Faculty Profile
Jonah Jurss
Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Phone Number: (662)915-2003
Email: jwjurss@olemiss.edu
http://jursslab.olemiss.edu
Key Words: Solar energy conversion, artificial photosynthesis, energy catalysis, surface attachment, mechanistic studies
Research Description:
The Jurss Lab is an interdisciplinary research team that focuses on developing and understanding new earth-abundant catalysts for energy conversion chemistry and the selective functionalization of hydrocarbons. To address global energy concerns, we aim to store solar energy in the chemical bonds of energy-rich fossil fuel surrogates, such as H2 and CH4, by coupling water oxidation to reductive half reactions (i.e. CO2 reduction). For hydrocarbon conversion, related catalysts are being developed to introduce functionality into organic molecules with unactivated C-H bonds to streamline organic synthesis.
Special attention will be given to translating the reactivity of molecular inorganic systems to electrode surfaces for electrochemical and light-driven catalysis. Mechanistic studies involving proton-coupled electron transfer and electronic structure will be pursued as they relate to these goals.
Honors Theses:
Hodge, Caroline Boyd (2022) Synthesis and Characterization of Redox-Active Multidentate Ligands for Catalytic C-H Bond Oxidation and Carbon Dioxide Reduction (full text)
Edwards, Ansu (2021) Investigations Involving Mononuclear and Dinuclear Transition Metal Catalysts for Photochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction (full text)
Lance, Chase (2020) Synthesis and Characterization of Transition Metal Scorpionate Complexes for Redox Shuttle Applications in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (full text)
Buettner, Dawson Kendall (2019) Carbon Dioxide Reduction Using Redox-Active Macrocyclic Catalysts (full text)
Vaughan, Joseph T. (2019) Synthesis of a Novel Tetradentate Ligand and its Copper Complex for Redox Shuttle Applications (full text)
Amatya, Eva (2018) Electro- and Photocatalytic Carbon Dioxide Reduction with Mononuclear and Dinuclear Rhenium Polypyridyl Complexes (full text)
Singh, Manpreet (2016) The Synthesis of Substituted Pentadentate Ligand Scaffolds and their Future Application in Ruthenium-Catalyzed Water Oxidation. (full text)
Available Research Projects:
Bioinspired Chemistry on Surfaces: Controlling the Second-Coordination Sphere
Project Description: Nature tightly regulates the environment around metalloenzyme active sites to achieve catalysis with high efficiency and selectivity. This environment, comprised of specific noncovalent interactions such as hydrogen bonding, is referred to as the second-coordination sphere and plays a key role in orchestrating reactivity at the first-coordination sphere. We seek to mimic this concept on electrode surfaces to develop modular and scalable catalytic systems to manage proton inventories, stabilize intermediates, and direct reaction pathways.
Desired Student Qualifications: Students should be willing to work at least 10 hours per week in the lab (flexible schedule) and have a strong work ethic.
Project Timeline: It is best to start early in order to have enough time to really learn what you are doing and to get enough results for publication.
Duties of Student Researcher: Students will develop and study molecular imprinting for renewable energy applications on metal oxide electrodes and learn how to conduct scientifically rigorous and meaningful research.
Last Updated on 2015-09-29 16:08:53
Redox-Active and Dinucleating Ligands in Homogeneous Catalysts for Carbon Dioxide Reduction
Project Description: Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, but also represents a readily accessible C1 building block for energy applications as well as value-added chemical feedstocks. However, CO2 is relatively inert and very negative voltages or strong chemical reductants are common for its conversion. An additional challenge lies in achieving this reaction in water where aqueous protons are utilized selectively for CO2 reduction rather than hydrogen generation. Our strategy for CO2-to-fuel conversion involves the design of homogeneous catalysts with redox-active and/or dinucleating ligands, which enable access to multiple reducing equivalents at modest potentials and cooperative modes of CO2 activation.
Desired Student Qualifications: Students should be willing to work at least 10 hours per week in the lab (flexible schedule) and have a strong work ethic.
Project Timeline: It is best to start early in order to have enough time to really learn what you are doing and to get enough results for publication.
Duties of Student Researcher: Students will develop and study new catalysts for renewable energy applications and learn how to conduct scientifically rigorous and meaningful research.
Last Updated on 2015-09-29 16:06:22
Robust, High-Spin Iron-Oxo Catalysts for Oxidizing Water and Hydrocarbons
Project Description: High-valent iron-oxo species are potent oxidants in chemistry and biology for a variety of reactions, including oxidation of water and hydrocarbons. In this context, the vast majority of synthetic Fe(IV)-oxo systems possess low-spin ground states produced by harsh oxidants (Ce(IV), iodosobenzene, etc), whereas natural systems generate more reactive high-spin Fe(IV)-oxos with mild oxidants (O2, H2O2). Indeed, only five synthetic high-spin Fe(IV)-oxo complexes have been reported, all of which suffer from poor stability and/or sluggish reactivity. We aim to develop new Fe-oxo catalysts with oxidatively-stable ligands that enforce geometries that favor high-spin electronic states to overcome these limitations.
Desired Student Qualifications: Students should be willing to work at least 10 hours per week in the lab (flexible schedule) and have a strong work ethic.
Project Timeline: It is best to start early in order to have enough time to really learn what you are doing and have enough results to publish a paper.
Duties of Student Researcher: Students will develop and study new catalysts for renewable energy applications and learn how to conduct scientifically rigorous and meaningful research.
Last Updated on 2014-08-14 09:55:10