Inorganic Seminar
"Bespoke Copper Clusters: Atomically Precise Models of Heterogeneous Catalyst Active Sites"
Abstract: A significant challenge inhibiting rational heterogeneous catalyst design is a lack of fundamental mechanistic understanding of surface mediated bond-making and bond-breaking processes. Molecular cluster compounds, particularly those bearing unsupported metal-metal bonds, can inform elementary reaction steps at and catalyst design principles for topical solid-state catalysts, with an atomistic level of precision. This presentation will describe the bottom-up syntheses of trinuclear copper clusters intended to emulate proposed heterogeneous active sites. The properties and reactivity of unusually reduced tricopper compounds will be disclosed. A particular focus will be placed on catalytic small molecule transformations such as CO2, NO, and N2O reduction chemistries.