Turculet Group Research

Research in the Turculet group spans the areas of synthetic inorganic chemistry and catalysis. We are specifically targeting the preparation of reactive transition metal complexes that exhibit new and/or improved reactivity properties by virtue of their unique construction, with the goal of utilizing these complexes as catalysts for new chemical transformations. Key to this endeavor is the design and synthesis of ancillary ligands that will impart novel structural and electronic characteristics to the ensuing metal complexes.

In this context, our efforts are focused on the preparation of metal complexes supported by new ancillary 'pincer'-type ligands that feature previously under-explored, formally anionic heavier main group element donors (e.g. Si, P). Overarching questions that we seek to address in this research include: (i) Can such pincer complexes be prepared, and do they exhibit new or unusual reactivity properties? (ii) Does the replacement of traditionally employed anionic donors (e.g. C, N) with their heavier congeners (e.g. Si, P) in such complexes provide improved reactivity in established catalytic reactions (e.g. transfer hydrogenation)? (iii) Can electron-rich complexes featuring such 'heavier-element' pincer ligands mediate challenging bond activation reactions (e.g. N₂, C-H) that are of fundamental importance for the utilization of abundant but unreactive resources?

These studies seek to advance our understanding of how metal-ligand interactions influence reactivity, enabling the design of metal catalysts that can mediate new and increasingly challenging substrate transformations.