Contemporary inorganic chemistry is a vast and thriving discipline. The research interests of the UMass faculty involved in this area of chemistry reflect both the diversity and the interdisciplinary nature of the subject. Several major frontier topics, involving techniques such as innovative synthesis, enzymology, polymer science, catalysis, and high performance materials are actively pursued here.

The inorganic chemistry of biology is fascinating and crucial to the understanding of much of life sciences. Transition metal hydrogenases and other redox active enzymes are particular targets of study. Nickel-containing enzymes systems are key catalysts for metabolism of anaerobic bacteria, and may prove useful in creating non-petroleum fuel sources. The mechanisms of this chemistry and of other nickel-containing enzymes from photosynthetic bacteria are being studied by a variety of spectroscopic methods. The mechanism of hydrogen atom transfer is also under scrutiny
in metalloenzymes, particularly the possibility that quantum mechanical tunneling is occurring. In addition, recent studies show that the sulfur containing ligands of a number of metalloproteins and metalloenzymes are as important as the metal ions that are incorporated.

Non-biological catalytic methods are also hotly pursued by inorganic chemists at UMass-Amherst, following a long tradition of excellence at our department in this area. Transition metal catalysts provide important routes to the synthesis of small, pharmacologically important molecules, and the production of polymers with controlled stereochemistry and chain length. Recent results show promise for replacing expensive noble metal catalysts -- much used for C-C, C-N, and C-O bond forming reactions -- with cheaper transition metals such as copper. Also, a strategy of using polymer unfolding as a function of solvent conditions (or even dialysis methods) to release catalysts is being pursued as a means of reusing catalysts.

Inorganic chemistry of materials is also a rapidly developing area. Synthetic techniques developed here allow the application of diamond-like films to a variety of metal surfaces by a precursor methodology. Metal surfaces can be altered by application and attachment of polymers, changing the normal metal surface characteristics to act more like an organic substrate. Highly structured, porous materials (zeolites and related hybrid organic/ inorganic materials) are being developed with an eye to understanding and controlling their ion-transport, molecular separation, and catalytic functions. This area is particularly strengthened by the high level of computational, crystallographic, and microscopy facilities on campus that are available to study both crystalline and surface samples at the molecular level.

For participating faculty see Research Matrix.