Research
My interests in organic and organometallic chemistry focus on the synthesis and characterization of new organometallic compounds capable of promoting known catalytic reactions -- such as hydroformylation and hydrocarbonylation -- more selectively and under milder conditions.
The catalysis of organic reactions by organometallic complexes and the activation of small molecules such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide promise to ultimately help solve our energy crisis.
Such research involves a wide range of spectroscopic techniques, including X-ray diffraction analysis and low-temperature FT-IR measurements. Special autoclaves are employed to study high-pressure catalytic reactions. These autoclaves allow sampling of both the liquid and gas phases, as well as the in-situ IR analysis of the liquid reaction phase.
Research interests also include:
*P-C bond cleavage reactions mediated by polynuclear compounds.
*Ligand substitution processes in polynuclear chalcogen-tethered clusters.
*Synthesis and redox properties of polynuclear cluster compounds.