Chemistry and Forensic Science Colloquium
Small molecule activation and catalysis using highly unsaturated metal complexes

As part of the School of Science and Technology Chemistry and Forensic Science Colloquium Deborah Kays, University of Nottingham presents: Small molecule activation and catalysis using highly unsaturated metal complexes.
- From: Wednesday 13 November 2019, 1 pm
- To: Wednesday 13 November 2019, 2 pm
- Location: CTLP05+06, Clifton Teaching and Learning Building, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Campus, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS
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Event details
As part of the School of Science and Technology Chemistry and Forensic Science Colloquium Deborah Kays, University of Nottingham presents: Small molecule activation and catalysis using highly unsaturated metal complexes.
Abstract
The use of sterically demanding ligands can allow the isolation of highly unsaturated complexes that show unusual bonding and reactivity towards small molecules. Our research group are particularly interested in the use of m-terphenyl ligands (2,6-Ar2C6H3–), the steric bulk of which can be conveniently manipulated by changing the flanking Ar substituents. Low-coordinate iron(II) complexes featuring these ligands react with carbon monoxide, cleaving the CO bond to afford novel squaraines through selective homologation at ambient temperature and pressure. Combined spectroscopic, structural and theoretical investigations have allowed us to postulate a mechanism for this reaction.
We are also investigating the use of these transition metal complexes as precatalysts for a growing number of chemical reactions, such as cyclotrimerisation and hydrophosphination of isocyanates . This reactivity affords phosphinodicarboxamides products through a combination of isocyanate coupling and P–H addition. Dehydrocoupling reactions between lowcoordinate manganese(II) precatalysts and dimethylamine-borane highlight the importance of ligand choice, as small changes in the coordination environment around the metal centre can lead to significant differences in the reaction pathways. These and other recent investigations of small molecule activation and catalysis using coordinatively unsaturated complexes will be described.
Location details
Room/Building:
Address:
Clifton Campus
Clifton Lane
Nottingham
NG11 8NS
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