Nilay Hazari

About

Nilay Hazari is the Chair and John Randolph Huffman Professor of Chemistry at Yale University. His research group focuses on synthetic inorganic and organometallic chemistry, emphasizing reaction mechanisms and catalysis. The long-term goal of his projects is to develop homogeneous transition metal catalysts for chemical transformations, aiming to create more energy-efficient and affordable industrial processes. His work involves understanding reaction mechanisms, which can play a crucial role in improving catalysts, using techniques such as multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, IR and UV-Visible spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, X-ray crystallography, isotopic labeling studies, and computational chemistry. Professor Hazari's research includes developing catalysts for the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide into formic acid and methanol, understanding reactions between carbon dioxide and transition metal complexes, designing molecular catalysts attached to semiconductors for photoreduction of carbon dioxide into liquid fuels, and exploring the role of Ni(I) complexes in organic transformations such as cross-coupling. His group also collaborates with researchers at Yale and other institutions to vary the properties of 2D materials using organic and organometallic molecules. His work supports efforts toward sustainable chemical processes and addressing climate change through innovative catalysis research.

Research topics

• Organic chemistry
• Chemistry
• Stereochemistry
• Physical chemistry
• Thermodynamics
• Computational chemistry
• Combinatorial chemistry
• Physics
• Medicinal chemistry

Selected publications

• Thermodynamic and kinetic hydricity of transition metal hydrides

  Chemical Society Reviews · 2020 · 103 citations

  , as determined through equilibrium measurements and thermochemical cycles. Kinetic hydricity represents the rate of hydride transfer from one species to another, as measured through kinetic analysis. This tutorial review describes the common methods for experimental and computational determination of thermodynamic and kinetic hydricity, including advice on best practices and precautions to help avoid pitfalls. The influence of solvation on hydricity is emphasized, including opportunities and ch…

  DOI

• Ni(I)–Alkyl Complexes Bearing Phenanthroline Ligands: Experimental Evidence for CO ₂ Insertion at Ni(I) Centers

  Journal of the American Chemical Society · 2020 · 98 citations

  , allowing us to address a long-standing question related to Ni-catalyzed carboxylation reactions.

  DOI

• Photoelectrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to formate using immobilized molecular manganese catalysts on oxidized porous silicon

  Chem · 2025-03-07 · 12 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Statistical analysis of HAADF-STEM images to determine the surface coverage and distribution of immobilized molecular complexes

  Matter · 2024-12-09 · 11 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Iron Catalysts Supported by a PNP Ligand with an Additional Hemilabile Donor for CO₂ Hydrogenation

  ACS Catalysis · 2024-09-04 · 10 citations

  articleCorresponding

  Iron complexes supported by pincer ligands of the type R’N(CH2CH2PR2)2 (RPNR’P) are highly active catalysts for a range of hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions but are prone to catalyst deactivation. Here, the synthesis of (MeOCH2CH2)N(CH2CH2PiPr2)2 (iPrPNOMeP), a RPNR’P-type ligand containing a pendant hemilabile ether donor, is described and the preparation and characterization of a series of iron complexes ligated by iPrPNOMeP is reported. It is demonstrated that iron hydride species s…

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Mechanistic Studies to Rationally Design Ni and Pd Catalysts for Cross-Coupling

  NIH · $1.6M · 2016–2022

• Understanding the Reactions of Carbon Dioxide with Late Transition Metal Complexes

  NSF · $450k · 2020–2024

• CAREER: Mechanstic Studies Involving Late Transition Metal Complexes for Catalytic Carbon Dioxide Conversion

  NSF · $600k · 2012–2017

Frequent coauthors

• Brandon Q. Mercado

  Yale University

  133 shared

• Wesley H. Bernskoetter

  University of Missouri

  125 shared

• Louise M. Guard

  Eli Lilly (United States)

  86 shared

• Gary W. Brudvig

  Yale University

  65 shared

• Timothy J. Schmeier

  56 shared

• Michael K. Takase

  California Institute of Technology

  53 shared

• Ainara Nova

  University of Oslo

  52 shared

• David J. Charboneau

  Yale University

  47 shared

Awards & honors

• Rhodes Scholarship for New South Wales (2003)
• National Science Foundation Career Award (2012)
• Organometallics Fellow (from the American Chemical Society J…
• Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow (2013)
• Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (2014)

Similar researchers at Yale University

• William Jorgensenh-123
• Jon Ellmanh-111
• Patrick Hollandh-92