Stefan M. Kilyanek

Stefan M. Kilyanek is an Associate Professor of Inorganic Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. He leads the Kilyanek Laboratory, where an interdisciplinary team of researchers works at the intersection of inorganic, organic and physical chemistry to invent new catalytic systems and sustainable synthetic strategies.

Education

• B.S., Grand Valley State University (2003)
• M.S., The University of Chicago (2004)
• Ph.D., The University of Chicago (2009) – Advisor: Richard F. Jordan
• Postdoctoral Researcher, MIT (2010-2013) – Advisor: Richard R. Schrock
• Postdoctoral Researcher, MIT (2013-2014) – Advisor: Yogesh Surendranath

Research Interests

The Kilyanek group pursues fundamental and applied questions in organometallic catalysis, small-molecule activation, and sustainable chemistry. By designing tailored ligand architectures and exploiting transition-metal reactivity, the lab seeks to unlock new pathways for energy storage, feedstock valorisation and waste-free synthesis. Key themes include:

• Design of molybdenum and tungsten imido/alkylidene catalysts for olefin metathesis
• Deoxydehydration of renewable polyols to value-added chemicals
• N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand scaffolds for palladium, nickel and iridium catalysis
• Electrochemical and spectroscopic interrogation of electron-transfer kinetics
• Green synthetic methods that minimise stoichiometric reagents and energy input

Across 15 peer-reviewed articles (2007–2020) the group’s work spans high-valent organometallics, mechanistic elucidation of catalytic cycles, macrocyclic ligand design, electrochemical methodologies and renewable-feedstock conversion, reflecting a coherent vision toward sustainable molecular synthesis.

Intellectual Property & Patents

• U.S. Patent (provisional filed 2017, utility filed 2018) – NHC-based ligands and methods
• U.S. Patent (provisional filed 2015, utility filed 2016) – Fluorinated coatings for high-performance electrodes

Contact & Laboratory

• Office: 213 Chemistry Building, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701
• Phone: +1 479-575-2712
• Email: kilyanek@uark.edu
• Lab: 301 Chemistry Building, 1 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701