Professor James Crowley, Our people, Department of Chemistry, University of Otago, New Zealand

james_crowley PhD(Chicago) MSc(Well)

Tel +64 3 479 7731
Location Science II, 2n10
Email jcrowley@chemistry.otago.ac.nz

For more information about the Crowley Research Group: http://blogs.otago.ac.nz/jamescrowley

Employment History and Qualifications

Professor, University of Otago 2015–
Senior Lecturer, University of Otago 2011-2015
Lecturer, University of Otago 2008–2011
British Ramsay Memorial Postdoctoral Fellow (with Prof. D. A. Leigh, FRS), University of Edinburgh 2006–2007
Postdoctoral Fellow (with Prof. D. A. Leigh, FRS), University of Edinburgh 2005–2006
S.M and Ph.D, The University of Chicago (Prof. B Bosnich, FRS) 2000-2005
B.Sc. (Hons) and M.Sc., Victoria University of Wellington (Dr. D. C. Weatherburn) 1994-1999

Awards and Distinctions

University of Otago, Division of Sciences Research Group of the Year 2016
Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI), Organometallic Chemistry Award 2015
Finalist in OUSA Supervisor of the Year Awards 2015
Chemical Society of Japan (CSJ) Asian International Distinguished Lectureship Award 2015
Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI), Alan Sargeson Lectureship 2014
Royal Society of Chemistry/New Zealand Institute of Chemistry Easterfield Award 2013
University of Otago Early Career Award for Distinction in Research 2011
British Ramsay Memorial Fellowship (U of Ed.) 2006-2008
Joan Shiu Award for Student Service, (U of C) 2004
Curtis-Gordon Scholarship for Chemistry (VUW) 1998

Relevant Disciplines

Organic / Inorganic / Organometallic / Materials / Supramolecular Chemistry / Nanoscience

My research interests are in synthetic organic, inorganic, organometallic and supramolecular chemistry. I am interested in the design and synthesis of new functional materials. I have expertise in a wide range of synthetic and spectroscopic techniques including NMR, IR, UV-vis and X-ray crystallography. Major areas of interest include:

CuAAC “Click” coordination chemistry. The mild and modular Cu(I)-catalyzed 1,3-cycloaddition of terminal alkynes with organic azides (the CuAAC “click” reaction) allows the ready formation of functionalised 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazole scaffolds and this has led to an explosion of interest in the coordination chemistry of these heterocycles. A diverse array of mono-, bi-, tri- and polydentate ligands incorporating 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazole units have been synthesised and characterised. Easy access to readily functionalised ligand architectures is of crucial importance in a range of different areas and we are exploiting these ligands for the development of new catalysts, metallo-pharmaceuticals, bio-imaging agents, metallosupramolecular architectures, and molecular machines.

Synthetic molecular machines (nanotechnology). It is well established that the fundamental processes of life at the cellular level are governed by complex biological molecular machines which convert chemical energy into work. My research group is interested in exploiting a range of interlocked and non-interlocked molecular architectures for the development of synthetic molecular machines. These efforts are motivated by the goal of creating synthetic devices or materials that, like their far more complex biological counterparts, could carry out tasks by exploiting controlled molecular-level mechanical motion; a key requirement for the development of useable nanotechnology.

Functional metallosupramolecular architectures. I am also interested in the engineering of functional molecular architectures via self-assembly. In particular we are attempting to exploit these self-assembled cages as novel metallo-pharmaceuticals, for drug delivery and as nanoreactors for carrying out chemical transformations.

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Publications

Vasdev, R. A. S., Preston, D., Casey-Stevens, C. A., Martí-Centelles, V., Lusby, P. J., Garden, A. L., & Crowley, J. D. (2022). Exploiting supramolecular interactions to control isomer distributions in reduced-symmetry [Pd₂L₄]⁴⁺ cages. Inorganic Chemistry. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c00937

Lisboa, L. S., Preston, D., McAdam, C. J., Wright, L. J., Hartinger, C. G., & Crowley, J. D. (2022). Heterotrimetallic double cavity cages: Syntheses and selective guest binding. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, e202201700. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/anie.202201700

Green, L. P. M., Steel, T. R., Riisom, M., Hanif, M., Söhnel, T., Jamieson, S. M. F., … Crowley, J. D., & Hartinger, C. G. (2021). Synthetic strategy towards heterodimetallic half-sandwich complexes based on a symmetric ditopic ligand. Frontiers in Chemistry, 9, 786367. doi: 10.3389/fchem.2021.786367

Crowley, J. D., Findlay, J. A., & Ross, D. A. W. (2021). Ferrocene rotary switches featuring 2-pyridyl-1,2,3-triazole “click” chelates. European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/ejic.202100948

Ross, D. A. W., Findlay, J. A., Vasdev, R. A. S., & Crowley, J. D. (2021). Can 2-Pyridyl-1,2,3-triazole “click” ligands be used to develop Cu(I)/Cu(II) molecular switches? ACS Omega, 6, 30115-30129. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.1c04977

Crowley, J. D., Lisboa, L. S., & van Hilst, Q. V. C. (2021). Supramolecular systems: Metallo-molecular machines and stimuli responsive metallo-macrocycles and cages. In Reference module in chemistry, molecular sciences and chemical engineering. Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-08-102688-5.00042-8

Chapter in Book - Research

Crowley, J. D., & McMorran, D. A. (2012). "Click triazole" Coordination chemistry: Exploiting 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazoles as ligands. In J. Košmrlj (Ed.), Click triazoles: Topics in heterocyclic chemistry (Vol. 28). (pp. 31-83). Berlin, Germany: Springer. doi: 10.1007/7081_2011_67

Chapter in Book - Research

Crowley, J. D., Kilpin, K. J., & Keep, C. C. (2011). Exploiting ferrocene to develop synthetic molecular machines. In E. S. Phillips (Ed.), Ferrocenes: Compounds, properties and applications. (pp. 149-188). New York: Nova Science.

Chapter in Book - Research

Crowley, J. D., Kay, E. R., & Leigh, D. A. (2008). Chemically driven artificial molecular machines. In M. Shahinpoor & H.-J. Schneider (Eds.), Intelligent materials. (pp. 1-47). Cambridge, UK: Royal Society of Chemistry.

Chapter in Book - Research

Journal - Research Article

Lisboa, L. S., Riisom, M., Vasdev, R. A. S., Jamieson, S. M. F., Wright, L. J., Hartinger, C. G., & Crowley, J. D. (2021). Cavity-containing [Fe₂L₃]⁴⁺ helicates: An examination of host-guest chemistry and cytotoxicity. Frontiers in Chemistry, 9, 697684. doi: 10.3389/fchem.2021.697684

Journal - Research Article

Ross, D. A. W., Mapley, J. I., Cording, A. P., Vasdev, R. A. S., McAdam, C. J., Gordon, K. C., & Crowley, J. D. (2021). 6,6'-ditriphenylamine-2,2'-bipyridine: Coordination chemistry and electrochemical and photophysical properties. Inorganic Chemistry, 60, 11852-11865. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c01435

Journal - Research Article

Steel, T. R., Tong, K. K. H., Söhnel, T., Jamieson, S. M. F., Wright, L. J., Crowley, J. D., … Hartinger, C. G. (2021). Homodinuclear organometallics of ditopic N,N-chelates: Synthesis, reactivity and in vitro anticancer activity. Inorganica Chimica Acta, 518, 120220. doi: 10.1016/j.ica.2020.120220

Journal - Research Article

Sutton, J. J., Preston, D., Traber, P., Steinmetzer, J., Wu, X., Kayal, S., … Crowley, J. D., … Gordon, K. C. (2021). Excited-state switching in Rhenium(I) bipyridyl complexes with donor–donor and donor–acceptor substituents. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 143, 9082-9093. doi: 10.1021/jacs.1c02755

Journal - Research Article

Crlikova, H., Malina, J., Novohradsky, V., Kostrhunova, H., Vasdev, R. A. S., Crowley, J. D., … Brabec, V. (2020). Antiproliferative activity and associated DNA interactions of [Co₂L₃]⁶⁺ cylinders derived from bis(bidentate) 2-pyridyl-1,2,3-triazole ligands. Organometallics, 39, 1448-1455. doi: 10.1021/acs.organomet.0c00146

Journal - Research Article

Lagesse, N. R., Tan, K. Y. L., Crowley, J. D., & Findlay, J. A. (2020). Planar 2-pyridyl-1,2,3-triazole derived metallo-ligands: Self-assembly with PdCl₂ and photocatalysis. Chemistry: An Asian Journal, 15, 1567-1573. doi: 10.1002/asia.202000284

Journal - Research Article

Lisboa, L. S., Findlay, J. A., Wright, L. J., Hartinger, C. G., & Crowley, J. D. (2020). A reduced-symmetry heterobimetallic [PdPtL₄]⁴⁺ cage: Assembly, guest binding, and stimulus-induced switching. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 59, 11101-11107. doi: 10.1002/anie.202003220

Journal - Research Article

McNeill, S., Giles, N. M., Preston, D., Jones, P. P., Crowley, J. D., & Giles, G. I. (2020). The quadruply stranded metallo-supramolecular helicate [Pd₂ (hextrz)₄]⁴⁺ acts as a molecular mimic of cytolytic peptides. Chemical Research in Toxicology, 33, 1822-1834. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.0c00061

Journal - Research Article

Shillito, G. E., Preston, D., Traber, P., Steinmetzer, J., McAdam, C. J., Crowley, J. D., … Gordon, K. C. (2020). Excited-state switching frustrates the tuning of properties in triphenylamine-donor-ligand rhenium(I) and platinum(II) complexes. Inorganic Chemistry, 59, 6736-6746. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.9b03691

Journal - Research Article

Barnsley, J. E., Findlay, J. A., Shillito, G. E., Pelet, W. S., Scottwell, S. Ø., McIntyre, S. M., Tay, E. J., Gordon, K. C., & Crowley, J. D. (2019). Long-lived MLCT states for Ru(_II) complexes of ferrocene-appended 2,2'-bipyridines. Dalton Transactions, 48, 15713-15722. doi: 10.1039/c9dt02025j

Journal - Research Article

Mapley, J. I., Ross, D. A. W., McAdam, C. J., Gordon, K. C., & Crowley, J. D. (2019). Triphenylamine-substituted 2-pyridyl-1,2,3-triazole copper(I) complexes: An experimental and computational investigation. Journal of Coordination Chemistry, 72(8), 1378-1394. doi: 10.1080/00958972.2019.1593388

Journal - Research Article

Preston, D., Findlay, J. A., & Crowley, J. D. (2019). Recognition properties and self-assembly of planar [M(2-pyridyl-1,2,3-triazole)₂]²⁺ metallo-ligands. Chemistry: An Asian Journal, 14, 1136-1142. doi: 10.1002/asia.201801132

Journal - Research Article

Preston, D., Inglis, A. R., Crowley, J. D., & Kruger, P. E. (2019). Self-assembly and cycling of a three-state Pd_xL_y metallosupramolecular system. Chemistry: An Asian Journal, 14, 3404-3408. doi: 10.1002/asia.201901238

Journal - Research Article

van Hilst, Q. V. C., Vasdev, R. A. S., Preston, D., Findlay, J. A., Scottwell, S. Ø., Giles, G. I., Brooks, H. J. L., & Crowley, J. D. (2019). Synthesis, characterisation and antimicrobial studies of some 2,6-bis(1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)pyridine ruthenium(II) “click” complexes. Asian Journal of Organic Chemistry, 8, 496-505. doi: 10.1002/ajoc.201900088

Journal - Research Article

Findlay, J. A., Barnsley, J. E., Gordon, K. C., & Crowley, J. D. (2018). Synthesis and light-induced actuation of photo-labile 2-pyridyl-1,2,3-triazole Ru(bis-bipyridyl) appended rerrocene rotors. Molecules, 23(8), 2037. doi: 10.3390/molecules23082037

Journal - Research Article

Findlay, J. A., McAdam, C. J., Sutton, J. J., Preston, D., Gordon, K. C., & Crowley, J. D. (2018). Metallosupramolecular architectures formed with ferrocene-linked bis-bidentate ligands: Synthesis, structures, and electrochemical studies. Inorganic Chemistry, 57(7), 3602-3614. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.7b02503

Journal - Research Article

Preston, D., Gordon, K. C., Sutton, J. J., & Crowley, J. D. (2018). A nona-nuclear heterometallic Pd3Pt6 "Donut" shaped cage: Molecular recognition and photocatalysis. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 57(28), 8659-8663. doi: 10.1002/anie.201804745

Journal - Research Article

Shillito, G. E., Hall, T. B. J., Preston, D., Traber, P., Wu, L., Reynolds, K. E. A., … Lucas, N. T., Crowley, J. D., … Gordon, K. C. (2018). Dramatic alteration of ³ILCT lifetimes using ancillary ligands in [Re(L)(CO)₃(phen-TPA)]ⁿ⁺ complexes: An integrated spectroscopic and theoretical study. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 140(13), 4534-4542. doi: 10.1021/jacs.7b12868

Journal - Research Article

van Hilst, Q. V. C., Lagesse, N. R., Preston, D., & Crowley, J. D. (2018). Functional metal complexes from CuAAC "click" bidentate and tridentate pyridyl-1,2,3-triazole ligands. Dalton Transactions, 4, 997-1002. doi: 10.1039/c7dt04570k

Journal - Research Article

Vasdev, R. A. S., Gaudin, L. F., Preston, D., Jogy, J. P., Giles, G. I., & Crowley, J. D. (2018). Anticancer activity and cisplatin binding ability of bis-quinoline and bis-isoquinoline derived Pd₂L₄⁴⁺ metallosupramolecular cages. Frontiers in Chemistry, 6, 563. doi: 10.3389/fchem.2018.00563

Journal - Research Article

Kim, T. Y., Digal, L., Gardiner, M. G., Lucas, N. T., & Crowley, J. D. (2017). Octahedral [Pd₆L₈]¹²⁺ metallosupramolecular cages: Synthesis, structures and guest-encapsulation studies. Chemistry: A European Journal, 23, 15089-15097. doi: 10.1002/chem.201702518

Journal - Research Article

Preston, D., Lewis, J. E. M., & Crowley, J. D. (2017). Multicavity [Pd_nL₄]²ⁿ⁺ cages with controlled segregated binding of different guests. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 139(6), 2379-2386. doi: 10.1021/jacs.6b11982

Journal - Research Article

Preston, D., White, K. F., Lewis, J. E. M., Vasdev, R. A. S., Abrahams, B. F., & Crowley, J. D. (2017). Solid state gas adsorption studies with discrete palladium(II) [Pd₂(L)₄]⁴⁺ cages. Chemistry: A European Journal, 23(44), 10559-10567. doi: 10.1002/chem.201701477

Journal - Research Article

Ross, D. A. W., Preston, D., & Crowley, J. D. (2017). Self-Assembly with 2,6-Bis(1-(pyridin-4-ylmethyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)pyridine: Silver(I) and Iron(II) Complexes. Molecules, 22(10), 1762. doi: 10.3390/molecules22101762

Journal - Research Article

Scottwell, S. Ø., Barnsley, J. E., McAdam, C. J., Gordon, K. C., & Crowley, J. D. (2017). A ferrocene based switchable molecular folding ruler. Chemical Communications, 53, 7628-7631. doi: 10.1039/C7CC03358C

Journal - Research Article

Vasdev, R. A. S., Preston, D., & Crowley, J. D. (2017). Functional metallosupramolecular architectures using 1,2,3-triazole ligands: It's as easy as 1,2,3 "click". Dalton Transactions, 46(8), 2402-2414. doi: 10.1039/c6dt04702e

Journal - Research Article

Vasdev, R. A. S., Preston, D., & Crowley, J. D. (2017). Multicavity metallosupramolecular architectures. Chemistry: An Asian Journal, 12(19), 2513-2523. doi: 10.1002/asia.201700948

Journal - Research Article

Barnsley, J. E., Scottwell, S. Ø., Elliott, A. B. S., Gordon, K. C., & Crowley, J. D. (2016). Structural, electronic, and computational studies of heteroleptic Cu(I) complexes of 6,6′-dimesityl-2,2′-bipyridine with ferrocene-appended ethynyl-2,2′-bipyridine ligands. Inorganic Chemistry, 55(16), 8184-8192. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.6b01300

Journal - Research Article

Elliott, A. B. S., Lewis, J. E. M., van der Salm, H., McAdam, C. J., Crowley, J. D., & Gordon, K. C. (2016). Luminescent cages: Pendant emissive units on [Pd₂L₄]⁴⁺ "click" cages. Inorganic Chemistry, 55(7), 3440-3447. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5b02843

Journal - Research Article

Huff, G. S., Lo, W. K. C., Horvath, R., Turner, J. O., Sun, X.-Z., Weal, G. R., Davidson, H. J., Kennedy, A. D. W., McAdam, C. J., Crowley, J. D., … Gordon, K. C. (2016). Excited states of triphenylamine-substituted 2-pyridyl-1,2,3-triazole complexes. Inorganic Chemistry, 55(23), 12238-12253. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.6b01959

Journal - Research Article

Kumar, S. V., Scottwell, S. Ø., Waugh, E., McAdam, C. J., Hanton, L. R., Brooks, H. J. L., & Crowley, J. D. (2016). Antimicrobial properties of tris(homoleptic) ruthenium(II) 2-pyridyl-1,2,3-triazole "click" complexes against pathogenic bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Inorganic Chemistry, 55(19), 9767-9777. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.6b01574

Journal - Research Article

Lo, W. K. C., Castillo, C. E., Gueret, R., Fortage, J., Rebarz, M., Sliwa, M., … McAdam, C. J., … McMorran, D. A., Crowley, J. D., … Blackman, A. G. (2016). Synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic H₂-evolving activity of a family of [Co(N4Py)(X)]ⁿ⁺ complexes in aqueous solution. Inorganic Chemistry, 55, 4564-4581. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.6b00391

Journal - Research Article

McKay, A. P., Lo, W. K. C., Preston, D., Giles, G. I., Crowley, J. D., Barnsley, J. E., Gordon, K. C., & McMorran, D. A. (2016). Palladium(II) and platinum(II) complexes of ((2-pyridyl)pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)benzoic acids: Synthesis, solid state characterisation and biological cytotoxicity. Inorganica Chimica Acta, 446, 41-53. doi: 10.1016/j.ica.2016.02.038

Journal - Research Article

Pages, B. J., Sakoff, J., Gilbert, J., Zhang, Y., Li, F., Preston, D., Crowley, J. D., & Aldrich-Wright, J. R. (2016). Investigating the cytotoxicity of platinum(II) complexes incorporating bidentate pyridyl-1,2,3-triazole “click” ligands. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 165, 92-99. doi: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2016.06.017

Journal - Research Article

Preston, D., Barnsley, J. E., Gordon, K. C., & Crowley, J. D. (2016). Controlled formation of heteroleptic [Pd₂(L_a)₂(L_b)₂]⁴⁺ cages. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 138(33), 10578-10585. doi: 10.1021/jacs.6b05629

Journal - Research Article

Preston, D., McNeill, S. M., Lewis, J. E. M., Giles, G. I., & Crowley, J. D. (2016). Enhanced kinetic stability of [Pd₂L₄]⁴⁺ cages through ligand substitution. Dalton Transactions, 45, 8050-8060. doi: 10.1039/c6dt00133e

Journal - Research Article

Preston, D., Tucker, R. A. J., Garden, A. L., & Crowley, J. D. (2016). Heterometallic [M_nPt_n(L)_2n]^x+ macrocycles from dichloromethane-derived bis-2-pyridyl-1,2,3-triazole ligands. Inorganic Chemistry, 55(17), 8928-8934. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.6b01435

Journal - Research Article

Scottwell, S. Ø., & Crowley, J. D. (2016). Ferrocene-containing non-interlocked molecular machines. Chemical Communications, 52, 2451-2464. doi: 10.1039/c5cc09569g

Journal - Research Article

Vasdev, R. A. S., Preston, D., Scottwell, S. Ø., Brooks, H. J. L., Crowley, J. D., & Schramm, M. P. (2016). Oxidatively locked [Co₂L₃]⁶⁺ cylinders derived from bis(bidentate) 2-Pyridyl-1,2,3-triazole "Click" ligands: Synthesis, stability, and antimicrobial studies. Molecules, 21(11), 1548. doi: 10.3390/molecules21111548

Journal - Research Article

Wright, J. R., Crowley, J. D., & Lucas, N. T. (2016). Carbon-rich "click" 1,2,3-triazoles: Hexaphenylbenzene and hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene-based ligands for Suzuki-Miyaura catalysts. Chemical Communications, 52(88), 12976-12979. doi: 10.1039/c6cc07413h

Journal - Research Article

Cubanski, J. R., Reish, M. E., Blackman, A. G., Steel, P. J., Gordon, K. C., McMorran, D. A., & Crowley, J. D. (2015). Hybrid pyrazolyl-1,2,3-triazolyl tripodal tetraamine ligands: Click synthesis and cobalt(III) complexes. Australian Journal of Chemistry, 68(7), 1160-1170. doi: 10.1071/CH14700

Journal - Research Article

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