Design of OrganicInorganic Hybrid Lanthanide and Actinide Materials

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Design of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Lanthanide and
Actinide MaterialsChristopher L. Cahill, The
George Washington University DMR-0348982
Multiple Linker Molecules as a Route to
Heterometallic Metal-Organic Framework Materials
We have been synthesizing f-metal containing
inorganic/organic hybrid compounds using
hydrothermal techniques. Typically, such MOF
materials are homometallic and consist of a
single linker molecule. A novel route to mixed
metal systems is being explored in our group
wherein multiple organic linker molecules with
differing functionality are employed. Utilizing
hard-soft acid-base distinctions, we are able to
produce heterometallic frameworks through
judicious choice of ligand-metal ion pairing. As
such, the example at right shows 4,4-dipyridyl
and adipic acid coordinated to Cu2 and (UO2)2
respectively. This approach is an extension of
our previous efforts using single linker
molecules with multiple functional groups (Frisch
and Cahill, Dalton 2005). This philosophy has
been successful in not only producing new
topologies, but also in influencing luminescent
properties.
(UO2)4 (O)2Cu(C10H10N2)3(C6H8O4)3
Crystal structure of a heterometallic MOF
consisting of UO22 and Cu2 metal centers
linked through adipate groups (C6H8O4)2- and
4,4- dipyridyl groups (C10H10N2), respectively.
Yellow polyhedra are coordinated UO22 species,
whereas blue octahedra are Cu2 centers.
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Design of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Lanthanide and
Actinide MaterialsChristopher L. Cahill, The
George Washington University DMR-0348982
Education
Outreach
Research Group, Spring 2005 Graduate
Students Lauren Borkowski, Daniel DeLill, Mark
Frisch, Noel Gunning, (MS 2005) Shannon Morrison
(Ph.D 2005). Undergraduates Jacquelynn Danek (BS
2005), Daniel Bozutto Received full
scholarship to attend DOEs National School on
X-ray and Neutron Scattering Participated in
NSF-REU program at Cornell Universitys Center
for Materials Research.
Science Fair Judging Yorktown Highschool,
Arlington Virginia. Professor Cahill and
graduate students (Lauren Borkowski, Mark
Frish)and undergraduate (Jaqui Danek)
participated in the 2005 Science Fair as Category
Judges in Chemistry. DC Scientific
Community Professor Cahill is currently the
President of the GW Chapter of Sigma
Xi Collaborative crystallography research with
the University of the District of Columbia (UDC)
and Howard University ( two HBCUs).