Overview Academic/Research Interest Areas

My group focuses on electron-transfer reactions of organometallic complexes. By oxidizing or reducing these compounds we often generate species that undergo interesting reactions or form complexes in unusual oxidation states. In many cases redox activation of organometallic complexes accelerates known reactions of these compounds, activates otherwise inert complexes, or allows reactions to occur under milder conditions. We study the reactions and their products using electrochemical methods and other instrumental techniques including, but not limited to, NMR, IR, ESR and GC/MS.

Recent Publications

"Facile, Redox-Promoted Formation of Rhodocenium Complexes bearing the 1,2,3-Tri-tert-butylcyclo-pentadienyl Ligand" Donovan-Merkert, B.T.; Tjiong, H.I.; Rhinehart, L.M.; Russell, R.A.; Malik, J.M. Organometallics 1997, 16, 819.

"Electrochemistry Studies of a Metallacyclobutene Complex: Synthesis of a Furan Product by Oxidation of a Cobaltacyclobutene" Donovan-Merkert, B.T.; Malik, J.; Gray, L.V.; O. Connor, J.M.; Fong, B. Organometallics 1998, 17, 1007.

"Rhodocenium Complexes Bearing the 1,2,3-tri-tert-butylcyclopentadienyl Ligand: Synthesis and Mechanistic, Structural and Computational Investigations" Donovan-Merkert, B.T.; Clontz, C.R.; Rhinehart, L.M.; Tjiong, H.I.; Carlin, C.M.; Cundari, T.R.; Rheingold, A.L.; Guzei, I. Organometallics 1998, 17, 1716.

Educational Background

B.S., Chemistry, Duke University, 1983

Ph.D., Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, The University of Vermont, 1988

Post-doc, Organometallic Chemistry, Dartmouth College, 1988-90

Post-doc, Electrochemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, 1990-92