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Staff Profile

Dr John Errington

Reader in Inorganic Chemistry

  • Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 6643
  • Address: Chemistry
    Bedson Building
    School of Natural & Environmental Sciences
    Â鶹´«Ã½
    NE1 7RU
Background

Research Interests

My interest in polyoxometalates and metal alkoxides includes their use as homogeneous catalysts, as models for and precursors to heterogeneous catalysts with well defined reactive sites and as nanoscale materials for energy conversion and storage. Our novel approaches to synthesis have enabled detailed systematic investigations of reactivity with extensive use of multinuclear NMR. 17O NMR in particular provides us with significant insight into mechanistic aspects.

Background

After obtaining my BSc in the School of Chemistry at Leeds University, I worked with Prof Bernard L. Shaw FRS for my PhD. The project involved the synthesis and reactivity of transition metal complexes of bulky phosphines and thioethers, particularly of alpha, omega-bis(di-t-butylphosphino)alkanes, and established the basis for what is now an expanding area of organometallic chemistry involving complexes of 'pincer ligands', as reviewed by Milstein in Chem. Rev, 2003, 103, 1759-1792. One notable result was the observation of rapid and reversible C–H bond cleavage under ambient conditions in a metalated Rh complex.

A postdoctoral position with Prof. Malcolm H. Chisholm FRS at Indiana University from November 1980 until December 1981 involved metal-metal multiply-bonded compounds of Mo and W and my work demonstrated that metal-metal bond coupling occurs when chloro, bromo or fluoro ligands replace isopropoxide groups in dinuclear triply-bonded Mo2(OPr)6.

I returned to the UK at the end of 1981 to work with Prof. Don Bradley FRS at Queen Mary College London from January 1982. After developing some organoimido chemistry of Group 6 transition metals I transferred to a project involving chemical vapour deposition of III/V semiconductor materials. During this inroduction to materials chemistry I demonstrated the use of di-t-butyl phosphine as a source of P in the CVD of InP. Around this time I also became interested in polyoxometalates and the possibility of replacing some (or all) of the surface oxygens with organoimido groups, although this would have to wait until I began work at Â鶹´«Ã½ in 1984.

I was appointed to a "New Blood" lectureship at Â鶹´«Ã½ in 1984 and began a programme to investigate the non-aqueous synthesis and reactivity of early transition metal polyoxoanions (polyoxometalates). This resulted in the development of routes to organoimido-substituted hexamolybdates and of hydrolytic routes to various mixed-metal hexametalates having reactive alkoxide sites. The chemistry of these nanoscale molecular metal oxides is now generating a great deal of interest and our polyoxometalate work has now extended to amphiphilic derivatives, surface immobilised species, electron-rich polyoxometalates and fundamental aspects of electron- and proton-transfer processes. I was Chair of the European COST Action “Polyoxometalate Chemistry for Molecular Nanoscience” (PoCheMoN, 2012-2016) and I am currently PI and leader of the EPSRC-JSPS Core-to-Core International Network on Polyoxometalate Science for Advanced Functional Energy Materials (INPOMS, 2019-2024 and UK representative in the CNRS Polyoxometalate International Research Network (2019-present).

Qualifications

BSc. Hons, PhD, CChem FRSC

Research

Research Interests


My interests lie at the interface between molecular solution chemistry and the solid state chemistry of oxide materials. As a consequence, our work centres around a wide range of metal complexes in which the metal is bonded to oxygen donor ligands, particularly polyoxometalates and metal alkoxides and their derivatives.

Other Expertise

Design and synthesis of molecular precursors for materials applications.

Current Work

Detailed multinuclear NMR studies of solution speciation in non-aqueous polyoxometalate chemistry.

Development of versatile, efficient and scaleable routes to reactive heterometal polyoxometalates for theoretical and catalysis studies.

Synthesis and reactivity of functionalised and electron-rich polyoxometalates as nanoscale building blocks and functional components of molecular assemblies.


Teaching

Undergraduate Teaching

In my time at Â鶹´«Ã½ I have taught various aspects of Inorganic Chemistry to undergraduates at all stages including:

Transition metal chemistry

Organometallic chemistry

Applications of symmetry

Multinuclear NMR in structural chemistry

Catalyst Application and Design

Molecular Aspects of Materials Chemistry

Publications

  • Articles

    • Yonesato K, Watanabe Y, Pascual-Borras M, Errington RJ, Yamaguchi K, Suzuki K. . Chemical Science 2025, 16(29), 13183-13188.
    • Lebbie D, Izuagie T, Pascual-Borras M, Kandasamy B, Wills C, Waddell PG, Horrocks BR, Errington RJ. . Inorganic Chemistry 2025, 649(5), 2379–2393.
    • Shiels D, Lu Z, Pascual-Borràs M, Cajiao N, Marinho TV, Brennessel MW, Neidig ML, Errington RJ, Matson EM. . Inorganic Chemistry 2024, 63(49), 23304–23316.
    • Evans A, Mawson P, Thomas H, Keen K, Watson CJ, McAuley DF, MacGowan GA, Sheerin NS, Fisher A, Shaw J, Yates H, Fallow A, Kounali D, Banks J, Stevens M, Paul R, Hodge R, Lawson E, Harvey D, Dark J. . BMJ Open 2024, 14(9), e086352.
    • Seddon AA, Hill NS, Errington RJ, Docampo P, Gibson EA. . Chemical Communications 2024, 60, 1876-1879.
    • Shiels D, Pascual-Borràs M, Waddell PG, Wills C, Poblet JM, Errington RJ. . Chemical Communications 2023, 59(51), 7919-7922.
    • Iwano T, Shitamatsu K, Ogiwara N, Okuno M, Kikukawa Y, Ikemoto S, Shirai S, Muratsugu S, Waddell PG, Errington RJ, Sadakane M, Uchida S. . ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 2021, 13(16), 19138-19147.
    • Shitamatsu K, Kojima T, Waddell PG, Sugiarto, Ooyama HE, Errington RJ, Sadakane M. . Zeitschrift fur Anorganische und Allgemeine Chemie 2021, 647(11), 1239-1244.
    • Maksimchuk NV, Evtushok VY, Zalomaeva OV, Maksimov GM, Ivanchikova ID, Chesalov YA, Eltsov IV, Abramov PA, Glazneva TS, Yanshole YA, Kholdeeva OA, Errington RJ, Solé-Daura A, Poblet JM, Carbó JJ. . ACS Catalysis 2021, 11(16), 10589-10603.
    • Di A, Schmitt J, Da Silva MA, Hossain KMZ, Mahmoudi N, Errington RJ, Edler KJ. . Nanoscale 2020, 12(43), 22245-22257.
    • Di A, Schmitt J, Ma K, da Silva MA, Elstone NS, Mahmoudi N, Li P, Washington A, Wang Z, Errington RJ, Edler KJ. . Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 2020, 578, 608-618.
    • Maksimchuk NV, Ivanchikova ID, Maksimov GM, Eltsov IV, Evtushok VY, Kholdeeva OA, Lebbie D, Errington RJ, Solé-Daura A, Poblet JM, Carbó JJ. . ACS Catalysis 2019, 9, 6262-6275.
    • Kandasamy B, Bruce PG, Clegg W, Harrington RW, Rodriguez-Fortea A, Pascual-Borras M, Errington RJ. . Chemistry A European Journal 2018, 24(11), 2750-2757.
    • Canioni R, Cadot E, Errington RJ, Leclerc-Laronze N, Roche-Marchal C. . Current Inorganic Chemistry 2017, 7(1), 13-20.
    • Klonowski P, Goloboy JC, Uribe-Romo FJ, Sun FR, Zhu LY, Gandara F, Wills C, Errington RJ, Yaghi OM, Klemperer WG. . Inorganic Chemistry 2014, 53(24), 13239-13246.
    • Pascual-Borras M, Lopez X, Rodriguez-Fortea A, Errington RJ, Poblet JM. . Chemical Science 2014, 5(5), 2031-2042.
    • Long D-L, de la Oliva AR, Yan J, Busche C, Miras HN, Errington J, Cronin L. . Chemical Communications 2013, 49(84), 9731-9733.
    • Bakri R, Booth A, Harle G, Middleton PS, Wills C, Clegg W, Harrington RW, Errington RJ. . Chemical Communications 2012, 48(22), 2779-2781.
    • Coyle L, Middleton PS, Murphy CJ, Clegg W, Harrington RW, Errington RJ. . Dalton Transactions 2012, 41(3), 971-981.
    • Kandasamy B, Wills C, McFarlane W, Clegg W, Harrington RW, Rodriguez-Fortea A, Poblet JM, Bruce PG, Errington RJ. . Chemistry: A European Journal 2012, 18(1), 59-62.
    • Errington RJ, Coyle L, Middleton PS, Murphy CJ, Clegg W, Harrington RW. . Journal of Cluster Science 2010, 21(3), 503-514.
    • Errington RJ, Harle G, Clegg W, Harrington RW. . European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry 2009, 2009(34), 5240-5246.
    • Errington RJ, Petkar SS, Middleton PS, McFarlane W, Clegg W, Coxall RA, Harrington RW. . Journal of the American Chemical Society 2007, 129(40), 12181-12196.
    • Errington RJ, Petkar SS, Middleton PS, McFarlane W, Clegg W, Coxall RA, Harrington RW. . Dalton Transactions 2007, (44), 5211-5222.
    • Clegg W, Elsegood MRJ, Errington RJ, Wingad RL. . Acta Crystallographica. Section E: Structure Reports Online 2007, 63(5), m1269-m1270.
    • Kessler VG, Seisenbaeva GA, Errington RJ. . Inorganic Chemistry Communications 2005, 8(6), 503-505.
    • Errington RJ, Petkar SS, Horrocks BR, Houlton A, Lie LH, Patole SN. . Angewandte Chemie - International Edition 2005, 44(8), 1254-1257.
    • Doherty S, Errington RJ, Housley N, Clegg W. . Organometallics 2004, 23(10), 2382-2388.
    • Tombul M, Errington RJ, Coxall RA, Clegg W. . Acta Crystallographica Section E: Structure Reports Online 2003, 59(3), m137-m139.
    • Errington RJ, Tombul M, Coxall RA, Clegg W. . Acta Crystallographica. Section C: Crystal Structure Communications 2003, 59(6), M231-M233.
    • Tombul M, Errington RJ, Coxall RA, Clegg W. . Acta Crystallographica. Section E: Structure Reports Online 2002, E59(3), M137-M139.
    • Errington RJ, Wingad RL, Clegg W, Elsegood MRJ. . Angewandte Chemie - International Edition 2000, 39(21), 3884-3886.
    • Errington RJ, Tombul M, Walker GLP, Clegg W, Heath SL, Horsburgh L. . Journal of the Chemical Society - Dalton Transactions 1999, (20), 3533-3534.
    • Doherty S, Errington RJ, Housley N, Ridland J, Clegg W, Elsegood MRJ. . Organometallics 1999, 18(6), 1018-1029.
    • Doherty S, Errington RJ, Jarvis AP, Collins S, Clegg W, Elsegood MRJ. . Organometallics 1998, 17(16), 3408-3410.
    • Errington RJ, Ridland J, Sherwood JM, Clegg W. Beta-diketonate derivatives of titanium alkoxides: X-ray crystal structures and solution dynamics of the binuclear complexes [{Ti(OR)3(beta-dik)}2]. Polyhedron, 17, 659-674 1998.
    • Errington RJ, Havelock J, Clegg W, Elsegood MRJ. Alkoxide hydrolysis as a route to early transition-metal polyoxometalates: Synthesis and crystal structures of heteronuclear hexametalate derivatives. Journal of the Chemical Society-Dalton Transactions, 5, 681-690 1996.

  • Authored Book

    • Errington R.J. Advanced Practical Inorganic and Metalorganic Chemistry. London: Blackie Academic & Professional, 1997.

  • Book Chapters

    • Errington RJ. . In: Rudi van Eldik and Leroy Cronin, ed. Polyoxometalate Chemistry. Elsevier, 2017, pp.287-336.
    • Errington RJ, Kandasamy B, Lebbie D, Izuagie T. . In: Song, Y-F, ed. Polyoxometalate-Based Assemblies and Functional Materials. Springer, 2017, pp.1-25.
    • Errington RJ. . In: McCleverty, J.A., Meyer, T.J, ed. Comprehensive Coordination Chemistry II: From Biology to Nanotechnology. Oxford, UK: Elsevier Science, 2003, pp.759-773.
    • Errington RJ. . In: Pope M.T., Müller A, ed. Polyoxometalate Chemistry: From Topology via Self-Assembly to Applications. Dordrecht: Springer, 2001, pp.7-22.
    • Errington R.J, Richards D.G, Clegg W and Fraser K.A. New Aspects of Non-Aqueous Polyoxometalate Chemistry. In: Müller A. and Pope M.T, ed. Polyoxometalates: From Platonic Solids to Anti-Retroviral Activity. 1994, pp.105-114.

  • Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

    • Errington RJ, Petkar SS, Middleton PS. . In: Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society. 2007, American Chemical Society.
    • Errington RJ. . In: Polyoxometalate Molecular Science: Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute. 2003, Tenerife, Spain: Springer.
    • Errington RJ. . In: Polyoxometalate Molecular Science. 2003, Tenerife, Spain: Springer.
    • Errington RJ, Walker GLP, Elsegood MRJ. . In: Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society. 1999, American Chemical Society.