Multimetal Organic Complexes

Researchers from the US and Japan have devised a method to string metal-containing molecular segments in specific sequences and lengths to form surface-tethered metal-organic complexes, including one with three types of metals and a total of six metal atoms. Complexes of this type may mediate highly selective catalytic reactions or "cascading reactions," which have been called "green chemistry" because by carrying out several transformations in one synthetic operation great savings of time, labor, resources, and waste can be generated.

The research team was led by Omar Yaghi, UCLA professor of chemistry and biochemistry and a CNSI member.

The research was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.