Lou Messerle

Lou Messerle is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Iowa, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on the synthesis and reactivity of transition metal clusters and organodimetallic complexes, particularly involving early transition metals, lanthanides, and bismuth.

• Education: ScB from Brown University (1975), PhD from MIT (1979), Postdoctoral Research Associate (1979-81), and Fellow of the Michigan Society of Fellows (1981-84).

The Messerle Research Group investigates coordinatively unsaturated systems with applications in biomedical imaging contrast agents and catalytic processes. Key areas include:

• Reactivity of metal-metal multiple bonds (e.g., Ta-Ta double bonds) in C-H activation and small-molecule functionalization
• Development of W₃, Ta₃, Bi₉, and Gd_n clusters for CT/MR imaging
• Experimental methods: glovebox techniques, NMR, X-ray diffraction, and computational modeling

Recent publications highlight trends in:

• 1-D tungsten-mercury cluster polymers
• Supramolecular bismuth oxo clusters
• Dinitrogen reduction via tantalum dimers
• Carbonyl ligand coupling at metal-metal bonds
• Gadolinium clusters for MRI contrast
• Hydrogen activation at tantalum centers

Contact Lou Messerle at lou-messerle@uiowa.edu or 319-335-1372 in E457 Chemistry Building, Iowa City, IA.