Richard Thompson

Richard Thompson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Idaho's College of Science. His research focuses on transition metal chemistry, spectroscopy techniques, and catalysis.

Educational Background:

• B.S. in Chemistry from Iowa State University (2011)
• Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Maryland (2018)

Thompson's research interests span transition metal catalysis, hypervalent iodine chemistry, and molecular spectroscopy. His work explores reaction mechanisms, metallacyclic intermediates, and multi-electron transfer processes. Key methodologies include nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infrared (IR), and UV-Vis spectroscopy, alongside X-ray diffraction for structural analysis.

Thompson's recent publications highlight 2025 breakthroughs in metallopnictinidenes and 2023 advances in hypervalent iodine electron aggregation. His 2019 work on alkyne metathesis carbon nanohoops and 2018 studies on stereoselective polymerization catalysts demonstrate expertise in ligand design and reaction optimization.

He leads The Thompson Lab, focusing on molecular reactivity and catalyst development at the University of Idaho.