Clifford Kubiak
Inorganic, materials, and physical chemistry: electron transfer, catalysis, fixation and utilization of carbon dioxide.
Inorganic, materials, and physical chemistry: electron transfer, catalysis, fixation and utilization of carbon dioxide.
Contact Information
Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Harold C. Urey Chair in Chemistry
Office: Pacific Hall 4223A
Phone: 858-822-2665
Email: ckubiak@ucsd.edu
Web: http://kubiak.ucsd.edu
Group: View group members
Harold C. Urey Chair in Chemistry
Office: Pacific Hall 4223A
Phone: 858-822-2665
Email: ckubiak@ucsd.edu
Web: http://kubiak.ucsd.edu
Group: View group members
Education
1980 Ph.D., , University of Rochester
1980 Ph.D., , University of Rochester
Appointments
1980-81 Postdoc, , Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1975 Sc.B., , Brown University
1980-81 Postdoc, , Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1975 Sc.B., , Brown University
Awards and Academic Honors
2012
ACS Award in Inorganic Chemistry
2002-2006
Chair, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
1997
Robert W. Wheland Visiting Professor, University of Chicago
1995-1996
Japan Society for Promotion of Science Fellow
1987-1991
Alfred P. Sloan Fellow
1982-1998
Appointed to faculty, Purdue University
Research Interests
Our research is focused on two areas:
(1) Catalysis of the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide, and the photochemical "splitting" of carbon dioxide.
(2) "Ultrafast" electron transfer dynamics in inorganic mixed valence complexes.
Catalysis of the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide. The goal of these studies is to utilize CO2, an abundant greenhouse gas, for the ultimate manufacture of energy dense liquid fuels. These efforts have concentrated on CO2 activation and reduction of CO2 by chemical, photochemical, and electrochemical means, and the development of catalysts for transforming CO2 to organic products. Catalysts which can manage multiple proton coupled electron transfers (PCETs) to CO2 to form liquid fuels such as methanol are being developed. We are employing semiconductor devices with appropriate band energies to photochemically "split" CO2 to CO and O2.
A class of inorganic charge transfer complexes with electronic structures that can be tuned from completely delocalized to tightly localized is under investigation. At the delocaization limit, rates of intramolecular electron transfer in these systems can be so fast that coalescence of infrared spectral features occurs in a manner reminiscent of dynamic NMR, but on a picosecond (vs. millisecond for NMR) time scale. The dynamics probed by this simple IR method track solvent dipolar response, and can be developed as "reporters" of local dynamics. We expect that the fundamental knowledge gained can be applied to the rational design of "electronically wired" metal complexes and "molecular devices".
(1) Catalysis of the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide, and the photochemical "splitting" of carbon dioxide.
(2) "Ultrafast" electron transfer dynamics in inorganic mixed valence complexes.
Catalysis of the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide. The goal of these studies is to utilize CO2, an abundant greenhouse gas, for the ultimate manufacture of energy dense liquid fuels. These efforts have concentrated on CO2 activation and reduction of CO2 by chemical, photochemical, and electrochemical means, and the development of catalysts for transforming CO2 to organic products. Catalysts which can manage multiple proton coupled electron transfers (PCETs) to CO2 to form liquid fuels such as methanol are being developed. We are employing semiconductor devices with appropriate band energies to photochemically "split" CO2 to CO and O2.
A class of inorganic charge transfer complexes with electronic structures that can be tuned from completely delocalized to tightly localized is under investigation. At the delocaization limit, rates of intramolecular electron transfer in these systems can be so fast that coalescence of infrared spectral features occurs in a manner reminiscent of dynamic NMR, but on a picosecond (vs. millisecond for NMR) time scale. The dynamics probed by this simple IR method track solvent dipolar response, and can be developed as "reporters" of local dynamics. We expect that the fundamental knowledge gained can be applied to the rational design of "electronically wired" metal complexes and "molecular devices".
Primary Research Area
Inorganic Chemistry
Inorganic Chemistry
Interdisciplinary interests
Materials
Image Gallery
Selected Publications
- Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Formate by [Ni(PR2NR2)2(CH3CN)]2+ Complexes. J. Schoeffel, B. R. Galan, A. M. Appel, J. C. Linehan, J. A. S. Roberts, C. Seu, M. L. Helm, U. J. Kilgore, J. Y. Yang, D. DuBois, C. P. Kubiak., J. Am. Chem. Soc., (2011), 133, 1276712779.
- Kinetics and Limiting Current Densities of Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Electrocatalysts. A. J. Sathrum and C. P. Kubiak, J. Phys. Chem. Lett., (2011), 2, 2372-2379
- Persistence of the three-state description of mixed valency at the localized-to-delocalized transition. S. D. Glover and C. P. Kubiak, J. Am. Chem. Soc., (2011), 133, 8721-8731
- Inter- or Intra-molecular electron transfer: Well cross that bridge when we come to it. S. D. Glover, J. C. Goeltz, B. J. Lear, C. P. Kubiak, Coord. Chem. Rev., (2010), 254, 331-345
- Mixed Valency Across Hydrogen Bonds. J. C. Goeltz, C. P. Kubiak, J. Am. Chem. Soc., (2010), 132, 17390-17392
- Photo-reduction of CO2 on p-type silicon using Re(bipy-But)(CO)3Cl: Photovoltages exceeding 600 mV for the selective reduction of CO2 to CO. B. Kumar, J. M. Smieja, C. P. Kubiak, J. Phys. Chem. C, (2010), 114, 14220-14223
- Re(bipy-tBu)(CO)3Cl - improved catalytic activity for reduction of carbon dioxide. IR-Spectroelectrochemical and mechanistic studies. J. M. Smieja, C. P. Kubiak, Inorg. Chem., (2010), 49, 9283-9289
- Electrocatalytic and homogeneous approaches to conversion of CO2 to liquid fuels. E. E. Benson, C. P. Kubiak, A. J. Sathrum, J. M. Smieja, Chem. Soc. Rev., (2009), 38, 89-99.
- Solvent dynamical control of ultrafast ground state electron transfer: Implications for class II-III mixed valency. B. J. Lear, S. D. Glover, J. C. Salsman, C. H. Londergan, C. P. Kubiak, J. Am. Chem. Soc., (2007), 129, 12772-12779.