MRI: Acquisition of a Single Crystal CCD X-ray Diffractometer for Research and Teaching

Board Of Trustees Of Illinois State University, Normal IL

Investigators

Abstract

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program, Professor Christopher Hamaker and colleague Craig McLauchlan from Illinois State University will acquire a single-crystal X-ray diffractometer equipped with a CCD detector that is capable of microscale powder diffraction data collection and has a polarizing microscope. The proposal is aimed at enhancing research training and education at all levels, especially in areas of study such as coordination chemistry using Schiff bases, use of vanadium coordination complexes in materials and biochemistry, synthesis and structural studies of porphyrinoids, use of crystallography and rare-earth compounds in research and educational activities, and studies of supraoctahedral hexanuclear cluster complexes. An X-ray diffractometer allows accurate and precise measurements of the full three dimensional structure of a molecule, including bond distances and angles, and provides accurate information about the spatial arrangement of a molecule relative to neighboring molecules. The studies described here will impact a number of areas, including organic and inorganic chemistry, materials chemistry and biochemistry. This instrument will be an integral part of teaching as well as research.