Robert A. Holwerda

Professor

Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, 1973



phone: (806) 742-3086

Fax: (806) 742-1289

Inorganic Chemistry

Professor Holwerda's research interests include inorganic reaction mechanisms, catalysis, electrochemistry, organometallic chemistry, physical properties of transition metal compounds and chelation strategies for animal nutrition. Techniques utilized include electronic, fluorescence, infrared, nmr and epr spectroscopies; magnetic susceptibility, cyclic voltammetry, coulometry, chromatography and stopped flow rapid kinetic measurements.

The primary focus of our current research is transition metal-induced ligand reactions. Thermodynamic and mechanistic factors that control bond-making or bond-breaking between a pair of ligated donor atoms are being studied with complexes of the form LCr(µ -O)(µ -X)CrL, where X represents an O, S, N or P bridging ligand and L = tetradentate N donor atom set.

 

 Selected Publications

  • "Crystal Structure, Physical Properties and Hydrolysis Kinetics of [(O)(tmpa)V(IV)(µ -O)V(V)(tmpa)(O)]3+," Holwerda, R.A.; Whittlesey, B.R.; Nilges, M.J. Inorganic Chemistry 1998, 37, 64.
  • "Kinetic Studies of (µ -Oxo)(µ -carboxylato)bis{ tris(2-pyridylmethyl)aminechromium(III)} Dimer Acid and Base Hydrolysis Reactions," Tekut, T.F.; Holwerda, R.A. Inorganic Chemistry 1994, 33, 5254.
  • "Correlation of CrOCr Pi-Bonding Strength with Pi-Donor Effectiveness of Bridging and Non-bridging Ligands in Tris(2-pyridylmethyl)aminechromium(III) Dimers," Tekut, T.F.; O'Connor, C.J.; Holwerda, R.A. Inorganic Chemistry 1993, 32, 324.
  • "Spectroscopy and Linkage Isomerization Kinetics of (Chloranilato)bis(phosphine)palladium(II) Compounds," Jeong, W.-Y.; Holwerda, R.A. Inorganic Chemistry 1989, 28, 2674.
  • "Oxo-Bridged Chromium(III) Dimers Derived From the Reactions of Anions with the Bis(µ -hydroxo) bis{ tris(2-pyridylmethyl)aminechromium(III)} Ion," Gafford, B.G.; O'Rear, C.; Zhang, J.H.; O'Connor C.J.;  Holwerda, R.A.  Inorganic Chemistry 1989, 28, 1720.

 

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