Ithaca College

Chemistry Department is pleased to host Chemistry and Biochemistry Seminar Series Virtually, Tuesday’s at 12:10 pm. Please see Ithaca College Chemistry web page.
 https://www.ithaca.edu/academics/school-humanities-and-sciences/chemistry/chemistry-and-biochemistry-seminar-series

Guest Speaker Dr. Patrick Holland of Yale University will be joining us on Tuesday, September 22nd at 12:10 pm will present: 

The Global Nitrogen Cycle and Nitrogen Fixation by Iron Complexes

“Nitrogen Fixation” refers to chemical processes that convert N2 from the air into ammonia that is a source of N-containing materials, commodity chemicals, fuels, and fertilizers. Nitrogen fixation has particular importance for the production of fertilizers, and artificial nitrogen fixation is currently responsible for roughly half of the world agricultural output. Since both the biological and artificial catalysts for this reaction use iron, my research group and I have focused on understanding the details of iron-N2 interactions using the tools of coordination chemistry. I will discuss how advances in the synthesis of low-coordinate iron coordination compounds have led to iron complexes that break the nitrogen-nitrogen bond of N2, and form ammonia and N-containing organic compounds, through well-characterized reactions. These new research results are promising toward utilizing the abundant resource of nitrogen in the air.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Paula Larsen at plarsen@ithaca.edu . We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible.