-planar metal nitrenoid complexes spanning various oxidation states, where systematic modulation of metal–ligand covalency tunes spin-density distribution at the metal–nitrogen fragment and directly governs hydrogen-atom transfer reactivity.

Rational Design of Molecularly Inspired Electrocatalysts for Energy and Environmental Applications

The Villagrán group at UTEP addresses challenges in energy and environmental chemistry by developing advanced synthetic techniques to create novel materials at the molecular, surface, and nanoparticle levels. This talk will explore the rational design of molecular electrocatalysts for water oxidation, focusing on mechanistic studies of metal-free organic macrocycles such as porphyrins and phthalocyanines.

Crystal Growth of New Transuranic Phases using High Temperature Solutions and a Low-Temperature Route for the Preparation of Monazite-type Materials

Our interest in finding suitable waste forms for the effective immobilization of minor actinides in persistent architectures has led us to explore the molten salt syntheses of Np, Pu, and Am containing materials to study their crystal chemistry.  This effort has resulted in several new neptunium, plutonium, and americium containing phases including K3Am(PO4)2, K3AmSi2O7, Ba3Am2(BO<

Applications of Bimetallic Cooperativity in Early/Late Heterobimetallic Compounds to Bond Activation and Catalysis

The formation and cleavage of chemical bonds in catalytic reactions relies on accessible redox processes that are often challenging for base metals such as first row and early transition metals. Bimetallic cooperativity provides a potential solution to this challenge. Leveraging dinucleating phosphinoamide ligands, a series of early/late heterobimetallic Zr/Co compounds have been synthesized and investigated. These frameworks have been shown to support metal-metal multiple bonds and facilitate redox and small molecule application processes.

Organometallic Strategies for the Reduction of CO2 to CO, Methanol, and More

The conversion of carbon dioxide to fuels is a promising approach to sustainable energy storage. Selective and efficient reduction of CO2 to fuels (or fuel precursors) relies on advanced catalysts. Guided by the detailed mechanistic insights available from studies of molecular catalysts, we are developing broad strategies and structural design principles for CO2 reduction reactions. Selective CO generation is accomplished with ruthenium and iron complexes that pair a redox-active supporting ligand with a strongly donating ligand featuring an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC).

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