Synthesis and Application of Closo-Borate Materials

With the support of the Chemical Synthesis (SYN) program in the Division of Chemistry Professor Kevin Shaughnessy of The University of Alabama is studying the synthesis of novel boron cluster compounds. Dodecahedral (12-vertex) and decahedral (10-vertex) boron clusters are interesting materials with potential applications as advanced materials and pharmaceuticals. The 10-vertex boron cluster provides unique properties, including high stability, low toxicity, and efficient electron conduction. A lack of effective synthetic approaches to these materials currently limits their applications, however. The proposed research will develop new methods for the chemical functionalization of the boron cluster to provide materials with applications in materials science, catalysis, and medicine. The work will provide undergraduate and graduate students with specialized training in boron cluster synthesis and characterization. The materials produced through this project will be studied in collaboration with other researchers to develop their uses as advanced materials. Outreach efforts associated with this project will expose middle and high school students to the science of catalysis to help develop the next generation of scientists. This research project will systematically study the metal-catalyzed functionalization of halo-closo-borates. The knowledge gained through these studies will allow rational design of catalyst systems for the synthesis of functional anionic boron cluster materials having carbon substituents attached to boron vertices. These methods will be applied to the synthesis of specific targets of interest for materials and pharmaceutical applications. Novel approaches to strongly electron-donating B-boranylphosphines will also be developed. These materials will provide ligands and organocatalysts with unique properties that are applicable to the development of new organic synthetic methodologies. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.