Main Group Metallacarboranes and Metallaboranes: Chemistry in New Directions

Northern Illinois University, Dekalb IL

Investigators

Abstract

This award in the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry program supports research on the chemistry of main group metallacarboranes and metallaboranes by Professor Narayan Hosmane of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Northern Illinois University. The reactivity of the "carbons apart" tetracarba-nido-dodecaborane and fused [B22H22] anionic and [C2B22H22] cages with s-and p-block elements will be investigated. In particular, compounds resulting from reaction of Cs, Sr, Ba, Ga and In with these cages will be synthesized, and subjected to structural and theoretical studies. The ability of some of these cage compounds to extract Cs ion from aqueous solution will be determined, as will the extent of their versatility as synthons for the production of a variety of full and half-sandwich complexes containing main group, d-and f-block elements. The goal of this research is to produce a number of new and novel compounds containing cages of carbon and/or boron combined with heavy metals or semi-metals such as gallium and indium. These materials may find use in remediation by helping to reclaim cesium from radiactive wastes and as precursors in the formation of semiconductors, ceramics and catalysts. The students involved in this project, both graduate and undergraduate, will learn a breadth of synthetic and calculational skills and gain experience in the environmental and industrial applications of the work.