zoom [PhD Thesis Presentation] - Mr. Sebastien Lapointe "Nickel Complexes of New Electron-Rich, Sterically-Hindered PNP Pincer Ligands"

Presenter: Mr. Sebastien Lapointe

Supervisor: Professor Julia Khusnutdinova

Unit: Coordination Chemistry and Catalysis Unit

Title: Transition Metal Complexes with New Electron-Rich, Sterically-Hindered PNP Pincer Ligands

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Abstract:

This thesis describes the synthesis, characterization and reactivity studies of nickel complexes of a new family of electron-rich, bulky PNP pincer ligands (PNP = 2,6-{R₂PC(CH₃)₂}₂-pyridine). The first chapter introduces the literature review of pincer complexes with a focus on nickel complexes and their applications. The second chapter introduces a new family of pyridine-based PNP pincer ligands that are based on the classic PNP framework, explores how the modified ligand influences the behavior of nickel complexes, and describes examples of mostly metal-based reactivity. This chapter mainly focuses on how this new family of PNP ligands can remain unreactive under specific reductive conditions, which allows the stabilization of complexes having unusual oxidation state of the metal center. The third chapter explores how it is possible to induce new types of ligand-based reactivity on the PNP pincer framework by blocking classical modes of metal-ligand cooperation, and how changes in the electronics and steric properties of the complex can lead to switching from metal-based reactivity to ligand-based reactivity.