Professor Nick Norman

Research summary

Low Oxidation State Boron Chemistry

The primary area in which we are currently active is the field of low-oxidation state boron chemistry with a particular emphasis on diborane(4) compounds, B₂R₄, where R is typically an amido, alkoxy or thiolate group. Specific research project areas include:

(i) The characterisation of amido diborane(4) compounds. Notable recent highlights have been the synthesis of primary amido diborane(4) compounds such as B₂(NHPh)₄, and the closely related tetra-imido diborane(4)-based anions [B₂(NPh)₄]^4–, both carried out in collaboration with Dr. Russell’s group ...

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Biography

In 1995 he was appointed to a Readership in Inorganic Chemistry in the School of Chemistry at the University of Bristol after a period of post-doctoral study in the USA, one year as a temporary lecturer at the University of Manchester and ten years at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. He was promoted to Professor of Inorganic Chemistry in 2006. He is a graduate of Bristol: BSc 1979 and PhD 1982.

He served as Director of Undergraduate Studies in the School of Chemistry at Bristol from 2000-2003 and as Head of the Inorganic and Materials Chemistry Section from 2003-2012 ...

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Recent publications

• Fey, N, Haddow, MF, Mistry, R, Norman, NC, Orpen, AG, Reynolds, TJ & Pringle, PG 2012, ‘Regioselective B-Cyclometalation of a Bulky o-Carboranyl Phosphine and the Unexpected Formation of a Dirhodium(II) Complex’. Organometallics, vol 31., pp. 2907-2913
• Xie, X, Haddow, M, Mansell, S, Norman, N & Russell, C 2011, ‘New Polycyclic Borazine Species’. Chemical Communications, vol 47., pp. 3748 - 3750

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