PhD (Cambridge), BSc (Otago)Tel: 03 479 7918
Location: Science II, Gc7
Email: lhanton@chemistry.otago.ac.nz
The synthesis and structural control of metallosupramolecular architectures have implications for the rational design of functional materials, i.e. inorganic networks with photophysical, electronic, magnetic or catalytic properties. Networks are held together by a variety of interactions, such as covalent bonds, hydrogen bonds, p–p interactions, or semi-coordinate bonds. Architectures are designed to optimize the use of these interactions to control the placement and spacing of metal centres.
We use a building block approach to synthesize metallosupramolecular networks. Using our expertise in transition metal coordination chemistry and ligand synthesis, we are building networks based on a variety of flexible thio-substituted oligopyridines as linkers between various metal ion connectors such as Ag(I), Cu(I) and Cu(II).
One recent success has been the preparation of a mixed-valence netowrk of halide-bridged Cu(I) and Cu(II) centres. It is the first such network with strictly alternating Cu(I) and Cu(II) centres. We are currently investigating the magnetic properties of this new material.