I. Synthesis and Catalytic Applications of New Highly Reactive Cationic Organometallic Complexes Stabilized with Weakly Coordinating Anions, II. Determination of Elemental Content of Various Environmental Samples using Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectroscopy

Our group is involved in research in two major projects. In the first, an organometallic project, we are looking to design and prepare new cationic complexes of metals in groups 6, 9 and 10 of the Periodic Table (e.g. Cr, Ir, Rh etc.) which are supported by pincer tridentate ligands (e.g. PNP) and counterbalance their positive charge by weakly interacting with bulky anions based on the parent B₁₂H₁₂^2- and CB₁₁H₁₂^- boron clusters. The overall result is the creation of highly reactive chemical species, in which a metal center has one or more empty coordination sites. This often makes the metal complexes catalytically reactive towards a variety of interesting substrates which include H₂, CO₂, H₂O, Ethylene, etc. In the second, an analytical chemistry project, we use ICP spectroscopy (either ICP-OES or ICP-MS) for the determination of the elemental content (with emphasis on heavy metals and toxic elements) in a variety of interesting environmental samples. The overall objective in this project is to monitor environmental pollution in sensitive areas.

Selected Publications

• “Chemistry of the Carba-closo-dodecaborate (−) Anion, CB11H12–“ Douvris, C.; Michl, J. Chemical Reviews, 2013, 113. 179-233.
• “Anodic Oxidation of 18 Halogenated and/or Methylated Derivatives of CB11H12–“ Wahab, A.; Douvris, C.; Klíma, J.; Šembera, F.; Ugolotti, J.; Kaleta, J.; Ludvík, J.; Michl J. Inorganic Chemistry, 2016, 56, 269-276.
• “C-F Activation of Fluorobenzene by Silylium Carboranes: Evidence for Incipient Phenyl Cation Reactivity” Duttwyler, S.; Douvris, C.; Fackler, N. L. P.; Tham, F. S.; Reed, C. A.; Baldridge, K. K.; Siegel, J. S. Angewandte Chemie Int. Ed., 2010, 49, 1-5
• “Hydrodefluorination of perfluoroalkyl groups using silylium-carborane catalysts” Douvris, C.; Ozerov, O. V. Science, 2008, 321, 1188-1190.
• “Investigation of the metal content of sediments around the historically polluted Potomac River basin in Washington D.C., United States by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES)” Harris, A.; Xanthos, S, J.; Galiotos, J, K; Douvris, C. Microchemical Journal, 2018, 142, 140-143.
• “Monitoring of selected trace elements in sediments of heavily industrialized areas in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, United States by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES)” Bussan, D.; Harris, A.; Douvris, C. Microchemical Journal, 2018, Accepted on August 20 2018.