Kubiak, Clifford
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: 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: kubiak.ucsd.edu
Group: View group members
Education
1980 Postdoc, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1980 Ph.D., University of Rochester
1975 Sc. B., Brown University
1980 Postdoc, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1980 Ph.D., University of Rochester
1975 Sc. B., Brown University
Appointments
2014 Invited Visiting Professor, Electrocatalysis, University of Paris Diderot
2012-2015 Visiting Associate, Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, JCAP
2008-present Distinguished Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego
2002-2006 Chair, Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego
1998-present Harold C. Urey Endowed Chair, Chemistry, University of California, San Diego
1997 Robert A. Wheland Visiting Professor, University of Chicago
1990-1998 Professor, Purdue University
1987-1990 Associate Professor, Purdue University
1982-1987 Assistant Professor, Purdue University
2014 Invited Visiting Professor, Electrocatalysis, University of Paris Diderot
2012-2015 Visiting Associate, Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, JCAP
2008-present Distinguished Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego
2002-2006 Chair, Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego
1998-present Harold C. Urey Endowed Chair, Chemistry, University of California, San Diego
1997 Robert A. Wheland Visiting Professor, University of Chicago
1990-1998 Professor, Purdue University
1987-1990 Associate Professor, Purdue University
1982-1987 Assistant Professor, Purdue University
Awards and Academic Honors
2020
Elected, National Academy of Sciences
2018
Tolman Medal
2018
Distinguished Fellow of the Collegium of Eminent Scientists, Kosciuszko Foundation
2018
American Chemical Society Award in Organometallic Chemistry
2017
Fellow, Royal Society of Chemistry
2015
Fred Basolo Medal for Outstanding Research in Inorganic Chemistry
2014
Elected Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
2013
Inter-American Photochemical Society, Award in Photochemistry
2012
Fellow, American Chemical Society
2012
American Chemical Society Award in Inorganic Chemistry
2009
Rochester Distinguished Scholar Award
1995-1996
Japan Society for Promotion of Science Fellow
1990
Charles B. Murphy Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching
1989
Frank D. Martin Undergraduate Teaching Award
1987-1991
Alfred P. Sloan Fellow
1977-1978
Elon Huntington Hooker Fellow, Rochester
1975-1979
Sherman Clarke Fellow, Rochester
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
Outreach Activities
The lab is multi-racial, multi-cultural, and 40% female overall. Having a diverse lab does help in keeping it that way, but there are other activities at a more individual level that have, I believe, brought a more diverse population into science in general, and my lab in particular. These involve simply being accessible to students in the lower division classes that I teach (Chem 6C and Chem 6CH) and encouraging them to consider what they might become with a career in science, and, if there is interest, to introduce them to graduate students or other undergraduate students in a research setting to see what it looks like, and then if they like what they see to give them a chance to try it out. I would say that all of my current undergraduate students were exposed to opportunities that they never imagined, and are benefiting from mentoring and an environment that shows that rich intellectual rewards can be found in a laboratory, and many others from diverse backgrounds are doing remarkable things there.
Image Gallery
Selected Publications
- Cheung PL,Kapper SC,Zeng T,Thompson ME,Kubiak CP "Improving Photocatalysis for the Reduction of CO2 through Non-covalent Supramolecular Assembly.", J Am Chem Soc, 2019, Vol. 141, Issue 38, 14961-14965 [View]
- Porter, T. M.; Ostericher, A. L.; Kubiak, C. P. "Steric and electronic control of an ultrafast isomerization.", Chemical Science, 2019, Vol. 10, Issue 34, 7907-7912
- Porter, T.; Wang, J. X.; Li, Y. M.; Xiang, B.; Salsman, C.; Miller, J. S.; Xiong, W.; Kubiak, C. P. "Direct observation of the intermediate in an ultrafast isomerization.", Chemical Science, 2019, Vol. 10, Issue 1, 113-117
- Zhanaidarova A,Jones SC,Despagnet-Ayoub E,Pimentel BR,Kubiak CP "Re(tBu-bpy)(CO)3Cl Supported on Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Selectively Reduces CO2 in Water.", J Am Chem Soc, 2019, Vol. 141, Issue 43, 17270-17277 [View]
- Porter T. M,; Heim G. P,; Kubiak C. .P "Stable Mixed-Valent Complexes Formed by Electron Delocalization Across Hydrogen Bonds of Pyrimidinone-Linked Metal Clusters.", J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2018, Vol. 140, Issue 40, 12756-12759 [View]
- Waldie, Kate M.; Ostericher, Andrew L.; Reineke, Mark H.; Sasayama, Alissa F.; Kubiak, Clifford P. "Hydricity of Transition-Metal Hydrides: Thermodynamic Considerations for CO2 Reduction", ACS Catalysis, 2018, Vol. 8, Issue 2, 1313-1324
- Huynh, M. T.; Mora, S. J.; Villalba, M.; Tejeda-Ferrari, M. E.; Liddell, P. A.; Cherry, B. R.; Teillout, A. L.; Machan, C. W.; Kubiak, C. P.; Gust, D.; Moore, T. A.; Hammes-Schiffer, S.; Moore, A. L., "Concerted One-Electron Two-Proton Transfer Processes in Models Inspired by the Tyr-His Couple of Photosystem II", ACS Central Science, 2017, Vol. 3, Issue (5), 372-380
- Machan, C. W.; Yin, J.; Chabolla, S. A.; Gilson, M. K.; Kubiak, C. P. "Improving the Efficiency and Activity of Electrocatalysts for the Reduction of CO2 through Supramolecular Assembly with Amino Acid-Modified Ligands.", J. Am. Chem. Soc, 2016, Vol. 138, Issue (26), 8184-8193
- Sampson, M. D.; Kubiak, C. P. "Manganese Electrocatalysts with Bulky Bipyridine Ligands: Utilizing Lewis Acids To Promote Carbon Dioxide Reduction at Low Overpotentials", J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2016, Vol. 138, Issue (4), 1386-1393
- I. Hod, M. D. Sampson, P. Deria, C. P. Kubiak; O. Farha, J. Hupp "Fe-Porphyrin Based MOF Films as High-Surface-Concentration, Heterogeneous Catalysts for Electrochemical Reduction of CO2", ACS Catalysis, 2015, Vol. 5, 6302-6309
- Machan CW,Sampson MD,Kubiak CP "A Molecular Ruthenium Electrocatalyst for the Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to CO and Formate.", J Am Chem Soc, 2015, Vol. 137, Issue 26, 8564-71 [View]
- Kubiak CP, "Inorganic electron transfer: sharpening a fuzzy border in mixed valency and extending mixed valency across supramolecular systems.", Inorg Chem, 2013, Vol. 52, Issue 10, 5663-76 [View]
- Glover SD, Kubiak CP, "Persistence of the three-state description of mixed valency at the localized-to-delocalized transition.", J Am Chem Soc, 2011, Vol. 133, Issue 22, 8721-31 [View]
- Benson EE, Kubiak CP, Sathrum AJ, Smieja JM, "Electrocatalytic and homogeneous approaches to conversion of CO2 to liquid fuels.", Chem Soc Rev, 2009, Vol. 38, Issue 1, 89-99 [View]