Synthetic and structural chemistry of transition metals, catalysis, polynuclear metal complexes, metalloporphyrins, fullerene chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry.

FULLERENE CHEMISTRY AND MATERIALS

We are involved in studies of the structure and chemical reactivity of the fullerenes (C60, C70, C84) and their derivatives. We have utilized the reversible binding of Vaska's complex, Ir(CO)CI(PPh3)2, to fullerenes as a structural probe. Such adduct formation produces ordered single crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction and has yielded the first three dimensional metric structural information on the higher fullerenes C70 and C84. Current research plans focus on obtaining fullerene based materials that display useful properties. Fullerene epoxides have been shown to undergo cathodic electropoly-merization to form tough, redox active films that may be of technological importance in battery, microsensor, and microelectronic devices. Efforts to obtain other fullerene derivatives suitable for polymer formation are under active investigation. The chemical behavior of fullerene fragments (curved organic hydrocarbons) is also under study.

  • Balch, A.L., V.J. Catalano, J.W. Lee, M.M. Olmstead and S.R. Parkin.
         (C70)Ir(CO)Cl(PPh3)2. The Synthesis and Structure of an Organometallic Derivative of a Higher Fullerene.
         J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 1991, 113, 8953.
  • Balch, A.L., V.J. Catalano, J.W. Lee, and M. Olmstead.
         Supramolecular Aggregation of a C60 Iridium Complex Involving Phenyl Chelation of the Fullerene.
         J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 1992, 114, 5455-5457.
  • Balch, A.L., J.W. Lee and M.M. Olmstead.
         Isolation and Structural Characterization of a Product of Double Addition to C70: C70{Ir(CO)Cl(PPhMe2)2}2 3C6H6.
         Angewandte Chemie, 1992, 31, 1356-1358.
  • Balch, A.L., J.W. Lee, B.C. Noll and M.M. Olmstead.
         A Double Addition Product of C60: C60{Ir(CO)Cl(PMe2Ph)2}2. Individual Crystallization of Two Conformational Isomers.
         J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 1992, 114, 10984-10985.
  • Balch, A.L., J.W. Lee, B.C. Noll and M.M. Olmstead.
         Disorder in a Crystalline Form of Buckministerfullerene: C60 4 C6H6.
         J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 1993, 56-58.
  • Balch, A. L., A.S. Ginwalla, J.W. Lee, B.C. Noll and M.M. Olmstead.
         Partial Separation and Structural Characterization of C84 Isomers by Crystallization of (C84)Ir(CO)Cl(P(C6H5)3)2.
         J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 1994, 116, 2227-2228.
  • Balch, A. L., D.A. Costa, J.W. Lee, B.C. Noll and M.M. Olmstead.
         Directing Effects in a Fullerene Epoxide Addition. Formation and Structural Characterization of (C60O)Ir(CO)Cl(P(C6H5)3)2.
         Inorg. Chem., 1994, 33, 2071-2072.
  • SUPRAMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY

    We are concerned with identification of the factors involved in interactions between molecules to form multimolecular aggregates. Extensive efforts are underway to identify new structural motifs in molecular solids that account for attractive interactions between unlike molecules. We are exploring the ability of unlike molecules to co-crystallize as a means of preparing complex supramolecular assemblies.

    Examples include solids comprised of:
    - Pd6Cl12 and aromatic hydrocarbons,
    - fullerenes and porphyrins,
    - gold(I) complexes and organic electron acceptors.

  • Balch, A.L., V.J. Catalano, J.W. Lee, M.M. Olmstead and S.R. Parkin.
         (C70)Ir(CO)Cl(PPh3)2. The Synthesis and Structure of an Organometallic Derivative of a Higher Fullerene.
         J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 1991, 113, 8953.
  • Balch, A.L., V.J. Catalano, J.W. Lee, and M. Olmstead.
         Supramolecular Aggregation of a C60 Iridium Complex Involving Phenyl Chelation of the Fullerene.
         J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 1992, 114, 5455-5457.
  • Balch, A.L., J.W. Lee and M.M. Olmstead.
         Isolation and Structural Characterization of a Product of Double Addition to C70: C70{Ir(CO)Cl(PPhMe2)2}2 3C6H6.
         Angewandte Chemie, 1992, 31, 1356-1358.
  • Balch, A.L., J.W. Lee, B.C. Noll and M.M. Olmstead.
         A Double Addition Product of C60: C60{Ir(CO)Cl(PMe2Ph)2}2. Individual Crystallization of Two Conformational Isomers.
         J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 1992, 114, 10984-10985.
  • Balch, A.L., J.W. Lee, B.C. Noll and M.M. Olmstead.
         Disorder in a Crystalline Form of Buckministerfullerene: C60 4 C6H6.
         J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 1993, 56-58.
  • Balch, A. L., A.S. Ginwalla, J.W. Lee, B.C. Noll and M.M. Olmstead.
         Partial Separation and Structural Characterization of C84 Isomers by Crystallization of (C84)Ir(CO)Cl(P(C6H5)3)2.
         J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 1994, 116, 2227-2228.
  • Balch, A. L., D.A. Costa, J.W. Lee, B.C. Noll and M.M. Olmstead.
         Directing Effects in a Fullerene Epoxide Addition. Formation and Structural Characterization of (C60O)Ir(CO)Cl(P(C6H5)3)2.
         Inorg. Chem., 1994, 33, 2071-2072.