We have recently prepared terminal nitrides of iridium in the +7 oxidation state. The goal of this project is to explore the reactivity of these unprecedented species with an eye toward using them to prepare useful nitrogen-containing organic molecules (useful in medicinal chemistry) in catalytic, environmentally sustainable reactions.
Specific aspects of this project that could be pursued include: (a) Preparing more durable metal nitrides; (b) Carrying out detailed mechanistic studies to understand the nature of reactions with substrates, especially alkenes; (c) Characterizing intermediates of reactions with alkene substrates; (d) Developing reaction conditions to allow catalytic turnover of stoichiometric reactions; and (e) Preparing optically active metal complexes for possible use as enantioselective catalysts.
