个人简介

B. Sc. 1984, The University of British Columbia Ph. D. 1988, The University of British Columbia Postdoctoral Fellow: 1988-1990, California Institute of Technology Assistant Professor: 1990-1995, University of Guelph Associate Professor: 1995-2000, University of Calgary S. Robert Blair Professor: 2000-2013, University of Calgary Tier I Canada Research Chair: 2013-present University of Calgary

研究领域

Inorganic Chemistry

The research projects in Professor Piers’ laboratory span a broad range of synthetic and mechanistic chemistry, but share a common theme: the chemistry and applications of electron deficient or ‘electrophilic’ compounds, in particular those of the early transition elements and group 13 elements. Ongoing projects fall into one of three general areas: Inorganometallic Chemistry: The chemistry of compounds with transition metal to heavy main group element bonds is a growing discipline because of the use of these compounds as molecular precursors to advanced materials. We are looking at group 3 and 4 complexes of tin, selenium and tellurium based ligands and their application to organic and inorganic synthesis. Ziegler-Natta Olefin Polymerization: Perhaps the single most important application of early metal organometallics is as catalysts in the production of polyolefins. Our two industrially funded projects in this area are focused on the development of new generation soluble Ziegler-Natta type catalysts. Electrophilic Boranes in Organic Synthesis: Extremely Lewis acidic boranes containing C6F5 groups are being employed stoichiometrically and catalytically in hydroboration, hydrosilation and allylsilation reactions.

近期论文

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Whittal, R. M.; Gallagher, J. F.; Ferguson, G.; Piers, W. E. "Synthesis and Reactivity of Bis-Stannylene Adducts of Zirconocene and (1,1'-Dimethyl)zirconocene. X-Ray Crystal Structure of (C5H4CH3)2Zr{Sn[CH(SiMe3)2]2}2." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1991, 113, 9867-9678. Piers, W. E.; Koch, L.; Ridge, D. S.; MacGillvray, L. R.; Zaworotko, M. "A Cationic Thiolato Complex of Zirconocene: Synthesis, Structural Characterization and Thermal Decomposition Studies." Organometallics 1992, 11, 3148-3152. Piers, W. E.; Whittal, R. M.; Gallagher, J. F.; Ferguson, G.; Froese, R. D. J.; Stronks, H. J.; Krygsman, P. H. “Structure and Bonding in Bis-Stannylene Adducts of Zirconocene and (1,1’-Dimethyl)zirconocene." Organometallics 1992, 11, 4015-4022. Piers, W. E.; MacGillivray, L. R.; Zaworotko, M. “Reversible Interconversion of Permethylscandocene Tellurolates and Tellurides. X-Ray Structure of [(C5Me5)2Sc]2(m-Te)." Organometallics 1993, 12, 4723-4725. Piers, W. E. “Evidence for Concerted Extrusion of TeR2 From Permethylscandocene Tellurolates." J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun. 1994, 309-310. Piers, W. E.; Ferguson, G.; Gallagher, J. F. “Sterically Enforced Linearity in a Bridging Telluride Ligand. X-Ray Structure of {(CH3)3Si[(t-C4H9)C5H3]2Sc(PMe3)}2(m-Te)." Inorg. Chem. 1994, 33, 3784-3787. Piers, W. E.; Parks, D. J.; MacGillivray, L. R. and Zaworotko, M. J. “Mechanistic Aspects of the Thermal and Photochemical Interconversion of Permethylscandocene Tellurolates and Tellurides. X-ray Structures of (C5Me5)2ScTeCH2C6H5, [(C5Me5)2Sc]2(m-Te) and [(C5Me5)2Sc]2(m-Se)." Organometallics 1994, 13, 4547-4558. Piers, W. E.; Mu, Y.; MacGillivray, L. R.; Zaworotko, M. J. “New Ligand Environments for Soluble Ziegler-Natta Olefin Polymerization Catalyst Precursors. X-Ray Structures of [(h5-C5Me4Si(Me2)OCH2C4H7NH)ZrCl3 and [(h5-C5Me4SiMe3)2Zr2(CH3)2(m-h5-C5H9NO)2].” Polyhedron 1995, 14, 1-14. Spence, R. E. v H.; Parks, D. J.; Piers, W. E.; MacDonald, M., Zaworotko, M. J.; Rettig, S. J. “Competing Pathways in the Reaction of Bis-(Pentafluorophenyl)borane with Dimethylzirconocene: Methane Elimination vs Methyl-Hydride Exchange and an Example of Pentacoordinate Carbon." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1995, 34, 1230-1233. Parks, D. J.; Spence, R. E. v H.; Piers, W. E. “Bis-(Pentafluorophenyl)borane: Synthesis, Properties and Preliminary Hydroboration Chemistry of a Highly Electrophilic Borane Reagent." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1995, 34, 809-811. Fischer, J. M.; Piers, W. E.; MacGillivray, L. R.; Zaworotko, M. J. “Permethytitanocene Tellurides and Ditellurides. X-Ray Structures of [(C5Me5)2Ti]2(m-Te) and (C5Me5)2Ti(h2-Te2)." Inorg. Chem. 1995, 34, 2499-2500. Spence, R. E. v H.; Piers, W. E.; MacGillivray, L. R.; Zaworotko, M. J. “Bis-(Pentafluorophenyl)borane Chloride." Acta Cryst. Ser. C 1995, C51, 1688-1690. Spence, R. E. v H.; Piers, W. E. “Towards One Component Group 4 Homogeneous Ziegler-Natta Olefin Polymerization Catalysts: Hydroboration of Zirconium Bis-Alkyls with Pendant 2-Propenyl Groups Using [(C6F5)2BH]2.” Organometallics 1995, 14, 4617-4624. Mu, Y.; Piers, W. E.; MacDonald, M.; Zaworotko, M. J. “Attachment of C5Me4HSi(Me2)NH-t-C4H9 to Yttrium via Amine Elimination. X-ray Structure of [(h5-C5Me4)Si(Me2)N-t-C4H9]YN(SiMe3)2." Can. J. Chem. 1995, 73, 2233-2237. Fischer, J. M.; Piers, W. E.; Pearce-Batchilder, S. D.; Zaworotko, M. J. “Titanium Mediated Heterodehydrocoupling of Tributylstannane and Tellurium. X-Ray Structure of (C5Me5)2TiTeSn(C6H5)3." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 283-284. Fischer, J. M.; Piers, W. E.; Young, V. G. Jr. “The Crystal Structure of Pentamethylcyclopentadienyl p-h5 s-h1-Tetramethylfulvene Titanium(III).” Organometallics, 1996, 15, 2410-2412. Mu, Y.; Piers, W. E.; MacQuarrie, D. C.; Zaworotko, M. J.; Young, V. G. Jr. “Use of Alkane Elimination in the One-Step Synthesis of Organoscandium Complexes Containing a New Multidentate Cyclopentadienyl Ligand." Organometallics 1996, 15, 2720-2726. Parks, D. J.; Piers, W. E. “Tris(pentafluorophenyl)boron Catalyzed Hydrosilation of Aromatic Aldehydes, Ketones and Esters." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 9440-9441. Fischer, J. M.; Piers, W. E.; Ziegler, T.; MacGillivray, L. R.; Zaworotko, M. J. “Permethyltitanocene Derivatives with Naked Chalcogen Ligands: Synthesis of [Cp*2Ti]2(m-E) and Cp*2Ti(h2-E2) and the Role of the Terminal Chalcogenides Cp*2Ti(E) in their Interconversion. (E = Se, Te).” Chem. Eur. J. 1996, 2, 1221-1228. Mu, Y.; Piers, W. E.; MacQuarrie, D. C.; Zaworotko, M. J. “Zirconium Complexes of a Cyclopentadienyl-Amido Ligand with a Pendant Amine Donor Via Amine and Alkane Elmination." Can. J. Chem. 1996, 74, 1696-1701.