Education

Ph.D. 2019, California Institute of Technology

B.S.E. 2013, University of Pennsylvania

Research Interests

The Lee group derives inspiration from bioinorganic systems and materials for the design and synthesis of mono- and multi-nuclear transition metal complexes. Fundamentally, our research strives to better understand the structure, properties, and reactivity of molecular complexes through extensive characterization and mechanistic studies. Broadly, our program focuses in the area of energy science, concerned with the development of catalytic processes for the conversion and valorization of small molecules and chemical feedstocks.

Students and researchers in the Lee group will receive extensive training in the air-free synthesis of inorganic and organometallic complexes as well as broad experience in several characterization techniques such as X-ray crystallography, electronic absorption spectroscopy, vibrational spectroscopy, electron/nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, magnetometry, voltammetry, mass spectrometry and more.

Multimetallic project: Multimetallic cofactors and heterogeneous metal surfaces occupy a prominent position in the multielectron reduction of small molecules such as CO₂ and N₂. In general, a detailed understanding of the structure-function relationships in such systems will greatly benefit the design of improved catalysts, and molecular systems featuring metal-metal bonds in which metal nuclearity and core geometry can be systematically varied are highly desirable. In the Lee group, carefully designed ligand architectures will be employed for the synthesis of low-valent cluster complexes with an emphasis on the proper placement of cooperative metal-metal interactions as a key design principle.

Macrocyclic project: Extended macrocyclic metal binding sites such as those found in heme proteins and graphene-supported single atom catalysts exhibit enhanced activity for the chemical, electrochemical, and photochemical conversion of small molecules. In general, a greater variability of the coordinated metal and the nature of the primary and secondary coordination sphere in such systems will greatly benefit the design of improved catalysts. In the Lee group, synthetic methodologies will be developed for the preparation of new macrocyclic complexes with an emphasis on the proper placement of cooperative metal-ligand interactions as a key design principle.

Selected Publications