Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/S86471/01
Title:	Triazacyclohexanes as Ligands for Triangular Trimetal Complexes.
Principal Investigator:	Kohn, Dr RD
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Department:	Chemistry
Organisation:	University of Bath
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 July 2004	Ends:	30 June 2008	Value (£):	276,231
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Catalysis & Applied Catalysis Co-ordination Chemistry
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Chemicals
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Summary on Grant Application Form
We propose to synthesise triangular trimetal clusters that are stabilised by a bridging triazacyclohexane ligand and to investigate their suitability for catalysis. Clusters have been investigated for many years as the link between well-defined (often homogeneous) complexes containing only one or two metals and the poorly defined nano-clusters and larger heterogeneous particles used in catalysis. The latter often produce unique catalytic properties that require the presence of several metals and cannot be modelled by the smaller complexes.Despite many years of research on homogeneous clusters, only few are catalytically active without break-up or rearrangement of the core-structure of the cluster due to conflicting requirements for cluster stability and catalytic activity. This has lead to considerable disillusionment after the initial enthusiasm for cluster catalysis.Our initial results in copper chemistry have shown that triazacyclohexanes especially with donor substituents are ideally suited to stabilise triangular trimetal clusters. This should stabilise this cluster size against rearrangement even when free coordination sites required for catalysis are created.This proposal aims at the extension of the copper chemistry and the exploration of other metal systems. Initially, we are interested in systems where triangular trimetal clusters are already well established and/or where catalytic activity is known. This will cover organometallic carbonyl clusters, transition metal halide clusters and more bio-inorganic clusters found in enzymes such as the those in nitrogenase, an important biological catalyst for the fixation of nitrogen from the atmosphere.Main objective of this proposal is to find synthetic access to triangular trimetal complexes across the transition metal series and to explore the possibilities to manipulate the complexes without break-up of the triangular unit. If successful, these systems may lead to new catalysts especially for reactions where multi-electron redox or multi -atom transfer processes are involved, e.g. the hydrogenation of aromatic compounds or dinitrogen.
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Organisation Website:	http://www.bath.ac.uk