Nathan M. West, PhD
 |
Nathan M. West
Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Inorganic Chemistry
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2008
Inorganic Chemistry
Organometallic Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Griffith Hall 305
215.596.7251
n.west@usp.edu
|
Research Interests
- Organometallic transformations of the transition metals
- Homogeneous catalysis
- Green chemistry
Research Summary
My research involves the synthesis of new inorganic and organometallic complexes of the transition metals. Our goal is to design catalysts for useful chemical conversions and to study the mechanisms by which these transformations occur. By conducting detailed mechanistic studies, we can learn how the reactions proceed and use this information to design more effective catalyst systems. By using this approach we hope to develop new methods of synthesizing both petrochemicals and fine chemicals alike while simultaneously gathering basic chemical knowledge on the nature on organometallic transformations. Many of the compounds that will be investigated are highly sensitive to air and water so rigorously air-free techniques will be used.
Specifically, some of our initial projects will include the synthesis of rhodium and palladium complexes designed to catalyze the carboxylation of the C-H bonds of unactivated arenes by C-H activation and coupling with carbon dioxide, the use of novel carbon based pincer ligands to support the formation rare high-oxidation state late transition metal complexes, and the development of tungsten based catalysts for C-C bond formation between amines and olefins.
Publications
"Homogeneous syngas conversion." West, N. M.; Miller, A. J. M.; Labinger, J. A.; Bercaw, J. E. Coord. Chem. Rev. 2010, In Press, doi: 10.1016/j.ccr.2010.08.019.
"Transformations of Group 7 Carbonyl Complexes: Possible Intermediates in a Homogeneous Syngas Conversion Scheme." Elowe, P. R.; West, N. M.; Labinger, J. A.; Bercaw, J. E. Organometallics 2009, 28, 6218-6227.
"Cycloaddition Reactions of Terminal Alkynes and Phosphaalkynes with an Isolable 5-Coordinate β-Diiminate Pt(IV) Dihydrosilyl Complex." West, N. M.; White, P. S.; Templeton, J. L.; Nixon, J. F. Organometallics 2009, 28, 1425-1434.
"Approaches to alkane functionalization with Tp'Pt and (nacnac)Pt reagents." West, N. M.; Templeton, J. L. Can. J. Chem. 2009, 87, 288-296.
"Alkyne Insertion into the Pt-H bond of β-Diiminate Pt(H)(1-pentene) Initiates a Reaction Cascade that Results in C-H Activation or C-C Coupling." West, N. M.; White, P. S.; Templeton, J. L. Organometallics 2008, 27, 5252-5262.
"Facile Dehydrogenation of Ethers and Alkanes with a β-Diiminate Pt Fragment." West, N. M.; White, P. S.; Templeton, J. L. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 12372-12373.
"Carbon Monoxide Promoted Reductive Elimination of Hydrogen from Tp' Platinum Complexes." West, N. M.; Reinartz, S.; White, P. S.; Templeton, J. L. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 2059-2066.