New ligands for sensing, binding and catalysis

This proposal will build on recent work, expanding important synthetic developments at the calixarene methylene bridge to focus on sensing, binding and stabilization of energetic molecules (explosives). This may also reach into catalysis in the unique chemical environment produced by enhanced ligand design, as well as molecular magnetism as an additional angle of exploration. The work will involve collaboration with Prof. Colin Pulham at UoE as well as Dr Stuart Kennedy of the FALCON project, also based at UoE, and may lead to work involving DASA (see below). Work in the coordination chemistry side will lead to collaboration with theoretical chemists, as well as possibly Prof. Euan Brechin at UoE if we can isolate novel single ion magnets, all building on the recent and unique synthetic developments with this system.