RUI: Continued Studies of Condensed-Phase Effects on the Structural Properties of Nitrile Donor-Acceptor Complexes

University Of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire WI

Investigators

Abstract

The Experimental Physical Chemistry program of the Division of Chemistry supports the research of James A. Phillips and undergraduate research students at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. Phillips and his students will extend their previous experimental and theoretical research on a novel class of nitrile donor-acceptor complexes, whose gas-phase structures undergo significant changes in the solid state or in solution. The primary experimental technique employed will be low-temperature infrared spectroscopy in inert condensed-phase media, e.g. solid neon or argon. These measurements will be combined with theoretical calculations of the gas phase structures to provide insights on the impact of the condensed phase environment on the structural properties of these complexes. Phillips and his group will target systems that might be incorporated into supramolecular assemblies and other nano-scale structures. These systems may offer pathways for inducing motion in such structures via external stimuli, ultimately leading to novel nanotechnology applications. The research will be enhanced by ongoing collaborations with computational chemists at the University of Minnesota and the Kodak Corporation. These projects will expose University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire undergraduates, many of whom are first-generation college students, to a broad range of modern spectroscopic and theoretical techniques.