Organometallic Chemistry Laboratory

"New Catalysts, New Reactions, New Materials" -this is the main research theme at the Organometallic Chemistry Laboratory. The discovery of novel catalysts can lead to the development of unprecedented chemical reactions and the creation of innovative functional materials that cannot be synthesized by traditional methods. Our research interests cover broad areas of organometallic chemistry, which include the synthesis of new organometallic complexes having novel structures, the development of more efficient, selective catalysts for olefin polymerization and organic synthesis, and the activation and efficient utilization of small molecules. Much of our work lies at the interfaces between inorganic, organic, polymer, and materials chemistry, with an emphasis being placed on the development of our original catalysts for applications in efficient, selective chemical synthesis.

Research Subjects

• Organo rare-earth metal complexes having novel structures and unique reactivities
• Polynuclear polyhydride complexes showing synergistic properties
• New catalysts for more efficient, selective organic synthesis
• New catalysts for more efficient, selective polymer synthesis
• Novel organic electroluminescence (EL) materials

Publications

1. Oyamada, J., Hou, Z.:
   "Regioselective C-H Alkylation of Anisoles with Olefins Catalyzed by Cationic Half-Sandwich Rare Earth Alkyl Complexes"
   Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 51, 12828-12832 (2012)
2. Zhang, L., Cheng, J., Carry, B., Hou, Z.:
   "Catalytic Boracarboxylation of Alkynes with Diborane and Carbon Dioxide by an N-Heterocyclic Carbene Copper Catalyst"
   J. Am. Chem. Soc., 134, 14314-14317 (2012)
3. Cheng, J., Wang, H., Nishiura, M., and Hou, Z.:
   "Binuclear Rare-Earth Polyhydride Complexes Bearing Both Terminal and Bridging Hydride Ligands"
   Chem. Sci., 3, 2230-2233 (2012)
4. Pan, L., Zhang, K., Nishiura, M., Hou, Z.:
   "Chain-Shuttling Polymerization at Two Different Scandium Sites: Regio- and Stereospecific "One-Pot" Block Copolymerization of Styrene, Isoprene, and Butadiene"
   Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 50, 12012-12015 (2011)
5. Guan, B., Hou, Z.:
   "Rare-Earth-Catalyzed C-H Bond Addition of Pyridine to Olefins"
   J. Am. Chem. Soc., 133, 18086-18089 (2011)
6. Shima, T., Luo, Y. , Stewart, T. , Bau, R., Mclntyre, G. J., Mason, S. A., Hou, Z:
   "Molecular Heterometallic Hydride Clusters Composed of Rare-Earth and d-Trantion Metals"
   Nature Chem., 3, 814-820 (2011)
7. Li, S., Cheng, J., Chen, Y., Nishiura, M., Hou, Z.:
   "Rare Earth Metal Boryl Complexes: Synthesis, Structure, and Insertion of a Carbodiimide and Carbon Monoxide"
   Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 50, 6360-6363 (2011)
8. Zhang, W., Wang, Z., Nishiura, M., Z. Xi, and Hou, Z.:
   "Ln4(CH2)4 Cubane-Type Rare-Earth Methylidene Complexes Consisting of "(C5Me4SiMe3)LnCH2" Units (Ln=Tm,Lu)"
   J. Am. Chem. Soc., 133, 5712-5715 (2011)
9. Cheng, J., Shima, T., and Hou, Z.:
   "Rare-Earth Polyhydride Complexes Bearing Bis(phosphinophenyl) Amido Princer Ligands"
   Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 50, 1857-1860 (2011)
10. Li, X., Nishiura, M., Hu, L., Mori, K. and Hou, Z.:
    "Alternating and Random Copolymerization of Isoprene and Ethylene Catalyzed by Cationic Half-Sandwich Scandium Alkyls"
    J. Am. Chem. Soc., 131, 13870-13882 (2009)