KSEF RDE: Gas Phase Phosphate Ester Binding

This project will explore the ability of selected chelate compounds to bind phosphate esters (PE) from the gas phase and create covalently bonded solids. The Atwood group has developed a system of group 13 chelates, represented generally as SaienAIBr (SAB), where "salen" represents numerous tetradentate ligands. The bonding arrangement around the aluminum atom makes the bromine atom extremely labile and easily displaced as Br-. This has been demonstrated to occur in solution but not in the gas phase. Indeed, there are no compounds capable of binding PEs (such as O=P(OMe)3) in the gas phase. There is a significant need in the scientific community for this potential emerging technology for gas phase PEs, in the form of nerve gas agents and potentially carcinogenic plasticizers (airborne contaminants in residential and business buildings). The targeted outcomes of the proposed research are to demonstrate that the chelate compounds can bind PEs, and that this binding can take place inside a filter. The filter could then be used in either an air-purifier or a gas mask. The proposed research will determine whether a series of four SaienAIBr compounds (SAB-1, 2, 3,4), differing slightly in their geometric arrangement around the aluminum atom, can bind simple phosphate esters that are actual plasticizers and models of nerve agents. To accomplish this a gas phase reaction apparatus will be created in which the SaienAIBr compound will used as a packed bed through which a known amount of PEcontaining gas will be passed. The binding ability will be determined by comparing the amount of PE produced in the gas phase with that bound on SAB and the unreacted PE trapped after the reaction. After successfully demonstrating binding of PE by SAB, the same reaction will be conducted with the SAB adsorbed onto a carbon filter.