synthesis ~ catalysis ~ spectroscopy ~ magnetometry
NIPPE RESEARCH GROUP
Learn more

ABOUT

Thanks for visiting the Nippe Group website! We are an inorganic research group at Texas A&M with interests in the areas of molecular electrocatalysis and molecular magnetism. Our research explores various inorganic approaches to contribute to the development of novel systems for molecular solar energy conversion, small molecule activation, and molecules for information storage. We study fundamental aspects of reactivity and electronic structure aiming at identifying critical design elements of molecular architectures that will lead to new discoveries and systematic performance improvements. Synthetic methods build the foundation of the group, which are complimented by a broad array of spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques.

We are seeking students who are interested in creative inorganic synthesis, structure-function relationships in catalysis, and electronic structure of heterometallic d-block/f-block complexes.

Electrocatalysis

Activation and energy-efficient conversion of small molecules such as CO2 and N2 remains a challenging area of global importance. Development of efficient electrocatalytic systems for CO2 reduction will establish artificial photosynthetic systems. Our research targets systematic design and synthesis of transition metal based electrocatalytic systems to investigate: secondary coordination sphere effects on electrocatalysis; intramolecular interactions between imidazolium and CO2 through functionalized Lehn-type catalysts; and modified reaction pathways to further understand catalytic cycles.

Molecular Magnetism

Single-molecule magnets (SMMs) offer the unique possibility for molecular scale, high-density data storage using the switchable orientation of their molecular spin. Lanthanides, in particular, have a lot of potential due to their unquenched orbital momentum. By optimizing the ligand field, we can increase the magnetic barrier and improve magnetic properties. We are also interested in multifunctional molecules that can alter their physical or chemical properties predictively in the presence of an outside trigger. This includes the use of reversible electron transfer to alter magnetization dynamics in lanthanide complexes.

Heterometallic Interactions

We are working on elucidating the effects of heterometallic interactions on static and dynamic magnetic properties as well as spectroscopic features of lanthanide ions. The fundamental scientific understanding of these interactions has been explored in complexes containing the first reported lanthanide-transition metal bonds. Understanding the consequences of these bonding and electronic interactions on the dynamic magnetic properties of various lanthanide ions will guide the development of new molecules for future data processing and storage.

Actinide Chemistry

We are in the process setting up a radioactive elements lab! Called AggieRad, this facility has two new gloveboxes for inert-atmosphere actinide chemistry as well as a multitude of characterization techniques specifically desgined for radioactive elements.

THE GROUP

 Nippe Group Picture

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are thankful for support from:

Publications

img02

A High-Performance Single-Molecule Magnet Utilizing Dianionic Aminoborolide Ligands

Molecular Magnetism, Computations

View more
img02

Nickel-Borolide Complexes and Their Complex Electronic Structure

Electrocatalysis, Computations

View more
img02

Efficient Redox-Neutral Photocatalytic Formate to CO by Long-Range Hot Electron Transfer

Photocatalysis, Small Molecule Activation

View more
img02

Breaking the short-range proximity requirement in quantum dot/molecular catalyst hyrbids

Hybrid Catalyst Systems, Electron Transfer

View more
img02

Axial Elongation of Mononuclear Lanthanide Ruthenocenophanes


Molecular Magnetism, Computations

View more
img02

Trends in Trigonal Prismatic Ln-[1]Ferrocenophane Complexes


Molecular Magnetism, Computations

View more

38. Vanjak, J. C.; Wilkins, B. O.; Vieru, V.; Bhuvanesh, N. S.; Reibenspies, J. H.; Martin, C. D.; Chibotaru, L. F.; Nippe, M. "A High-Performance Single-Molecule Magnet Utilizing Dianionic Aminoborolide Ligands" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 39, 17743-17747; https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.2c06698.

37. Yruegas, S.; Tang, H.; Bornovski, G. Z.; Su, X.; Sung, S.; Hall, M. B.; Nippe, M.; Martin, C. D. "Nickel-Borolide Complexes and Their Complex Electronic Structure" Inorg. Chem. 2021, 60, 21, 16160-16167; https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c01845.

36. Orrison, C.; Meeder, J. R.; Zhang, B.; Puthenpurayil, J.; Hall, M. B.; Nippe, M.; Son, D. H. "Efficient Redox-Neutral Photocatalytic Formate to Carbon Monoxide Conversion Enable by Long-Range Hot Electron Transfer from Mn-Doped Quantum Dots" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 27, 10292-10300; https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.1c03844.

35. Yang, X.; Burns, C. P.; Nippe, M.; Hall, M. B. "Unsupported Lanthanide-Transition Metal Bonds: Ionic vs Polar Covalent?" Inorg. Chem. 2021, 60, 13, 9394-9401; https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c00285.

34. Adhikari, M.; Echeverria, E.; Risica, G.; McIlroy, D. N.; Nippe, M.; Vasquez, Y. "Synthesis of Magnetite Nanorods from the Reduction of Iron Oxy-Hydroxide with Hydrazine" ACS Omega 2020, 5, 35, 22440-22448; https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.0c02928.

33. Parobek, D.; Meeder, J. R.; Puthenpurayil, J.; Nippe, M.; Son, D. H. "Breaking the short-range proximity requirement in quantum dot/molecular catalyst hybrids for CO2 reduction via long-range hot electron sensitization" J. Mater. Chem. A 2020, 8, 12984-12989; https://doi.org/10.1039/D0TA05258B.

32. Risica, G. M.; Vieru, V.; Wilkins, B. O.; Latendresse, T. P.; Reibenspies, J. H.; Bhuvanesh, N. S.; Wylie, G. P.; Chibotaru, L. F.; Nippe, M. "Axial Elongation of Mononuclear Lanthanide Metallocenophanes: Magnetic Properties of Dysprosium- and Terbium-[1]Ruthenocenophane Complexes" Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 2-8; https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202003759.

31. Hyun, S.-M.; Uphadayay, A.; Das, A.; Burns, C. P.; Sung, S.; Beaty, J. D.; Bhuvanesh, N. S.; Nippe, M.; Powers, D. C. "Kinetic versus thermodynamic metalation enables synthesis of isostructural homo- and heterometallic trinuclear clusters" Chem. Commun. 2020, 56, 5893-5896; https://doi.org/10.1039/D0CC02346A.

30. Latendresse, T. P.; Vieru, V.; Uphadayay, A.; Bhuvanesh, N. S.; Chibotaru, L. F.; Nippe, M. "Trends in Trigonal Prismatic Ln-[1]ferrocenophane Complexes and Discovery of a Ho3+ Single-Molecule Magnet" Chem. Sci. 2020, 11, 3936-3951; https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SC01197E.

29. Zee, D. Z.; Nippe, M.; King, A. E.; Chang, C. J.; Long, J. R. "Tuning Second Coordination Sphere Interactions in Polypyridyl-Iron Complexes to Achieve Selective Electrocatalytic Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Carbon Monoxide" Inorg. Chem. 2020, 59, 5206-5217; https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c00455.

28. Chen, H.; Mahapatra, R.; Nippe, M.; Lu, M.; Bunting, P. C.; Melia, T.; Rajendran, S.; Gratta, G.; Long, J. R. "Quantum Detection using Magnetic Avalanches in Single-Molecule Magnets" 2020; arXiv:2002.09409.

27. Sung, S.; Li, X.; Wolf, L. M.; Meeder, J. R.; Bhuvanesh, N. S.; Grice, K. A.; Panetier, J. A.; Nippe, M. "Synergistic Effects of Imidazolium-Functionalization on fac-Mn(CO)3 Bipyridine Catalyst Platforms for Electrocatalytic Carbon Dioxide Reduction" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 6569-6582; https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.8b13657.

26. Burns, C. P.; Yang, X.; Sung, S.; Wofford, J. D.; Bhuvanesh, N. S.; Hall, M. B.; Nippe, M. "Towards understanding of lanthanide-transition metal bonding: investigations of the first Ce-Fe bonded complex" Chem. Commun. 2018, 54, 10893-10896; http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C8CC05243C.

25. Latendresse, T. P.; Vieru, V.; Wilkins, B. O.; Bhuvanesh, N. S.; Chibotaru, L. F.; Nippe, M. "Magnetic Properties of a Terbium-[1]ferrocenophane Complex: Analogies Between Lanthanide- ferrocenophane and Lanthanide-bis-phthalocyanine Complexes" Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 8164-8169; https://doi.org/ 10.1002/anie.201804075.

24. Burns, C. P.; Yang, X.; Wofford, J. D.; Bhuvanesh, N. S.; Hall, M. B.; Nippe, M. "Structure and Magnetization Dynamics of Dy-Fe and Dy-Ru Bonded Complexes" Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 8144-8148; https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201803761.

23. Latendresse, T. P.; Bhuvanesh, N. S.; Nippe, M. "Hard Single-Molecule Magnet Behavior By a Linear Trinuclear Lanthanide-[1]Metallocenophane Complex" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 14877-14880; https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.7b08690.

22. Dickie, C. M.; Laughlin, A. L.; Wofford, J. D.; Bhuvanesh, N. S.; Nippe, M. "Transition metal redox switches for reversible 'on/off' and 'slow/fast' single-molecule magnet behaviour in dysprosium and erbium bisdiamidoferrocene complexes" Chem. Sci. 2017, 8, 8039-8049; https://doi.org/10.1039/C7SC03380J.

21. Sung, S.; Kumar, D.; Gil-Sepulcre, M.; Nippe, M. "Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction by Imidazolium-Functionalized Molecular Catalysts" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 13993-13996; https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.7b07709.

20. Burns, C. P.; Wilkins, B. O.; Dickie, C. M.; Latendresse, T. P.; Vernier, L.; Vignesh, K. R.; Bhuvanesh, N. S.; Nippe, M. "A comparative study of magnetization dynamics in dinuclear dysprosium complexes featuring bridging chloride or trifluoromethanesulfonate ligands" Chem. Commun. 2017, 53, 8419-8422; https://doi.org/10.1039/c7cc02457f.

19. Latendresse, T. P.; Bhuvanesh, N. S.; Nippe, M. "Slow Magnetic Relaxation in a Lanthanide- [1]Metallocenophane Complex" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 8058-8061; https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.7b01499.

18. Kashif, M. K.; Milhuisen, R. A.; Nippe, M.; Hellerstedt, J.; Zee, D. Z.; Duffy, N. W.; Halstead, B.; De Angelis, F.; Fantacci, S.; Fuhrer, M. S.; Chang, C. J.; Cheng, Y.-B.; Long, J. R.; Spiccia, L.; Bach, U. "Cobalt Polypyridyl Complexes as Transparent Solution- Processable Solid-State Charge Transport Materials" Adv. Energy Mater. 2016, 1600874; https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201600874.

17. Dickie, C. M.; Nippe, M. "Magnetization Dynamics of a Heterometallic Dy-isocarbonyl Complex" Inorg. Chem. Front. 2016, 3, 97-103; https://doi.org/10.1039/C5QI00224A.

16. Di Giovanni, C.; Gimbert-Surinach, C.; Nippe, M.; Benet-Buchholz, J.; Long, J. R.; Sala, X.; Llobet, A. "Dinuclear Cobalt Complexes of a Decadentate Ligand Scaffold: Hydrogen Evolution and Oxygen Reduction Catalysis" Chem. Eur. J. 2016, 22, 361-369; https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.201503567.

15. King, A. E.; Nippe, M.; Atanasov, M.; Chantarojsiri, T.; Wray, C. A.; Bill, E.; Neese, F.; Long, J. R.; Chang, C. J. "A Well-Defined Terminal Vanadium(III) Oxo Complex" Inorg. Chem. 2014, 53, 11388-11395; https://doi.org/10.1021/ic5010177.

14. Demir, S.; Nippe, M.; Gonzalez, M. I.; Long, J. R. "Exchange coupling and magnetic blocking in dilanthanide complexes bridged by the multi-electron redox-active ligand 2,3,5,6-tetra(2-pyridyl) pyrazine" Chem. Sci. 2014, 5, 4701-4711; https://doi.org/10.1039/C4SC02154A.

13. Brogden, D. W.; Turov, Y.; Nippe, M.; Li Manni, G.; Hillard, E. A.; Clerac, R.; Gagliardi, L.; Berry, J. F. "Oxidative Stretching of Metal-Metal Bonds to Their Limits" Inorg. Chem. 2014, 53, 4777-4790; https://doi.org/10.1021/ic5007204.

12. Khnayzer, R. S.; Thoi, V. S.; Nippe, M.; King, A. E.; Jurss, J. W.; El Roz, K. A.; Long, J. R.; Chang, C. J.; Castellano, F. N. "Towards a comprehensive understanding of visible-light photogeneration of hydrogen from water using cobalt(ii) polypyridyl catalysts" Energy Environ. Sci. 2014, 7, 1477-1488; https://doi.org/10.1039/C3EE43982H.

11. Nippe, M.; Khnayzer, R. S.; Panetier, J. A.; Zee, D. Z.; Olaiya, B. S.; Head-Gordon, M.; Chang, C. J.; Castellano, F. N.; Long, J. R. "Catalytic proton reduction with transition metal complexes of the redox-active ligand bpy2PYMe" Chem. Sci. 2013, 4, 3934-3945; https://doi.org/10.1039/C3SC51660A.

10. Kashif, M. K.; Nippe, M.; Duffy, N. W.; Forsyth, C. M.; Chang, C. J.; Long, J. R.; Spiccia, L.; Bach, U. "Stable dye-sensitized solar cell electrolytes based on cobalt(II)/(III) complexes of a hexadentate pyridyl ligand" Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52, 5527-5531; https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201300070.

9. Demir, S.; Zadrozny, J. M.; Nippe, M.; Long, J. R. "Exchange coupling and magnetic blocking in bipyrimidyl radical-bridged dilanthanide complexes" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 18546-18549; https://doi.org/10.1021/ja308945d.

8. Nippe, M.; Goodman, S. M.; Fry, C. G.; Berry, J. F. "Chemically reversible four-electron oxidation and reduction utilizing two inorganic functional groups" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 2856-2859; https://doi.org/10.1021/ja1114248.

7. Nippe, M.; Bill, E.; Berry, J. F. "Group 6 Complexes with Iron and Zinc Heterometals: Understanding the Structural, Spectroscopic, and Electrochemical Properties of a Complete Series of MM...M' Compounds" Inorg. Chem. 2011, 50, 7650-7661; https://doi.org/10.1021/ic2011315.

6. Nippe, M.; Turov, Y., Berry, J. F. "Remote Effects of Axial Ligand Substitution in Heterometallic CrCr...M Chains" Inorg. Chem. 2011, 50, 10592-10599; https://doi.org/10.1021/ic2011309.

5. Nippe, M.; Wang, J.; Bill, E.; Hope, H.; Dalal, N. S.; Berry, J. F. "Crystals in Which Some Metal Atoms are More Equal Than Others: Inequalities From Crystal Packing and Their Spectroscopic/ Magnetic Consequences" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 14261-14272; https://doi.org/10.1021/ja106510g.

4. Nippe. M.; Victor, E.; Berry, J. F. "Oxidation Chemistry of Axially Protected Mo2 and W2 Quadruply Bonded Compounds" Inorg. Chem. 2009, 48, 11889-11895; https://doi.org/10.1021/ic901965b.

3. Nippe, M.; Timmer, G. H.; Berry, J. F. "Remarkable regioselectivity in the preparation of the first heterotrimetallic MoW...Cr chain" Chem. Commun. 2009, 4357-4359; https://doi.org/10.1039/B907402C.

2. Nippe, M.; Victor, E.; Berry, J. F. "Do metal-metal multiply-bonded "ligands" have a trans influence? Structural and magnetic comparisons of heterometallic CrCr...Co and MoMo...Co interactions" Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2008, 5569-5572; https://doi.org/10.1002/ejic.200801001.

1. Nippe, M.; Berry, J. F. "Introducing a Metal-Metal Multiply Bonded Group as an "Axial Ligand" to Iron: Synthetic Design of a Linear Cr-Cr...Fe Framework" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 12684-12685; https://doi.org/10.1021/ja076337j.

Our Members


Dr. Michael Nippe

Michael Nippe

Princpal Investigator
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
ResearcherID

PostDoc, UC Berkeley
PhD Chemistry, UW Madison

Branford Wilkins

Branford Wilkins

Graduate Student, 8th year

B.S. Chemistry, Univeristy of South Carolina-Columbia

Gayle Bornovski

Gayle Bornovski

Graduate Student, 6th year

B.S. Chemistry, Brandeis Univeristy


James Vanjak

James Vanjak

Graduate Student, 6th year

B.S. Chemistry, NC State Univeristy


Carmen Ni

Zhen 'Carmen' Ni

Graduate Student, 5th year

B.S. Chemical Eng. & Chemistry,
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
previous publications

author

Seungjin Oh

Graduate Student, 5th year

M.S. Chemistry, Chung-Ang University
B.S. Chemistry, Chung-Ang University
previous publications

author

Annie Schmautz

Graduate Student, 4th year

B.S. Chemistry, University of Montana
B.A. Sociology, University of Montana
previous publications

author

Jacob Palmer

Graduate Student, 4th year

B.S. Chemistry, Slippery Rock University

author

Mary Beall

Graduate Student, 3rd year

B.A. Chemistry, Albion College


author

Valerie Kreisel

Graduate Student, 3rd year

B.S. Chemistry, University of Florida
B.M. Music, University of Florida

author

Zachary Chavez

Graduate Student, 1st year

M.S. Chemistry, UC San Diego
B.S. Chemistry, UC San Diego

author

Cara Ledbetter

Undergraduate Student, Sophomore

Major: Chemistry

author

THIS COULD BE YOU!

Interested in being part of our group?
Reach out to Dr. Nippe at


Apply to the TAMU Chemistry Graduate Program here.

GROUP ALUMNI


Postdoctoral Researchers


Dr. Apoorva Upadhyay; INDO-US Fellow 2017-2018

Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne-State University

Dr. Davinder Kumar; Postdoctoral Researcher 2015-2016

Assistant Professor, Thapar University


Graduate Researchers

Dr. Jeremy Meeder; Doctoral Student 2015-2022

Postdoctoral Fellow, Argonne National Lab

Dr. Gabrielle Risica; Doctoral Student 2015-2021

Program Officer, NASEM

Dr. Trevor Latendresse; Doctoral Student 2015-2021

Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University

Dr. Courtney Dickie; Doctoral Student 2014-2018

TD Module and Integration Yield Engineer, Intel

Dr. Corey Burns; Doctoral Student 2014-2019

Chemistry Instructor, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Dr. Siyoung Sung; Doctoral Student 2014-2019

Module Engineer at Intel Corporation

Soomin Park; Masters Student 2015-2016

Marcos Gil-Sepulcre; Visiting Student Summer 2016



Undergraduate Researchers


Willie Langston; Summer 2015

Dana Sublett; 2015-2016

Larry Vernier; 2015-2017

Adam Burkhard; 2015-2017

Emily Brackhahn; 2015-2017

Steven Granzin; 2016-2017

Zachary Grant; 2018

Jesse Martinez; REU 2019

David Rothenberg; 2019-2020

Contact Us

If you have any questions or want to be a part of our research, please contact us!

NIPPE RESEARCH GROUP

Department of Chemistry

Texas A&M University

3255 TAMU, 580 Ross Street, College Station, TX 77843
Office Location: 2311 Chemistry Annex

+1 979 862 4471

nippe@chem.tamu.edu