Synthesis, characterization and application of solid state materials: Oxides, catalysts and coordination compounds

This thesis consists of three parts corresponding to three separate projects. The first part describes the synthesis and characterization of Sr₂PrO ₄. The second part describes the study of a catalyst for the cracking of methane, as well as efforts to optimize the catalyst using nanosynthetic techniques. The third part describes a series of coordination compounds that where synthesized using nitrogen donor ligands.; Strontium praseaodymium oxide forms in the Sr₂PbO₄ structure type. Of a series of alkaline earth, lanthanide compounds with the general formula A₂LnO₄ only Sr₂PrO₄ could be formed (Sr₂CeO₄ was already known and provided the inspiration for the research). Strontium praseodymium oxide is air sensitive and thus required special handling. X-ray data was collected at Brookhaven National Laboratory.; The catalytic cracking of methane provides a route to hydrogen production that does not involve the formation of carbon oxides which poison modern fuel cells. Nickel was shown to be the best catalyst for this reaction, and when regenerated with steam shows no loss of activity over ten regeneration cycles. Attempts were made to determine the optimal nickel particle size for the reaction, but could not be accomplished due to sintering effects.; Coordination products of two new ligands, 2,2′-bis(4-pyridylethynyl)tolane and 1,2-dimethoxy-4,5-bis(2-pyridylethynyl)benzene as well as the known ligand 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane and the inorganic building block [Rh(OAc) ₂]₂. These produced twenty separate compounds, all of which were solved by single crystal X-ray diffraction. These structures ranged from unique arrangements unlike anything in the current literature to a possible non-linear optical material.