Ethan Hill

Ethan Hill is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Auburn University. His research focuses on synthetic inorganic chemistry, particularly the use of long-range interactions to control transition metal complex reactivity. These interactions include metal-ligand cooperativity, electron delocalization, and external electric fields to develop sustainable catalysts for energy and chemical synthesis.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry, University of California - Irvine (2016)
• B.S. in Chemistry (ACS Certified), Colorado State University (2011)

Research interests emphasize ligand design, spectroscopic characterization (NMR, UV-vis, IR, EPR), and catalytic transformations. The Hill Group aims to innovate methods for bond formation/breaking and train scientists skilled in both academic and industrial environments. Members engage in outreach, mentoring, and conference participation.

Lab activities include developing electric field applications in catalysis, studying metal-ligand cooperativity with phosphorus-based ligands, and exploring functional group storage via multi-component reactions. The group prioritizes green oxidation and cross-coupling strategies for sustainable chemistry.