We are interested in single crystal X-ray studies on a wide range of inorganic and organic molecules. New structures are related to biological and/or macroscopic properties (e.g. conductivity) using a variety of graphics-based (molecular modelling) techniques. Particular topics include: new enforced distortions in disubstituted naphthalens and rotaxanes. We have an enviable range of high quality equipment, with three high brilliance rotating anode based systems, a benchtop diffractometer and a robotically controlled system. All of our equipment is fitted with Low temperature facilities.

Figures . Left: -Ray crystal structure of phosphinamide rotax . Right: Organotin compound illustrating the usefulness of X-ray crystallography for studying hypervalency/3c-4e bonding. 

SELECTED RECENT PUBLICATIONS

1. Automated Chemical Crystallography., A. L Fuller, L. A. S. Scott-Hayward, Y. Li, M. Bühl , A. M. Z. Slawin and J. D. Woollins, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2010, 132 , 5799-5802.
2. Correlating Pt-P Bond lengths and Pt-P Coupling Constants, P. G. Waddell, A. M. Z. Slawin and J.D.Woollins, Dalton Trans , 2010, 39 , 8620 – 8625.
3. Phosphorus-Based Functional Groups as Hydrogen Bonding Templates for Rotaxane Formation. R. Ahmed, A. Altieri, D. M. D'Souza, D. A. Leigh, K. M. Mullen, M. Papmeyer, A. M. Z. Slawin, J. K. Y. Wong and J. D. Woollins, J.Amer. Chem. Soc., 2011 , 133 , 12304–12310.
4. Metal-Organic Frameworks from Edible Natural Products, R.A.Smaldone, R.S.Forgan, H. Furukawa, J.J. Gassensmith, A.M.Z. Slawin, O.M. Yaghi, J.F. Stoddart , Angew. Chemie, 2010, 49 8630-8634
5. Two Axles Threaded Using a Single Template Site: Active Metal Template Macrobicyclic [3]Rotaxanes, S.M.Goldup, D.A.Leigh, P.R.McGonical, V.E.Ronaldson and A.M.Z.Slawin, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2010, 132, 315-320
6. Gold mediated C-H activation of arenes. P.F. Lu, Pengfei, T.C. Boorman, A.M.Z. Slawin and I Larosa, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2010, 132, 5580-81
7. Porous organic cages, T. Tozawa, J. T. A. Jones, S. I. Swamy, S. Jiang, D. J. Adams, S. Shakespeare, R. Clowes, D. Bradshaw, T. Hasell, S. Y. Chong, C. Tang, S. Thompson, J. Parker, A. Trewin, J. Bacsa, A. M. Z. Slawin, A. Steiner and A. I. Cooper, Nature Materials, 2009, 8, 973 - 978.