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Rauchfuss Group


Research Themes

The group's research interests are in synthetic inorganic, bioinorganic, and organometallic chemistry. The program can be divided into two broad themes.

  1. Supramolecular organometallic chemistry. Some current targets include multifunctional ligands that confer unusual but useful reactivity related to homogeneous catalysts and certain separations.  Areas of recent interst include container molecules, non-innocent ligands, second coordination sphere chemistry of 2-pyridones, and reduction of O2.

  2. A second project focuses on bioorganometallic chemistry a topical theme that probes the intersection of biological and organometallic chemistry. We are especially interested in the pathways for the biological processing of important feedstock molecules such as dihydrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide. These biocatalytic systems, if better understood, would be the basis of new technologies relevant to pressing needs in the energy and enviromental sectors. Illustrative of our activities, we prepared functional analogues of the two active and two inactive states of the Fe-only hydrogenase active site. In related work, we are developing models for [NiFe]- and the new FeS-free hydrogenases.
High field H-NMR spectrum for a diiron hydride
High field H-NMR spectrum for a diiron hydride.