Research Statement
Rare earth metals (REM's) are used as key components in a number of diverse technologies including renewable energy, chemical synthesis, electronics, data storage, and biomedicine. Structural control of the ligand environment is critical to enabling the applications of these materials; however, remains a significant challenge due to the high coordination numbers and lability of the ionic REM-ligand bonds. Research in the Robinson Group will focus on developing novel methods for controlling and characterizing ligand-metal lability to specifically enable applications in energy science, green chemistry, catalysis, and materials design. Researchers in the group will have the opportunity to pursue interdisciplinary research in a collaborative, stimulating, and supportive environment. Students will become proficient in organic and inorganic syntheses, the handling of air- and moisture-sensitive materials, and state-of-the-art characterization methods.
Education
- 2014 - Ph.D., Inorganic Chemistry: University of Pennsylvania
- 2009 - B.S., Chemistry (Honors): University of Wisconsin - La Crosse
Selected Publications
Chellali, J. E.;† Woodside, A. J.;† Külaots, I.; Robinson, J. R.* “Access to Stereoblock Polyesters via Irreversible Chain-Transfer Ring-Opening Polymerization"
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024,
146, 11562-11569.
https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.4c02976
Saghy, P.; Brown, A. M.; Chu, C.; Dube, L. C.; Zheng, W. Robinson, J. R.*; Chen, O.* “Lanthanide Double Perovskite Nanocrystals with Emissions Covering the UV-C to NIR Spectral Range”
Adv. Optical Mater.
2023, 2300277.
https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.202300277
Brown, A. M.; Butman, J. L.; Lengacher, R.; Vargo, N. P.; Martin, K. E.; Koller, A.; Śmiłowicz, D.; Boros, E.*; Robinson, J. R.* “N,N-Alkylation Clarifies the Role of N- and O-Protonated Intermediates in Cyclen-Based 64Cu Radiopharmaceuticals”
Inorg. Chem. 2023,
62, 1362-1376. DOI:
10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c02907 [
Selected for front cover]
Lueckheide, M. J.;† Ertem, M. Z.;* Michon, M. A.; Chmielniak, P.; Robinson, J. R.* “Peroxide-Selective Reduction of O2 at Redox-inactive Rare-Earth(III) Triflates Generates and Ambiphilic Peroxide”
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022,
144, 17295-17306. DOI:
10.1021/jacs.2c08140
Chellali, J. E.; Alverson, A.; Robinson, J. R.* “Zinc Aryl/Alkyl β-diketiminates: Balancing Accessibility and Stability for High-Activity Ring-opening Polymerization of rac-Lactide”
ACS Catal. 2022,
12, 5585-5594. DOI:
10.1021/acscatal.2c00858 [
Selected as ACS Editor’s Choice articles]
Dong, X.; Brown, A. M.; Woodside, A. J.; Robinson, J. R.* "N-Oxides Amplify Catalyst Reactivity and Isoselectivity in the Ring-Opening Polymerization of rac-β-Butyrolactone"
Chem. Commun. 2022,
58, 2854-2857. DOI:
10.1039/D1CC05127J [
Emerging Investigators Issue, 2021]
Vargo, N. P.; Harland, J. B.; Musselman, B. W.; Lenert, N.*; Ertem, M. Z.*; Robinson, J. R.* "Calcium-ion Binding Mediates the Reversible Interconversion of Cis and Trans Peroxido Dicopper Cores"
Angew. Chem. Int. Edit. 2021.
60, 19836-19842. DOI:
10.1002/anie.202105421
Dong, X.; Robinson, J. R.* “The Role of Neutral Donor Ligands in the Isoselective Ring-Opening Polymerization of rac-β-Butyrolactone.”
Chem. Sci. 2020,
11, 8184-8195. DOI:
10.1039/D0SC03507F
Selected Awards
Graduate School Faculty Award for Advising & Mentoring (Brown University) - 2023
PMSE Young Investigator - 2023
Manning Assistant Professor - 2022-2024
NSF CAREER Award - 2022
New Journal of Chemistry - Emerging Investigator - 2021
Chemical Communications - Emerging Investigator - 2021
School of Arts & Sciences Dean Scholar (UPenn) - 2014
Penn Award for Excellence in Graduate Research (UPenn) - 2013
Moelis Access Science Fellow - 2011-2013
