School of Chemistry

Inorganic and Materials Chemistry

The Inorganic Chemistry section includes eight members of staff, whose research strengths lie in the following areas:

Supramolecular chemistry
The study of weak interactions between molecules, and the assembly of small molecular components into larger structures. This encompasses synthetic chemistry, where molecular hosts are designed to bind selectively to anions or other guest species [Hardie, Halcrow]. It also includes surface chemistry, where surfaces are modified with smart coatings that allow them to bind, and detect, biologically important molecules [Zhou].

Materials chemistry
Using additives or moulds to control of the growth of inorganic materials can afford single crystals with curved faces, pores and other unnatural morphologies [Meldrum]. The investigation of structure:function relationships in mixed-anion inorganic solids, and their applications [Hyett]. There is also strong interest in molecule-based crystal chemistry, where molecular components are assembled into switchable materials [Halcrow] or topologically novel network structures [Hardie]. Research into polymer chemistry is carried out in the Colour Science, Organic Chemistry and Physical Chemistry sections.

Nanochemistry
New approaches for nanoparticle functionalisation are leading to fluorescent sensors for the detection of biological pathogens at the single molecule level, and to novel drug delivery systems [Zhou]. We are also engaged in the production of nanocrystalline thin films of inorganic materials [Hyett]; the custom synthesis of nm single crystals with defined shapes [Meldrum] and, the synthesis and chemistry of nm-sized molecular capsules [Hardie].

Bioinorganic chemistry
There are several strands to biological inorganic chemistry research in Leeds. One, is the discovery and development of new organometallic anti-cancer drugs [McGowan]. Another involves studies of prebiotic chemistry, to elucidate how a phosphate-based biochemistry could have evolved under the reducing atmosphere of the early earth [Kee]. The construction of functional DNA-based devices and sensors [Zhou], and mechanistic studies of biomineralisation processes [Meldrum], are also being pursued.

Catalysis
There is a strong effort in catalytic polymer synthesis in Leeds [McGowan, Willans], which is being exploited in the company DyeCat. There is also long-standing interest in asymmetric phospho-transfer catalysis by Lewis acidic metal centres [Kee].

Coordination and organometallic chemistry
Much of the above research involves the synthesis and characterisation of new metal complexes. The metals used span most of the periodic table, including the early [McGowan, Kee] and late [Halcrow, Hardie, McGowan] transition series, main group elements [Kee] and the f -block [Willans].