Purchase of a CCD-equipped X-ray diffractometer

University Of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln NE

Investigators

Abstract

With support from the Chemical Research Instrumentation and Facilities (CRIF) Program, the Department of Chemistry at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln will acquire an X-ray diffractometer with CCD detector for small molecule diffractometry. This equipment will enhance research in a number of areas including the following: a) development of synthetic routes to novel materials based on rare-earth nitrides and carbides; b) design, synthesis and characterization of chelate monomers; c) studies of novel ligands and complexes; d) polar hydrophobicity; e) asymmetric synthesis of peroxide natural products; f) mechanism-based inactivation of cysteine proteases; g) iron (IV) chemistry; h) tin (IV) chemistry; i) Mo/W polyoxoanion clusters; and j) Zn(II) box and dibox catalysts. The X-ray diffractometer allows accurate and precise measurements of the full three dimensional structure of a molecule, including bond distances and angles, and it provides accurate information about the spatial arrangement of the molecule relative to the neighboring molecules. These studies will have an impact in a number of areas, including the preparation of more efficient catalysts, materials chemistry, and biochemistry.