Reactive transition metals play an important role in catalyzing chemical transformations. In nature, metalloenzymes use electrostatics to align the dipoles and net charges of reactants, products, and transition states. Electrostatics can also lead to preferential access to different spin-surfaces. These stabilizing interactions lead to enhanced reactivity and greater catalytic efficiency. We are interested in synthesizing transition metal complexes with tunable electrostatic interactions and using these model complexes to better understand how enzymes achieve enhanced reactivity. In this work, we present model transition metal complexes that incorporate positively charged ions to install electrostatic effects. We show how electrostatics can be used to tune the redox properties and electronic structure at the transition metal. Applications to spin-state configuration and electron transfer kinetics will be discussed. By demonstrating the effect of electrostatics on transition metal reactivity, we can better understand how enzymes achieve catalytic efficiency.

Using electrostatic effects at transition metal complexes to control reactivity

ACS Spring 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.