Two dimensional infrared studies of intramolecular dynamics and transition states in liquids

University Of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

In this project supported by the Experimental Physical Chemistry Program, Professor Charles B. Harris of the University of California, Berkeley and his research group will develop novel two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) techniques for the study of transition states in solution. The reactions for study include ligand fluxionality, photoinduced ligand dissociation, and intramolecular electron transfer in mixed-valence complexes. The compounds under study are model systems with well characterized structures and chemistry, but whose molecular dynamics are not well known. The experiments in this project involve the development of new spectroscopic tools that can reveal unprecedented information that will have a fundamental impact on our understanding of chemical reaction dynamics in solution. Additionally, this research will benefit from a multi-faceted approach involving not only experimental molecular spectroscopy but also synthesis and theory. Students (both graduate and undergraduate) as well as postdoctoral scholars will benefit from this multi-disciplinary research environment. Finally, the Harris group is engaged in a variety of community outreach activities that promote a broader public understanding and appreciation for chemistry and science in general.