Dr Nancy Dervisi - PhD
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Research Group: Inorganic Chemistry
Research Interests
Dr Dervisi’s research interests include the synthesis and coordination of functionalised ligands, such as phosphines and NHC carbenes and their catalytic, biological and optoelectronic applications.
Much of our ligand design takes inspiration from the hydrocarbon chiral pool (sugars in particular). Such ligands offer the advantages of predetermined backbone chirality with often rigid structure and high degree of peripheral functionalisation. As an example, chelating diphosphine and N-heterocyclic carbene ligands have been derived from D-isomannide, a mannitol dehydration product. In this case we have taken advantage of the predetermined backbone chirality of a naturally occurring polyol (mannitol) and have prepared highly functional ligands with multiple chiral centres in just two synthetic steps.
Another area of interest is the study of the electronic and steric properties of large ring (>5) N-heterocyclic carbene ligands. In this area we have contributed in the understanding of the factors affecting the stability of such NHC ligands and their applications in catalysis.
For more information, click on the 'Research' tab above.
Teaching
CH0001 Fundamental Aspects of Chemistry
CH3102 Foundations of Inorganic Chemistry
CH3104 Introduction to the Solid State and Applications of Spectroscopy
CH3302 Advanced Organometallic and Coordination Chemistry
CH2405 Multinuclear Metal and Metalloid Systems