Figueroa, Joshua
Inorganic, Organometallic and Materials Chemistry: Synthesis, Small Molecule Activation and New Transformations.
Inorganic, Organometallic and Materials Chemistry: Synthesis, Small Molecule Activation and New Transformations.
Contact Information
Professor of Chemistry and Materials Science
Leslie E. Orgel Faculty Scholar
Section Chair, Synthesis, Materials and Chemical Biology
Office: Pacific Hall 4100C/D
Phone: 858-822-7478
Email: jsfig@ucsd.edu
Web: figueroagroup.ucsd.edu
Group: View group members
Leslie E. Orgel Faculty Scholar
Section Chair, Synthesis, Materials and Chemical Biology
Office: Pacific Hall 4100C/D
Phone: 858-822-7478
Email: jsfig@ucsd.edu
Web: figueroagroup.ucsd.edu
Group: View group members
Education
2005 Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2000 B.S., University of Delaware
2005 Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2000 B.S., University of Delaware
Awards and Academic Honors
2021
National Science Foundation Award for Special Creativity
2017
Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship
2014
Fellow, Royal Society of Chemistry
2012
Department of Energy Early Career Research Award
2012
Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award
2011
Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers
2011
Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow
2010
Kavli Frontiers Fellow, National Academy of Sciences
2010
Cottrell Scholar Award, Research Corporation
2009
National Science Foundation CAREER Award
2009
Hellman Faculty Fellow, University of California
2007
Camille and Henry Dreyfus New Faculty Award
Research Interests
Figueroa Group News via Twitter
Research in the Figueroa Group centers on the design and synthesis of highly tailored and reactive transition metal complexes for small molecule activation chemistry. A major focus is the development of new and useful transformations of stable small molecules such as N2, O2 and CO2. We hope to discover efficient means to utilize these abundant chemical feedstocks in transformations relevant to organic synthesis, industry and alternative energy. A second theme is the modulation and control of redox equivalents in chemical reactions through the explicit use of redox-active ligands and/or spectator agents.
Students in the Figueroa group will become well-versed in organic and inorganic synthetic methodologies. In addition, we routinely use a host of spectroscopic techniques including UV-vis, FTIR, EPR and multi-nuclear NMR. X-ray crystallography and quantum-chemical calculations (DFT) are also major components of our research effort and allow us to both predict and interpret molecules of interest.
Research in the Figueroa Group centers on the design and synthesis of highly tailored and reactive transition metal complexes for small molecule activation chemistry. A major focus is the development of new and useful transformations of stable small molecules such as N2, O2 and CO2. We hope to discover efficient means to utilize these abundant chemical feedstocks in transformations relevant to organic synthesis, industry and alternative energy. A second theme is the modulation and control of redox equivalents in chemical reactions through the explicit use of redox-active ligands and/or spectator agents.
Students in the Figueroa group will become well-versed in organic and inorganic synthetic methodologies. In addition, we routinely use a host of spectroscopic techniques including UV-vis, FTIR, EPR and multi-nuclear NMR. X-ray crystallography and quantum-chemical calculations (DFT) are also major components of our research effort and allow us to both predict and interpret molecules of interest.
Primary Research Area
Inorganic Chemistry
Inorganic Chemistry
Interdisciplinary interests
Synthesis
Materials
Materials
Image Gallery
Selected Publications
- Wang, S.; Sears, J.D.;Moore, C.E.;Rheingold, A.L.; Neidig, M.L.; Figueroa, J.S. "Side-on coordination of diphosphorus to a mononuclear iron center.", Science, 2022, Vol. 375, Issue 6587, 1393-1397 [View]
- Balto, K.P.; Gembicky, M.; Rheingold, A.L.; Figueroa, J.S. "Crystalline Hydrogen-Bonding Networks and Mixed-Metal Framework Materials Enabled by an Electronically Differentiated Heteroditopic Isocyanide/Carboxylate Linker Group.", Inorg Chem, 2021, Vol. 60, Issue 16, 12545-12554 [View]
- Carpenter, A. E.; Moore, C. E.; Rheingold, A. L.; Figueroa, J. S. "A Well-Defined Isocyano Analogue of HCo(CO)4. 3: Hydride Migration to Olefins, H-Atom Transfer and Reactivity toward Protic Sources", Organometallics, 2021, Vol. 40, 968–978
- Arroyave, A.; Gembicky, M.; Rheingold, A. L.; Figueroa, J. S. "Aqueous Stability and Ligand Substitution of a Layered Cu(I)/Isocyanide-Based Organometallic Network Material with a Well-Defined Channel Structure", Inorg. Chem., 2020, Vol. 59, 11868–11878
- Drance, M. J.; Wang, S.; Gembicky, M.; Rheingold, A. L.; Figueroa, J. S. "Probing for Four-Coordinate Zerovalent Iron in a π-Acidic Ligand Field: A Functional Source of FeL4 Enabled by Labile Dinitrogen Binding", Organometallics, 2020, Vol. 39, 3394–3402
- Drance, M. J.; Sears, J. D.; Mrse, A. M.; Moore, C. E.; Rheingold, A. L.; Neidig, M. L.; Figueroa, J. S. "Terminal Coordination of Diatomic Boron Monofluoride to Iron", Science, 2019, Vol. 368, 1203-1205
- Mandla, K.A.; Moore, C.E.; Rheingold, A.L., Figueroa, J.S. "Photolytic Reductive Elimination of White Phosphorus from a Mononuclear cyclo-P4 Transition Metal Complex.", Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2019, Vol. 58, 1779-1783 [View]
- Mokhtarzadeh. C. C.; Chan, C; Moore, C. E.; Rheingold, A. L.; Figueroa, J. S. "Side-On Coordination of Nitrous Oxide to a Mononuclear Cobalt Center.", J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2019, Vol. 141, 15003-15007 [View]
- Mandla, K. A.; Moore, C. E.; Rheingold, A. L.;Figueroa, J. S. "Regioselective Formation of (E)-β-Vinylstannanes with a Topologically Controlled Molybdenum-Based Alkyne Hydrostannation Catalyst.", Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl., 2018, Vol. 57, 6853-6857 [View]
- Mokhtarzadeh, C. C.; Moore, C. E.; Rheingold, A. L.;Figueroa, J. S. "A Highly-Reduced Cobalt Terminal Carbyne: Divergent Metal- and α-Carbon-Centered Reactivity.", J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2018, Vol. 140, 8100-8104 [View]