Inorganic-Electrochemistry Seminar

         The Lu group investigates metal-metal bonds of first-row transition metals. Bonds between first-row metals are typically weaker than their heavier congeners, which presents a synthetic challenge to isolate and study them. We are also interested in developing catalysts featuring metal-metal bonds, and using non-precious metals is sensible for making economical and sustainable catalysts.

          Transition metal pairs can form multiple bonds with versatile, multi-electron redox properties, which is promising for the reduction of small-molecules. A wide range of unique electronic properties and chemical reactivity can be envisioned for the diverse pairings of first-row transition metals. We have investigated a wide array of metal-metal bonds to understand how one transition metal influences another and how to tune chemical properties by varying the metals. We are currently exploring their application in dinitrogen activation.