Education

B.S., 2004, Moscow State University
M.S., 2004, Moscow State University
Ph.D., 2011, Colorado State University

Honors and Awards

Breakthrough Star Award, 2018; National Science Foundation CAREER Award, 2017; Doctoral New Investigator Award, ACS PRF, 2014

Research Interests

Research areas: Inorganic chemistry and catalysis, organometallics, carboranes, CO₂ reduction.

Research in the group involves the synthesis of molecular catalysts for activation of important substrates such as dihydrogen, carbon dioxide, and alkenes. Students with interest in catalysis, inorganic, and organometallic chemistry are encouraged to join. Group members will receive a rigorous training in inorganic and organometallic chemistry, catalysis, air-free synthetic methods, and spectroscopic methods.

Catalytic Small-Molecule Activation with Transition Metal Complexes Supported by Carboranyl-Based Ligands. Transition metal complexes with new unusual bonding and reactivity patterns in catalysis are pursued. We use three-dimensional carborane clusters as a chemically versatile platform for stabilization of reactive transition metal complexes designed for small molecule activation and group transfer.

Pre-Organized Lewis Pairs for Small Molecule Activation. We work on new modes of activation of organic substrates by a cooperative action of high-valent transition metal complexes and sterically hindered bases. Our recent findings include the novel activation of nitriles with direct formation of zwitterionic vinylimido complexes. The scope of the reaction includes a range of substituted unactivated nitriles.

Heterometallic molecular complexes for catalytic photoactivation of small molecules. Photocatalytic conversion of common inert molecules such as water and carbon dioxide is a focus of extensive research for solar energy conversion and sustainability. We design molecular heterometallic complexes and study their reactivity in photocatalytic activation of inert molecules such as CO₂ as well as in organic synthesis.

Publications

Eleazer, B. J.; Smith, M. D.; Popov, A. A.; Peryshkov, D. V. "Expansion of the (BB)>Ru metallacycle with coinage metal cations: formation of B–M–Ru–B (M = Cu, Ag, Au) dimetalacyclodiboryls" Chemical Science 2018  DOI: 10.1039/C8SC00190A.

Eleazer, B. J.; Smith, M. D.; Popov, A. A.; Peryshkov, D. V. "Rapid Reversible Borane to Boryl Hydride Exchange by Metal Shuttling on the Carborane Cluster Surface" Chemical Science 2017  DOI: 10.1039/C7SC01846K.

Eleazer, B. J.; Smith, M. D.; Popov, A. A.; Peryshkov, D. V. "(BB)-Carboryne Complex of Ruthenium: Synthesis by Double B–H Activation at a Single Metal Center."  Journal of the American Chemical Society 2016                                             DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6b05172.

 Wong, Y. O.; Smith, M. D.; Peryshkov, D. V. "Reversible Water Activation Driven by Contraction and Expansion of the 12-vertex-closo-12-vertex-nido Biscarborane Cluster" Chemical Communications 2016  DOI: 10.1039/C6CC06955J.

Rahman, M. M.; Smith, M. D.; Amaya, J. A.; Makris, T. M.; Peryshkov, D. V. "Activation of C–H Bonds of Alkyl- and Arylnitriles by the TaCl₅–PPh₃ Lewis Pair" Inorganic Chemistry 2017  DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.7b01800.