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 (http://chemistry.st-and.ac.uk/staff/amzs/group/) , 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.

Left: A typical small organometallic structure. The X-ray structure of Cp*₂Hf(S₂C₁₀H₆), red prism; 0.1, 0.1, 0.1 mm; orthorhombic, a = 18.074(2), b = 8.4295(11), c = 16.721(2) Å, V = 2547.5(6) ų, Z = 4, Pna2₁, 14755 reflections, 4039 independent (R_int = 0.0252), 3773 observed reflections to give conventional R = 0.0195. Dataset collected in 45 minutes at 93 K using MM-007/VariMax-Mo/Mercury CCD and X-stream LT apparatus.

Right: A medium-sized organic structure. This structure solved completely at the first attempt. Colorless prism; 0.1, 0.1, 0.1 mm; monoclinic, V = 8401 ų. Dataset collected in ca 10 hours at 173 K using Cu MM-007/Blue/Saturn 92 and X-stream LT apparatus. Sample courtesy of D. Leigh and B. Walker (University of Edinburgh)

SELECTED RECENT PUBLICATIONS

1. Active template synthesis of rotaxanes and molecular shuttles with switchable dynamics by four-component Pd-II-promoted Michael additions,S. M. Goldup, D. A. Leigh, P. J. Lusby, R. T. McBurney, and A. M. Z. Slawin, Angew Chemie-Int Ed, 2008, 47, 3381-3384.
2. New 3 p-2-Spiro Ladder-Type Phenylene Materials: Synthesis, Physicochemical Properties and Applications in OLEDs. N. Cocherel, C. Poriel, J. Rault-Berthelot, F. Barriere, N. Audebrand, A.M.Z. Slawin and L. Vignau, Chem.Eur.J., 2008, 14 , 11328-11342
3. Stimuli-Responsive Reversible Assembly of 2D and 3D Metallosupramolecular Architectures, P.J.Lusby, P.Muller, S.J.Pike and A.M.Z.Slawin, J Amer. Chem. Soc, 2009, 131, 16398-16399.
4. Alkali metal crystalline polymer electrolytes, C.H. Zhang, S. Gamble, D. Ainsworth, A.M.Z. Slawin, Y.G. Andreev and P.G. Bruce. Nature Materials, 2009, 8, 580-584
5. The X-Ray Structures of Sulfoxides, A L. Fuller, R. A Aitken, B M. Ryan, A M. Z. Slawin and J. D Woollins, J Chem Cryst. 2009, 39, :407-415; DOI 10.1007/s10870-008-9493-9.
6. 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.