Frontiers in synthetic and structural rare earth chemistry

Rare earth elements are a major under-utilised Auatralian resource. Their commercial development requires knowledge and progression of their chemistry. Advancing the chemistry of highly reactive, air-sensitive metalorganics will provide the breakthrough science to underpin future applications in chemical manufacture, catalysis and new materials. Transformation of rare earth chemistry to achieve behaviour hitherto atypical of these elements by steric and electronic modulation of attached groups will value-add to their properties.