Frontiers in synthetic and structural rare earth chemistry. Rare earth elements are a major under-utilised Auatralian resource.
Their commercial development requires knowledge and progression of their
chemistry. Advancing the chemistry of highly reactive, air-sensitive
metalorganics will provide the breakthrough science to underpin future
applications in chemical manufacture, catalysis and new materials.
Transformation of rare earth chemistry to achieve behaviour hitherto
atypical of these ....Frontiers in synthetic and structural rare earth chemistry. Rare earth elements are a major under-utilised Auatralian resource.
Their commercial development requires knowledge and progression of their
chemistry. Advancing the chemistry of highly reactive, air-sensitive
metalorganics will provide the breakthrough science to underpin future
applications in chemical manufacture, catalysis and new materials.
Transformation of rare earth chemistry to achieve behaviour hitherto
atypical of these elements by steric and electronic modulation of
attached groups will value-add to their properties.Read moreRead less
Rare Earth Metal-Organic Compounds - A Source of Continuing Excitement. Australia has the world's second largest rare earth resources which are at best exported unprocessed leading to an 80-fold mark up on import of separated products. This project builds the expertise and knowledge needed to underpin Australian rare earth processing and develops the breakthrough science needed for new applications or rare earths.
Development and Testing of Novel Contrast Agents for Diagnostic Imaging. Demand for diagnostic imaging in the Australian healthcare system is growing at over 5% per annum. To facilitate imaging, Australia imports radiographic contrast media costing in excess of $50 million every year. Existing iodine-based agents are not ideal for X-ray absorption in current CT scanners and also cause moderate to severe allergic reaction in around 5% of all patients, sometimes with fatal results. New radiograph ....Development and Testing of Novel Contrast Agents for Diagnostic Imaging. Demand for diagnostic imaging in the Australian healthcare system is growing at over 5% per annum. To facilitate imaging, Australia imports radiographic contrast media costing in excess of $50 million every year. Existing iodine-based agents are not ideal for X-ray absorption in current CT scanners and also cause moderate to severe allergic reaction in around 5% of all patients, sometimes with fatal results. New radiographic media, which give enhanced contrast and provide greater patient comfort and safety are essential. Even a small fraction of the international market would generate millions of dollars in income, support growth and expertise in Imaging Technologies, and provide new markets for Australian mining of rare earth and bismuth metals.Read moreRead less
Mitochondrial targeting by a new class of gadolinium agents. This research project will lead to the development of new molecular agents containing the element gadolinium which can selectively accumulate within cell mitochondria, with a long-term application in cutting-edge therapies involving X-rays or neutrons. The lanthanoid element gadolinium offers many unique opportunities for medicinal chemistry and this project will generate new knowledge in bioinorganic chemistry and synchrotron science. ....Mitochondrial targeting by a new class of gadolinium agents. This research project will lead to the development of new molecular agents containing the element gadolinium which can selectively accumulate within cell mitochondria, with a long-term application in cutting-edge therapies involving X-rays or neutrons. The lanthanoid element gadolinium offers many unique opportunities for medicinal chemistry and this project will generate new knowledge in bioinorganic chemistry and synchrotron science. The expected outcomes of this research will address many of the unresolved questions regarding mitochondrially-targeted gadolinium complexes, the first such agents specifically designed for potential long-term application in binary therapies and imaging.Read moreRead less
New frontiers in the therapeutic application of gadolinium. This research involves the design and development of new anticancer agents that will dramatically expand the clinical efficacy of a promising treatment for highly aggressive tumours. The innovative nature of this research will also contribute to Australia's science knowledge base and provide excellent training in the area of drug discovery.
Group 13 Mixed Halide-Hydride and Rare Earth Complexes - New Selective Chiral Hydridic or Low Valent Reducing Agents. This project will make a landmark contribution to two areas of metallohydride chemistry. Both studies will utilise and develop metals that have traditionally been mined and exported from these shores while concurrently imported as value added products at vastly inflated cost. This research will identify knock-on applications in order to stem this financial bias. The new paths to ....Group 13 Mixed Halide-Hydride and Rare Earth Complexes - New Selective Chiral Hydridic or Low Valent Reducing Agents. This project will make a landmark contribution to two areas of metallohydride chemistry. Both studies will utilise and develop metals that have traditionally been mined and exported from these shores while concurrently imported as value added products at vastly inflated cost. This research will identify knock-on applications in order to stem this financial bias. The new paths to rare earth (= Ln) hydrides will have broad industrial appeal, particularly for new materials, where, like similar group 13 materials, they may be used in the deposition of Ln films or even as precursors to superconducting solids. It is anticipated industrial collaboration will ensue. Australia will be promoted as a developer and innovator of frontier technologies.Read moreRead less
Challenging targets in rare earth metal-organic chemistry. This project aims to prepare highly reactive rare earth organometallic and metal-organic compounds, especially from the free metals, and to determine their structures and reactivity. Abundant rare earth resources position Australia to be a major supplier of these strategic elements. The challenging target systems include coordination stabilised novel ligands, pseudo-Grignard reagents LnR(X) including the rare fluorides, complexes primed ....Challenging targets in rare earth metal-organic chemistry. This project aims to prepare highly reactive rare earth organometallic and metal-organic compounds, especially from the free metals, and to determine their structures and reactivity. Abundant rare earth resources position Australia to be a major supplier of these strategic elements. The challenging target systems include coordination stabilised novel ligands, pseudo-Grignard reagents LnR(X) including the rare fluorides, complexes primed for carbon-fluorine activation, and intermediates from use of lanthanoid reagents in organic synthesis. The project will provide a knowledge base and expertise for the utilisation of Australia's abundant rare earths and will transform the current behaviour of the elements. It builds the expertise and knowledge needed to underpin Australian rare earth processing and develops the breakthrough science needed for new applications in fine chemical manufacturing, catalysis and recycling.Read moreRead less
Advancing the chemistry of topical rare earth metals. Abundant rare earth resources positions Australia to be a major supplier of these strategic elements and overcome the shortage created by the Chinese monopoly and export restrictions. This project will build the expertise and knowledge needed to underpin Australian rare earth processing and develop the breakthrough science needed for new applications.
Targeting Bio-Compatible Homo- and Hetero-bimetallic Cages and their Application in High Energy and Dual Energy Computed Tomography. The project is focused on the synthesis, characterisation and stability of novel homo-metallic and hetero-metallic oxygen and sulfur based cage compounds which have the potential to be suitable for high energy and Dual Energy CT imaging (DECT), and also for optical imaging where rare-earth metals are involved. Pre-requisites for cage design are that they be stable ....Targeting Bio-Compatible Homo- and Hetero-bimetallic Cages and their Application in High Energy and Dual Energy Computed Tomography. The project is focused on the synthesis, characterisation and stability of novel homo-metallic and hetero-metallic oxygen and sulfur based cage compounds which have the potential to be suitable for high energy and Dual Energy CT imaging (DECT), and also for optical imaging where rare-earth metals are involved. Pre-requisites for cage design are that they be stable and soluble in aqueous media, and be resistant to anionic ligand exchange at the cluster surface. The targeted metals are based on good attenuation at high (100 to 140 keV) and low X-ray (less than 30 keV) energies, and the possibility of high stability and low toxicity.Read moreRead less
Development of non-iodinated, non ionic, water-soluble metal based compounds for clinical administration as radiographic contrast media. Every year Australia spends more than $50 million on importing radiographic contrast media, in an international market worth more than $1 billion pa. Existing iodine based agents, which currently cause major adverse reactions in 1% of the population, could be replaced by new metal based imaging media which provide both enhanced contrast and greater patient safe ....Development of non-iodinated, non ionic, water-soluble metal based compounds for clinical administration as radiographic contrast media. Every year Australia spends more than $50 million on importing radiographic contrast media, in an international market worth more than $1 billion pa. Existing iodine based agents, which currently cause major adverse reactions in 1% of the population, could be replaced by new metal based imaging media which provide both enhanced contrast and greater patient safety and comfort. Even a small fraction of the international market would generate millions of dollars in overseas income from a range of potential sources, including licensing/royalties to export by a local start-up company, and expansion of rare earth mining in Australia.Read moreRead less