Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

The research program outlined in this proposal entails the development and investigation of several new families of inorganic reagents. In particular, this research is focused on the chemistry of the main group, which includes the elements of the s- and p-blocks of the periodic table. Although these elements are components in many important materials (e.g. the semi-conductor gallium arsenide) and chemical compounds (e.g. phosphates), the chemistry of these many of the molecules containing such elements remains poorly understood in comparison to those of organic chemistry or transition metal chemistry. Our studies include both the synthesis of new main group compounds and the accurate modeling of chemical species and reactions through the use of computational chemistry. The target compounds consist of new classes of chemicals that contain main group elements in unusually low oxidation states and coordination numbers. Compounds containing atoms in very low oxidation states are electron-rich and are typically highly reactive. We have found ways to mediate the reactivity of our compounds so that they are stable enough to be isolated yet still possess the desired reactivity characteristics. Our compounds allow for the convenient synthesis of many compounds that are difficult or impossible to make using traditional methods and we endeavour to use our new reagents to obtain many unprecedented types of chemicals. We will also explore the utility of our reagents (and chemicals derived from them) as precursors for the formation of new or important materials. Of particular importance are our investigations of new polymers (plastics) that are composed of phosphorus and other main group elements instead of carbon; these materials will have properties that are much different than conventional plastics. In addition to their synthetic utility, the compounds studied will provide many new insights into the fundamental aspects of the chemistry of the main group elements. The understanding provided by such studies form the foundation necessary for the rational design and development of chemicals and materials derived from main group compounds.