The Teets Group

Good Science...That's Our GuaranTeets

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Research Interests:

We are an inorganic chemistry group emphasizing synthetic and physical inorganic chemistry. We are primarily interested in the design of molecules with interesting photophysical properties, which we interrogate using a variety of physical techniques.

Phosphorescent Molecules

We are exploring different ligand design strategies to optimize the properties phosphorescent organometallic compounds. In particular, we are modifying ancillary ligands on heteroleptic bis-cyclometalated iridium complexes as a means of tailoring their properties. Most of our work in this area focuses on the extremes of the visible spectrum, with efforts targeting the design of efficient and robust deep blue phosphors and separate efforts focused on red to near-infrared emitters.

Photoinduced Electron Transfer and Photoredox Catalysis

We are designing a new class of cyclometalated iridium photosensitizers, supported by electron-rich ancillary ligands. These complexes posseess highly reducing excited states, and in addition to studying fundamental aspects of their excited-state redox properties we are also developing new photoredox transformations, where the potent excited-state reactivity permits usage of a wider range of substrates.

Supramolecular Photochemistry

In this effort we design innovative synthetic strategies to prepare supramolecular, multi-chromophore arrays involving cyclometalated iridium. Some of these constructs may have intriguiing luminescence properties and serve as platforms for fundamental studies of excited-state energy transfer, and we are also targeting designs that could serve as ratiometric sensors.

Formazanate Ligands

We are developing the coordination chemistry of redox-active formazanate ligands, primarily with third-row transition metals. We seek to understand the rich electronic structures and unveil potentially interesting reactivity when these redox-active ligands are partnered with redox-active transition metals.