Organometallic materials for photonics. New high performance materials are required for applications in photonics, an area of increasing importance for Australia's high technology industries. This project addresses two critically important requirements in photonics: materials with enhanced nonlinear optical merit (both quadratic and cubic), needed for applications in optical communications, data storage and computer systems, and materials with significant optical limiting properties, required fo ....Organometallic materials for photonics. New high performance materials are required for applications in photonics, an area of increasing importance for Australia's high technology industries. This project addresses two critically important requirements in photonics: materials with enhanced nonlinear optical merit (both quadratic and cubic), needed for applications in optical communications, data storage and computer systems, and materials with significant optical limiting properties, required for laboratory optical device protection and military applications. Concomitant with these studies, the fundamental organometallic chemistry of alkynylmetal complexes and clusters will be developed, leading into oligomeric, dendritic and polymeric species which are of intrinsic, as well as applied, interest.Read moreRead less
Syntheses and non-linear optical properties of B- and N-cored metal alkynyl dendrimers. This project will (i) advance fundamental science, (ii) establish and consolidate links between groups in the UK and Australia with interests in electronic and optical properties of metal alkynyl compounds, (iii) improve technology transfer between the two groups by the mobility of the ARC International Fellow, and (iv) may identify new materials with sufficient non-linear optical and materials processing per ....Syntheses and non-linear optical properties of B- and N-cored metal alkynyl dendrimers. This project will (i) advance fundamental science, (ii) establish and consolidate links between groups in the UK and Australia with interests in electronic and optical properties of metal alkynyl compounds, (iii) improve technology transfer between the two groups by the mobility of the ARC International Fellow, and (iv) may identify new materials with sufficient non-linear optical and materials processing performance for commercial development.Read moreRead less
Domino Approaches to Polycyclic Natural Products. Organic molecules are the basis of all known life forms. The majority of our medicinal agents are organic molecules. Organic molecules are made up of atoms, connected together by bonds. Usually, these molecules are constructed by making one bond at a time. We are trying to make this laborious job quicker and more efficient by forming lots of bonds at once. Research of this kind is the basis for the development of new pharmaceuticals. Australia do ....Domino Approaches to Polycyclic Natural Products. Organic molecules are the basis of all known life forms. The majority of our medicinal agents are organic molecules. Organic molecules are made up of atoms, connected together by bonds. Usually, these molecules are constructed by making one bond at a time. We are trying to make this laborious job quicker and more efficient by forming lots of bonds at once. Research of this kind is the basis for the development of new pharmaceuticals. Australia doesn't have many people who are able to do this kind of thing. We will train four to six people in this area of research.Read moreRead less
Towards Oligoclusters: Chemistry, Properties and Applications. Transition metal clusters are closed polyhedral molecules that have been studied intensively for many years, initially for intrinsic interest, and subsequently as models of / precursors for catalysts effecting industrially important chemical transformations. More recently, clusters have been identified as promising optical limiters, required for many technological applications including optical device and eye protection from high pow ....Towards Oligoclusters: Chemistry, Properties and Applications. Transition metal clusters are closed polyhedral molecules that have been studied intensively for many years, initially for intrinsic interest, and subsequently as models of / precursors for catalysts effecting industrially important chemical transformations. More recently, clusters have been identified as promising optical limiters, required for many technological applications including optical device and eye protection from high power lasers. By focussing on the syntheses, electronic and optical properties of specific monomeric, oligomeric (including macrocyclic), dendritic and polymeric cluster-containing systems, we will develop fundamental cluster chemistry, prepare processable functional polymetallic materials, and probe the possible utility of cluster-based materials as optical limiters.Read moreRead less
New Cascade Routes to Biologically Important Molecules. This research involves the development of short and efficient syntheses of several different classes of biologically active molecules using cascade reactions: spectacular events in which many chemical bonds are formed. Two distinct types of cascade reactions will be investigated and naturally-occurring molecules with antineoplastic, anti-immunosuppressive, antiviral and antimalarial activities will be prepared. These new, expedient routes a ....New Cascade Routes to Biologically Important Molecules. This research involves the development of short and efficient syntheses of several different classes of biologically active molecules using cascade reactions: spectacular events in which many chemical bonds are formed. Two distinct types of cascade reactions will be investigated and naturally-occurring molecules with antineoplastic, anti-immunosuppressive, antiviral and antimalarial activities will be prepared. These new, expedient routes allow the preparation of a wide range of structurally-related analogues; an important prerequisite for the preparation of libraries of compounds for biological evaluation. Along the way, important information about the chemical reactivity patterns of a newly-prepared, fundamental class of hydrocarbon molecules will be obtained.Read moreRead less
Organometallic Switches in Nonlinear Optics. Investment in this project (i) will support Australia's research in an international group of researchers investigating materials (particularly NLO) properties of organometallic compounds, (ii) will involve training two PhD students, who will graduate with highly developed interdisciplinary skills, and (iii) may identify new materials with sufficient performance for commercial development.
Advanced Organometallic Materials: Syntheses and Nonlinear Optical Properties. The development of materials for photonics applications has undergone extraordinary growth in the past few years, driven in part by potential commercial applications. Investment in this project (i) will gain Australia entry into an international network of researchers investigating materials (particularly nonlinear optical) properties of organometallic and other compounds necessary for such applications, (ii) will inv ....Advanced Organometallic Materials: Syntheses and Nonlinear Optical Properties. The development of materials for photonics applications has undergone extraordinary growth in the past few years, driven in part by potential commercial applications. Investment in this project (i) will gain Australia entry into an international network of researchers investigating materials (particularly nonlinear optical) properties of organometallic and other compounds necessary for such applications, (ii) will involve training two PhD students, who will graduate with highly developed interdisciplinary skills, and (iii) may identify new materials with sufficient performance for commercial development.Read moreRead less
The geochemistry of trace elements with variable oxidation states. The understanding of many earth processes is based upon an interpretation of differences in the relative abundance and/or distribution of elements which occur in more than one oxidation state. However, the redox states that control the geochemical behaviour of an element in a melt are not necessarily retained on cooling. This work aims to determine the oxidation states of geologically important elements, in situ under magmatic ....The geochemistry of trace elements with variable oxidation states. The understanding of many earth processes is based upon an interpretation of differences in the relative abundance and/or distribution of elements which occur in more than one oxidation state. However, the redox states that control the geochemical behaviour of an element in a melt are not necessarily retained on cooling. This work aims to determine the oxidation states of geologically important elements, in situ under magmatic conditions, using XANES spectroscopy. The results will allow geological signatures to be correctly interpreted and allow models for topics ranging from ancient mantle temperatures to rates of melt migration to be better constrained.Read moreRead less
New Horizons in Diels-Alder Chemistry. Using a unique joint experimental-computational approach, we will develop reliable ways to predict the outcome of one of the most important chemical reactions. Practical applications of these new predictive tools will be developed involving powerful new versions of the reaction. Several different classes of biologically active natural products will be prepared including molecules with antitumor and antiretroviral activities. Libraries of structurally-relate ....New Horizons in Diels-Alder Chemistry. Using a unique joint experimental-computational approach, we will develop reliable ways to predict the outcome of one of the most important chemical reactions. Practical applications of these new predictive tools will be developed involving powerful new versions of the reaction. Several different classes of biologically active natural products will be prepared including molecules with antitumor and antiretroviral activities. Libraries of structurally-related analogues of natural compounds will be synthesised for biological evaluation.Read moreRead less
Experimental and Computational Investigations into Enantioselective Domino Sequences. This research program aims to develop more efficient methods for the chemical synthesis of organic substances: the materials that make up all known life forms, our medicines, and many designed materials. This research involves primarily the invention of new, enabling science. Specifically, we are trying to develop new and very general strategies to make organic compounds selectively and more efficiently than be ....Experimental and Computational Investigations into Enantioselective Domino Sequences. This research program aims to develop more efficient methods for the chemical synthesis of organic substances: the materials that make up all known life forms, our medicines, and many designed materials. This research involves primarily the invention of new, enabling science. Specifically, we are trying to develop new and very general strategies to make organic compounds selectively and more efficiently than before. A more efficient chemical synthesis means less waste, lower energy consumption and less environmental impact. Research of this kind is absolutely essential for the development of new medicines and materials. Australia lags behind many of the world's developed countries in this very important area of endeavour.Read moreRead less