Low-Valent p-Block Compounds: Taking on Noble Roles in Catalysis

In this project, innovative approaches will be employed to access new, and fundamentally important, classes
of low oxidation state main group compounds, the electronic properties and reactivity of which will be readily
tuned to mimic those of noble transition metal complexes. For the first time, these attributes will be
harnessed to establish such compounds as cheap and sustainable alternatives to the expensive and toxic
transition metal catalysts that are currently essential to numerous synthetic processes utilised in academia
and industry. The involvement of a synergistic international network of collaborators will be central to the
success of this project, which offers major academic, environmental and economic benefits to Australia.