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The Society Committee on Education (SOCED) of the American Chemistry Society (ACS) held an invitational meeting, "Exploring the Molecular Vision" to re-construct the chemistry curriculum, in keeping with modern interdisciplinary practices. The meeting confirmed that chemistry education must interact with diverse disciplines, and portray its value to society, to reflect the present trends in chemistry.

The catalytic epoxidation of various olefins with a cross-bridged cyclam manganese complex, Mn(Me2EBC)Cl2 is reported using hydrogen peroxide as the terminal oxidant, in acetone/water (ratio 4:1) as the solvent medium. Catalytic epoxidation studies with this system disclosed reactions that proceed by a nonradical pathway other than the expected oxygen-rebound mechanism that is characteristic of high-valent, late-transition-metal catalysts.

A new concept for exploiting dense phase CO2, media considered to be 'green' solvent for homogeneous catalytic oxidation reactions is demonstrated. Several advantages of homogeneous oxidation in CO2 -expanded reaction mixtures are presented.

Research has been conducted on the O (sub)2 oxidation (autoxidation) of substituted phenols. The study of these phenols catalyzed by a dioxygen carrier in the supercritical carbon oxide in investigating the reaction mechanism is described.

Research has been conducted on the bicyclic pentadentate ligand that demonstrates a high degree of preorganization with respect to metal complexation. The synthesis of the ligand has been described.

Research has been conducted on the N,N'-diphenylformamidines and their deprotonated silver(I) complexes. The synthesis of these complexes is described.

A series of novel tridentate Schiff base ligands that can be used in octahedral molecular templates was synthesized. The crystal structures of the free ligand, 2,6-pyridinedicarboxaldhydebis(p-hydroxyphenylimine), its zinc(II) and nickel(II) complexes and the product of methylation of the nickel(II) complex, were also described. Results showed that two molecules of the ligand exhibit equatorial coordination to six-coordinate octahedral metal ions to produce orthogonally oriented molecular turns around the anchoring metal ion.

The dependence of autoxidation rate on oxygen concentration for Rhizobium meliloti FixL and Aplysia kurodai myoglobin with pentacoordinate met forms was determined. Results showed that the autoxidation mechanism used by the two proteins involved the reaction between a noncoordinated oxygen molecule and an intermediate with water coordinated to the ferrous heme iron. However, the absence of any link between the coordination of water and oxygen protection effect may also involved other mechanisms such as the transfer of electrons from oxyheme to deoxyheme.

Mannich condensation is used to prepare amine-substituted dicompartmental ligands containing picolyl pendant arms on their amine substituent from salicylaldehydes, formaldehyde and substituted diaminoethane. A number of derivatives are also synthesized and characterized. Metal-containing complexes were generated using these dicompartmental ligands. X-ray diffraction studies were undertaken to elucidate the crystal structures of these ligands and complexes.

An analysis of the synthesis, characterization and superoxide dismutase activity of four new Iron(III) complexes with pentaaza macrocyclic ligands was presented. Various electrochemical experiments were performed to determine the the process of synthesis and characterization of these iron complexes. Results revealed that the new iron(III) complexes catalyze the fast disproportionation of superoxide in aqueous solution and their electrochemical properties were different in aqueous and acetonitrile solutions.

The interaction between iron (II) cyclidene complexes with carbon monoxide was determined through the analysis of binding affinity assay. Results indicated that variations in the R1 bridge length dictate an effect on the carbon monoxide affinity. Four steric effects were described. The first involved the increase in the rate of carbon monoxide binding. The second, involved the strength of the iron-CO bond. The third involved N4 macrocycle competitive inhibition, while the fourth involved the difference in binding behavior.

Five-coordinate cobalt(II) dioxygen carriers have vacant coordination sites when dissolved in noncoordinating solvents. However, lacunar complexes provided unique vacant sites that were protected from the effects of the solvents. Dioxygen binding to vacant cobalt(II) sites proceeded at rapid rates with very low ethalpic barriers and negative activation enthalpies. Decreasing lacunar cavity size also slows the O2 binding rates.

A novel type of isomerism in the cyclidene chemistry was charcterized based on the cis or trans orientation of the two bridge terminals. In unsubstituted cyclidene dioxygen carriers, the absence of methyl substituents from the parent macrocycle caused significant change in the molecular conformation of the novel cis-trans isomerism. These alterations in the structure of the cylcidene dioxygen carriers profoundly affected their chemical and physical properties.

Dicopper(II) complexes were synthesized using an asymmetric Robson-type ligand, consisting of a Schiff base and oxime compartments to demonstrate the applicability of a novel strategy of constructing metal chains using two bimetallic units linked together by a fifth metal ion. The (CuCl4)(super 2-) and ClO4- complexes showed a strong tendency to form coordination dimers and tetramers while the binuclear cation is almost planar, with the copper ions slightly displaced to opposite sides of the donor atoms. The Cu(II)/Cu(I) complex was found to be thermodynamically stable toward disproportionation.

The C-substituted 1,4,7,10,13-pentaazacyclopentadecane ligands have Mn(II) complexes that exhibit superoxide dismutase activity. The [15]aneN5 ligands with unsubstituted nitrogen cores produced the best Mn(II) complexes with superoxide dismutase activity. Additional C-substitutions enhanced the stability of the Mn(II) complexes due to an increase in kinetic stability. The position, number and stereochemistry of the carbon substituents also affect the two independent rate-determining pathways of the catalytic cycle.

The oxygenation of phenols catalyzed by cobalt (II) cyclidene complexes represents a novel example of an oxygenation reaction involving synthetic superstructured cobalt(II) complexes. The product selectivity of the reaction depends upon the structure and dioxygen activity. Oxygenation reaction is preferred by suitable electron releasing groups. Electrochemical analysis of the oxidation of 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenol reveal that a phenoxy radical is formed as a reaction intermediate.