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Lecture: Controllable Synthesis of Organic Metal Clusters and Their Application in Chemical Reactions

Posted: 2017-07-21

Time: July 21, 2017, 8:15 am
Venue: Conference Room on the First Floor, Basic Energy Building
Lecturer: Prof. ZHAO Liang, Chemistry Department, Tsinghua University

 
Abstract:
Metal clusters composited of di- or multi-metal ions have been widely applied in catalyzing organic reactions, which show outstanding catalytic efficiency and selectivity because of their controllable nanostructure. Characterization of the complex carbon-metal bond and research on the reaction properties of organic metal clusters are of great importance to understand the reaction mechanism. However, the preparation of stable and structurally well-defined metal clusters remains a great challenge due to the variety of carbon hybridization and carbon-metal interaction, and the high reactivity of carbon-metal bond.

Since 2010, our group has devoted to the macrocycle-assisted, controllable synthesis of organic metal clusters. Using macrocyclic pyridine molecules as template, we can synthesize metal clusters of specific nuclear number and excellent stability. Research reveals that the formation of metal clusters is greatly enhanced by the coordination effect between the polydentate flexible macrocyclic compounds and metal ions. Moreover, we are able to synthesize a series of chiral metal clusters when utilizing different organic anions as inner template to control the configuration. Modified by some organic reactions, the stable metal clusters can be transferred into various novel metal clusters as a result of the stabilizing effect on organic mediates. Our research has developed novel synthesis methods for organic metal clusters and deepened the understanding of organic reaction processes catalyzed by metal clusters.

Contact: ZHANG Xiaochen, DNL0603
Phone: 84379798