Our research program targets new multimetallic inorganic structures on the frontiers of inorganic synthesis and catalysis. With inspiration from biological, mineral, and heterogeneous systems, we target structures that amplify and harness molecular complexity for promotion of challenging bond activation, cleavage, and coupling reactions. A special focus lies in the development of new, multimetallic active sites within atomically precise cluster systems and in the interrogation and study of base metal compounds bearing highly reactive metal-to-carbon multiple bonds. We choose to focus on base metals because of their abundance and versatility in promoting a range of one- and two-electron processes. We seek to harness and control these molecular architectures for applications in sustainable catalysis, clean energy, and decarbonization.

Students in the Bailey lab will be trained in the art of rigorous anaerobic chemical synthesis including Schlenk line and glovebox techniques. We also use low-temperature and freeze-trapping experiments to interrogate highly reactive and transient intermediates of relevance to our systems of study. Students will learn how to collect and interpret advanced physical characterization data (e.g., paramagnetic, multinuclear, and DOSY NMR spectroscopy; EPR and Mössbauer spectroscopy; electrochemistry; crystallography; and powder X-ray diffraction) to gain insight into the atomic and electronic structure of inorganic compounds. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are used to support physical characterization data and inform research directions.