Mills, David - The University of Manchester

个人简介

MChem (2004) and PhD (2008, supervised by Prof. Cameron Jones) both obtained at Cardiff University. Post-doctoral work carried out with Prof. Stephen T. Liddle at the University of Nottingham (2008-2012). Appointed as a lecturer in the School of Chemistry in 2012.

研究领域

My research focuses on the preparation, characterisation and reactivity studies of novel organometallic complexes. These complexes are prepared by advanced Schlenk and glovebox techniques and are characterised by a plethora of techniques including X-ray crystallography, EPR, NMR, UV/Vis/NIR, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopies, magnetometric methods (eg. SQUID, Evan’s method), cyclic voltammetry, mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. Following characterisation, the reactivity of novel complexes towards a range of substrates (including, for example, environmentally relevant small molecules) is probed in an effort to explore the fundamental reactivity of these complexes, which leads on to exploiting their synthetic utility and finding applications. Analytical data is supplemented by comprehensive theoretical studies on computationally demanding calculations of paramagnetic 5f systems. All of these techniques combine to deepen our understanding of fundamentals of structure and bonding. All target complexes are kinetically stabilised by sterically demanding ligand frameworks to enable the isolation of complexes that exhibit reactive element-element bonds and/or elements in non-typical oxidation states, which promise unusual properties and reactivity profiles. Currently, our group is embarking on a comprehensive study of the fundamental chemistry of thorium, which demands attention as there have been relatively few studies into the organometallic chemistry of thorium to date in comparison to research performed on uranium, the group 4 metals and cerium organometallics. The proposed adoption of thorium as a future nuclear fuel in some countries further prompts our interest in deepening our understanding of this element.

近期论文

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Chilton, N. F.; Goodwin, C. A. P.; Mills, D. P.; Winpenny, R. E. P. The First Near-Linear Bis(Amide) f-block Complex: A Blueprint for a High Temperature Single Molecule Magnet. Chemical Communications. 2015; 51: 101-103. eScholarID:239152 Cooper, O. J., Mills, D. P., Lewis, W., Blake, A. J., Liddle, S. T. Reactivity of the uranium(IV) carbene complex [U(BIPMTMS)(Cl)(μ-Cl)2Li(THF)2] (BIPMTMS = {C(PPh2NSiMe3)2}) towards carbonyl and heteroallene substrates: metallo-Wittig, adduct formation, C–F bond activation, and [2 + 2]-cycloaddition reactions. Dalton Transactions. 2014 April; 43: 14275-14283. eScholarID:237763 | DOI:10.1039/c4dt00909f Conrad A. P. Goodwin, Floriana Tuna, Eric J. L. McInnes, Stephen T. Liddle, Jonathan McMaster, Inigo J. Vitorica-Yrezabal and David P. Mills. [UIII{N(SiMe2tBu)2}3]: A Structurally Authenticated Trigonal Planar Actinide Complex. Chemistry: A European Journal. 2014; 20: 14579-14583. eScholarID:232631 Marshall, G., Wooles, A, J., Mills, D. P., Lewis, W., Blake, A. J., Liddle, S.T. Synthesis and Characterisation of Lanthanide N-Trimethylsilyl and -Mesityl Functionalised Bis(iminophosphorano)methanides and -Methanediides. Inorganics. 2013; 1(1): 46-69. eScholarID:223912 | DOI:10.3390/inorganics1010046 Cooper O, Mills D, McMaster J, Tuna F, McInnes E, Lewis W, Blake A, Liddle S. The Nature of the U=C Double Bond: Pushing the Stability of High-Oxidation-State Uranium Carbenes to the Limit. Chemistry - A European Journal. 2013; 19(22): 7071-7083. eScholarID:195441 | DOI:10.1002/chem.201300071 Mills D, Lewis W, Blake A, Liddle S. Reactivity Studies of a T-Shaped Yttrium Carbene: C-F and C-O Bond Activation and C=C Bond Formation Promoted by [Y(BIPM)(I)(THF)2] (BIPM = C(PPh2NSiMe3)2). Organometallics. 2013; 32(5): 1239-1250. eScholarID:191174 | DOI:10.1021/om301016j Mills D, Soutar L, Cooper O, Lewis W, Blake A, Liddle S. Reactivity of the Yttrium Alkyl Carbene Complex [Y(BIPM)(CH2C6H5)(THF)] (BIPM = {C(PPh2NSiMe3)2})2-: From Insertions, Substitutions, and Additions to Nontypical Transformations. Organometallics. 2013; 32(5): 1251-1264. eScholarID:191176 | DOI:10.1021/om3010178 Moro F, Mills D, Liddle S, van Slageren J. The Inherent Single-Molecule Magnet Character of Trivalent Uranium. Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 2013; 52(12): 3430-3433. eScholarID:191175 | DOI:10.1002/anie.201208015