Research in the Radosevich group centers on the invention of new homogeneous catalysts and reagents based on inexpensive and earth-abundant elements of the p-block. Specifically, the group has designed a class of phosphorus-based molecular catalysts with small frontier orbital energy gaps and dense spatial orbital array that make and break chemical bonds by catalytically cycling in the PIII⇌PV redox couple. Ongoing research pursuits are motivated by both a fundamental mechanistic interest in redox reactivity, as well as a practical need for new efficient and environmentally-friendly chemical processes.
Professor Radosevich’s research program spans the areas of inorganic, organometallic, and organic chemistry, with a focus on synthesis and catalysis. Students and postdoctoral researchers joining the group can expect to develop a range of synthetic skills spanning these subdisciplines. By coupling synthetic expertise with rigorous training in the characterization of new compounds (including NMR, UV-Vis, IR, EPR, X-ray diffraction, and electrochemistry), new molecular entities with exciting and useful reactivities are anticipated.