Kevin Smith

Professor

Chemistry

Office: FIP 351
Phone: 250.807.9933
Email: kevin.m.smith@ubc.ca

Research Summary

Synthesis and reactivity of paramagnetic organometallic chromium compounds of relevance to catalytic carbon-carbon bond forming reactions; single electron transfer reactions and electronic structure effects in synthetic organometallic chemistry.

Courses & Teaching

Inorganic synthesis; organometallic chemistry; coordination chemistry; transition metal catalysts.

Degrees

PhD, University of British Columbia
BSc, University of Toronto

Research Interests & Projects

Earth-abundant transition metal catalysts that operate under mild conditions will be required for valorization of renewable resources and more sustainable organic synthesis. The Smith research group has explored metal-mediated radical reactions based on reversible homolysis of chromium-alkyl bonds in well-defined organometallic complexes.

Graduate Students

Positions are currently available for graduate study (MSc and PhD) in the Smith research group. Interested individuals with strong academic backgrounds are encouraged to contact Prof. Smith for additional information; please include a resume/CV and an unofficial academic transcript.  Further information about graduate study in Chemistry can be found on the UBO Okanagan College of Graduate Studies website.

Undergraduate Students

Senior UBC Okanagan BSc students in Chemistry, Biochemistry, or Environmental Chemistry who are interested in going on to graduate studies at UBC or elsewhere are particularly encouraged to contact Kevin Smith for more details.

Selected Publications & Presentations

Google Scholar

1) K. C. MacLeod, J. L. Conway, L. Tang, J. J. Smith, L. D. Corcoran, K. H. D. Ballem, B. O. Patrick, K. M. Smith* “Reactivity Consequences of Steric Reduction in Chromium Cyclopentadienyl Beta-Diketiminate Complexes” Organometallics 2009, 28, 6798-6806.

2) Y. Champouret, K. C. MacLeod, U. Baisch, B. O. Patrick, K. M. Smith,* R. Poli* “Cyclopentadienyl Chromium Beta-Diketiminate Complexes: Initiators, Ligand Steric Effects, and Deactivation Processes in the Controlled Radical Polymerization of Vinyl Acetate” Organometallics 2010, 29, 167-176.

3) K. M. Smith, W. S. McNeil, A. S. Abd-El-Aziz* “Organometallic-Mediated Radical Polymerization: Developing Well-Defined Complexes for Reversible Transition Metal–Alkyl Bond Homolysis” Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 2010, 211, 10-16.

4) Y. Champouret, K. C. MacLeod, K. M. Smith, B. O. Patrick, R. Poli* “Controlled Radical Polymerization of Vinyl Acetate with Cyclopentadienyl Chromium Beta-Diketiminate Complexes: ATRP vs OMRP” Organometallics 2010, 29, 3125-3132.

5) W. Zhou, J. A. Therrien, D. L. K. Wence, E. N. Yallits, J. L. Conway, B. O. Patrick, K. M. Smith* “Cyclopentadienyl Mesityl Complexes of Chromium(II) and Chromium(III)” Dalton Transactions 2011, 40, 337-339.

6) K. C. MacLeod, J. L. Conway, B. O. Patrick, K. M. Smith* “Exploring Chromium(III)–Alkyl Bond Homolysis with CpCr[(ArNCMe)₂CH](R) Complexes” Journal of the American Chemical Society 2010, 132, 17325-17334.

7) W. Zhou, L. Tang, B. O. Patrick, K. M. Smith* “Electronic Effects in the Oxidative Addition of Iodomethane with Mixed-Aryl Beta-Diketiminate Chromium(II) Complexes” Organometallics 2011, 30, 603-610.

8) K. C. MacLeod, B. O. Patrick, K. M. Smith* “Chromium-Catalyzed Radical Cyclization of Bromo and Chloro Acetals” Organometallics 2010, 29, 6639-6641.

9) K. C. MacLeod, B. O. Patrick, K. M. Smith* “Reactivity of Cr(III) µ-Oxo Compounds: Catalyst Regeneration and Atom Transfer Processes” Inorganic Chemistry 2012, 51, 688-700.

10) W. Zhou, L. Chiang, B. O. Patrick, T. Storr,* K. M. Smith* “Cyclopentadienyl chromium diimine and pyridine imine complexes: ligand-based radicals and metal-based redox chemistry” Dalton Transactions 2012, 41, 7920-7930. (invited contribution to special issue “New Talent: Americas”).

11) K. C. MacLeod, B. O. Patrick, K. M. Smith* “Oxidatively Induced Reductive Elimination from a Chromium(III) Bis(aryl) Complex” Organometallics 2012, 31, 6681-6689.

12) W. Zhou, K. C. MacLeod, B. O. Patrick, K. M. Smith* “Controlling Secondary Alkyl Radicals: Ligand Effects in Chromium-Catalyzed C-P Bond Formation” Organometallics 2012, 31, 7324-7327.

13) A. N. Desnoyer, B. Fartel, K. C. MacLeod, B. O. Patrick, K. M. Smith* “Ambient Temperature Carbon-Oxygen Bond Cleavage of an a-Aryloxy Ketone with Cp₂Ti(BTMSA) and Selective Protonolysis of the Resulting Ti-OR Bonds” Organometallics 2012, 31, 7625-7628.

14) W. Zhou, A. N. Desnoyer, J. A. Bailey, B. O. Patrick, K. M. Smith* “Direct Synthesis of Ligand-Based Radicals by the Addition of Bipyridine to Chromium(II) Compounds” Inorganic Chemistry 2013, 52, 2271-2273.

15) W. Zhou, B. O. Patrick, K. M. Smith* “Influence of redox non-innocent phenylenediamido ligands on chromium imido hydrogen-atom abstraction reactivity” Chemical Communications 2014, 50, 9958-9960 (invited contribution to themed collection “Non-Innocent Ligands 2014”).