Inter-American Materials Collaboration:Hybrid Inorganic-Organic Materials

Wake Forest University, Winston Salem NC

Investigators

Abstract

This Inter-American Materials Collaboration between the groups of A. Lachgar at Wake Forest University and M. A. Munoz at the Autonomous University of Morelos, Mexico, focuses on the synthesis of hybrid inorganic-organic materials involving multifunctional ligands, octahedral and cubic metal or inorganic clusters. One type of compounds investigated is molybdenum chalcogenide cluster compounds, commonly referred to as "Chevrel phases", with extended frameworks based on Mo6X8 -L -M -L -Mo6X8 bridges (L = conjugated bidentate ligands; M = transition metal). Electronic and magnetic interactions between a redox active transition metal centers such as Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Cu, and the polarizable molybdenum cluster Mo6X8 are expected to lead to interesting physical and chemical properties. A second system investigated is hybrid inorganic-organic materials that have cubic cages with a central core M4O12P4 (M = Al, Ga) connected with phosphorus-based ligands. The US team will prepare the precursors of the cluster units Mo6X8 and excise them in solution, the Mexican team will focus on the preparation of existing cubic alumino and galophosphonates, multidentate ligands and phosphonates, and the combination of the inorganic and organic parts to form the hybrid products will be carried out by the two groups. It is anticipated that this study will provide a framework for the investigators to educate a number of graduate and undergraduate students in the interdisciplinary field of solid-state hybrid inorganic-organic materials that involves a number of synthesis and characterization methods necessary to any well trained materials chemist. This award is supported by the Division of Materials Research, the Office of International Science and Engineering, and the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences.