Dr. Smith's research focuses on the coordination chemistry of toxic cations and anions. He and his students will study the complexation properties of commercial ligands as well as ligands synthesized in their laboratory. Complexation properties will be measured by potentiometric, spectrophotometric, and NMR titrations. X-ray crystallography will be employed to characterize the new ligands and to provide a more complete model of the complexes measured in solution.

Students in the laboratory will gain the following experience:

• Synthesis and characterization (¹H, ¹³C, and 2D NMR, IR, MS) of novel ligands selective for toxic ions.

• Measurment of complexation constants using potentiometric, NMR, and spectrophotometric titrations.