Nitrogen Fixation

Our Research As we knew, nitrogen is the key element in the world, showing its vital roles in the life and the common activity of human beings. Our group focus on fixation and transformation of dinitrogen (N2). We are interested in the synthesis, structure, bonding, mechanism and reactivity of metal-dinitrogen complexes across the periodic table, with a particular emphasis on converting dinitrogen into N-containing organic molecules under mild reaction conditions. The research topics of our group overlap extensively and we cooperate with others at Fudan University internationally.

Specific Topics:

Mechanism and new catalytic application in different transformations of transition-metal-dinitrogen complexes. Construct new C–N bonds in organic synthesis from dinitrogen, directly convert dinitrogen to different kinds of N-containing molecules.

The introduction of bridging skeleton and bimetallic center into nitrogen-immobilized transition metal complexes provides a new idea for the design of auxiliary ligands for nitrogen-containing transition metal complexes. We expect to use various types of aryl rings as the bridging centers and -N(CH2CH2NHAr)2 as the connecting side arms to regulate the degree of dispersion and alignment of the two metal centers by changing the site resistance and electrical properties of the ligands. In turn, the multidentate bridging ligands form a “bimetallic pocket” with the dinuclear metal centers, which is expected to activate the nitrogen molecules more efficiently. Feedback from the metal to the dinitrogen molecule enhances the basicity of the nitrogen atom, with the M-N≡N species generated by the coordination (or reduction) of one metal contributing to the bonding with the second metal, while additional feedback from the second metal promotes the formation of a strong multi-bond between the metal and the dinitrogen ligand, and such synergistic interactions between bimetals, especially heteronuclear bimetals, may enable the functionalization of the two -N≡N- sites, contributing to the activation of the newly developed bimetallic ligands and to the activation of the newly developed nitrogen molecules. functionalization, contributing to the development of new developmental modes, such as cycloaddition reactions with unsaturated substrates or complex decomposition reactions.