Research
The Nesbit lab is broadly interested synthesis, catalysis, and mechanistic studies using inorganic and organometallic small molecules. The first major area of interest under this umbrella is the development of synthetic catalysts systems inspired by metalloenzymes to expand substrate scope and study mechanism. The second is the use of transition metal catalysts to generate reduced organic molecules from carbon oxides.
Researchers working in the Nesbit lab can expect to hone and develop skills in a wide variety of synthetic and analytical techniques in the course of their work.
Chief among these are:
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The use of Schlenk line, glovebox, and high vacuum line techniques for the preparation of air and moisture sensitive inorganic and organometallic transition metal compounds.
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Analytical techniques for characterization and understanding of molecular and electronic structure of transition metal compounds such as X-ray diffraction, electrochemistry, and IR, UV-Vis, NMR, and EPR spectroscopies; as well as theoretical techniques such as density functional theory calculations.
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Expertise in both catalytic and stochiometric reaction mechanisms in both inorganic and organometallic reactions through the study of reaction kinetics; the use of chemical probes; and in-situ/operando spectroscopic studies.