School of Chemistry

Charlotte Willans

Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow
Research section: Inorganic & Materials Chemistry

Contact details

Keywords

N-Heterocyclic carbenes
Transition metals
Lanthanides
Biomedicine
Catalysis

Research interests

N-Heterocyclic carbenes are stable singlet carbenes that can act as excellent two electron donor ligands towards elements across the whole periodic table. They have received wide attention in transition metal chemistry and have a plethora of catalytic and biomedical applications. We are interested in the design and synthesis of chelating and macrocyclic N-heterocyclic carbene ligands, with the aim of preparing complexes that are more stable than their monodentate counterparts. The ligands are coordinated to a variety of transition metals and lanthanide ions, and the complexes assessed in catalytic (e.g. polymerisation) and biomedical (e.g. anti-cancer) applications.

To add a further dimension to our research activities we are also looking at N-heterocyclic carbenes in combination with carboranes. We have prepared the first adduct in which an N-heterocyclic carbene is coordinated to a carborane, and are currently investigating the coordination chemistry of this unique class of ligand.

Students working in the group will be involved in the design and synthesis of novel N-heterocyclic carbene ligands and their coordination to a range of centres. The complexes will be assessed in various catalytic and biomedical applications. Lead ligands will be redesigned and optimised. Students will learn a wide range of techniques which include preparation of organic and organometallic compounds, synthesis under anaerobic conditions, catalytic studies, NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.

Useful links

Personal web pages   
   
   

Selected publications

C. E. Willans, C. A. Kilner, M. A. Fox. Deboronation and deprotonation of ortho-carborane with N-heterocyclic carbenes. Chemistry – A European Journal 2010, 16, 10644.

C. E. Willans, K. M. Anderson, M. J. Paterson, P. C. Junk, L. J. Barbour, J. W. Steed. Bis(N-heterocyclic) dipalladium complexes: synthesis, solid-state conformational studies and solution behaviour. European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, 2009, 2835.

C. E. Willans, M. A. Sinenkov, G. K. Fukin, K. Sheridan, J. M. Lynam, A. A. Trifonov, F. M. Kerton. Lanthanide chloride complexes of amine-bis(phenolate) ligands and their reactivity in the ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone. Dalton Transactions, 2008, 3592.

C. E. Willans, K. M. Anderson, P. C. Junk, L. J. Barbour and J. W. Steed. A small tris(imidazolium) cage forms an N-heterocyclic carbene complex with silver(I). Chemical Communications, 2007, 3634.