Project 1: The purpose of this study is to synthesize highly conjugated molecules containing the phosphorus moiety called benzoxaphospholes, which have the potential of being used in not only energy efficient opto-electronic materials, but also environmental remediation due to the phosphorus’s unique bonding characteristics and oxidation states. Currently, the focus of this research has been utilizing and creating various primary phosphines and acid chlorides to undergo nucleophilic acyl substitution reactions to create highly conjugated benoxaphospholes. Cross coupling reactions with cyclocondensation reactions are also used on highly conjugated molecules like carbazole and indole to add necessary functional groups for benoxaphosphole synthesis.
Project 2: Crystal design and engineering of inorganic complexes are becoming of high interest due to their vast properties and potential applications including catalysis, pharmaceutics, magnetism, conductivity, and photoluminescence. The purpose of this study is to expand metal complex research through the synthesis of dimethyl 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylate (DPA) derivatives and its coordination with d- and f-block metals. These materials are based on donor groups of pyridine and carboxylates, as they are able to donate electrons to the available vacant orbitals in various elements. Coordination of zinc, cobalt, nickel, copper, terbium, and europium with DPA have produced novel and unique crystal complexes.