Research Description
Artificial photosynthetic systems for solar fuels production must collect light energy, separate
charge, and transfer charge to catalytic sites for water oxidation. Although progress has been
made on these individual elements, the viability of solar fuel production rests on the design of
specialized molecular environments that integrate these functions.
My current focus is on the synthesis and photophysics of novel redox-active transition metal
complexes containing perylene diimide-based chromophores. If these systems are capable of
photoinduced electron transfer, then they may be the foundation for new solar-driven catalysts.
Fellowships and Awards
L. Carroll King Award for Excellence in 100-Level Teaching, 2007-08
National Defense Science and Engineering (NDSEG) Fellow, 200709
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, 200912
Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, Beckman Scholars Program, 200506
Barry M. Goldwater Scholar, 2005-07
Publications
“ Effects of Steric Constraint on Chromium(III) Complexes of Tetraazamacrocycles, 4. Comparison of the trans-Difluoro- Complexes of Tet a, 1,4-C 2-Cyclam, and 1,11-C 3-Cyclam, ” M. T. Vagnini, W. C. Rutledge, C. Hu, D. G. VanDerveer, P. S. Wagenknecht, Inorg. Chim. Acta,2006, 360, 1482-1492.
“Effects of Steric Constraint on Chromium(III) Complexes of Tetraazamacrocycles, 3. Insights into the Temperature Dependent Radiationless Deactivation of the 2E g (O h) Excited State of trans-[Cr(N 4)(CN) 2] + Complexes,” M. T. Vagnini, N. A. P. Kane-Maguire, and P. S. Wagenknecht, Inorg. Chem.2006, 45, 3789-3793.
“Effects of Steric Constraint on Chromium(III) Complexes of Tetraazamacrocycles, 2. Comparison of the Chemistry and Photobehavior of the trans-Dichloro- and Dicyano- Complexes of 1,4-C 2-Cyclam and 1,11-C 3-Cyclam,” P. S. Wagenknecht, C. Hu, D. Ferguson, K. Wright-Garcia, L. C. Nathan, R. D. Hancock, J. M. Whitehead, M. T. Vagnini, Inorg. Chem.2005, 44, 9518-9526.
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