Research Projects

Metallacrowns

 

Research in the Zaleski group focuses on coordination chemistry and magnetochemistry.  Working with a class of inorganic molecules known as metallacrowns, we are investigating the electronic and magnetic properties of these compounds.  To synthesize these metallacrowns, we strive to use readily available ligands.  Hopefully these molecules will have interesting magnetic properties and behave as single-molecule magnets. 

 

So what are metallacrowns and single-molecule magnets (SMMs)?  Metallacrowns are the inorganic analogues to organic crown ethers.  Metallacrowns contain a M-N-O repeat unit and often contain multiple metal centers in an individual molecule.  Due to the high density of metal centers in one molecule, they potentially have interesting magnetic properties, such as single-molecule magnetism.  SMMs are molecules that contain a single magnetic domain within a metal-based complex.  In ac magnetic susceptibility experiments, the SMM behavior is manifested as a frequency dependent signal.  The cause of the signal is the slow relaxation of the magnetization of the molecule.  The magnetization is hindered by an energy barrier which is equal to S²|D|, where S is the ground spin state and D is the magnetoanisotropy of the molecule.  Thus by increasing the spin of the molecule or by increasing the anisotropy of the molecule, a better SMM can be synthesized.  The goal is to produce SMMs with high operating temperatures.

 

We are also collaborating with Dr. Vincent Pecoraro at the University of Michigan and Dr. Matteo Tegoni at the University of Parma.  Please check out the Pecoraro group and Tegoni group webpages to find out more about their research.

 

Chemical Education

We are developing new inorganic chemistry laboratories for the upper division course.