Home Research Publications Facilities Group Resources Contact

Macro/Molecular Main Group Chemistry

Welcome!

Who we are: We're a synthetic inorganic chemistry group at Dalhousie University located on the Atlantic coast of Canada in beautiful Halifax, Nova Scotia. Soon (July 2025) we will be moving to the University of Victoria on the Pacific coast of Canada in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia!

What we believe: We believe that chemistry of the main group elements can provide fundamental insights and practical solutions to accelerate our transition to a Net-Zero emissions future. We further believe that everyone should have an opportunity to participate in the science driving this transition, irrespective of identity or perceived limitations, and so it is imperative that we create an inclusive workplace that embraces diversity.

What we do: We explore i) new types of inorganic polymers/materials for applications in green technologies, and ii) new types of metal complexes for making chemical manufacturing more efficient. Our most exciting discoveries emerge from systematic, curiosity-driven, fundamental studies of main group molecules and macromolecules, often with collaborators who bring complementary applied experience.
To find out more, please visit the Research Page.


Latest News

May 2025

> Last year we ventured into polyoxometallate chemistry with a Mitacs funded project that allowed us to host Jan Raabe from Uni Hamburg. This project is now published in Dalton Trans.. Check out the publications page!

> We're moving! After 7 wonderful years at Dalhousie, the Chitnis lab will relocate to the University of Victoria on the west coast in July 2025!

> Congrats to Michael Land on his promotion from postdoc to Assistant Professor at Mount Saint Vincent University! The Land lab starts in July 2025.

Apr 2025

> Congrats to Darby on successfully defending her Honours thesis! She is off to grad school at McGill University in September.

> Congrats to Tamina on successfully defending her MSc! She becomes our third MSc alum and is off to Uni Bonn to continue her science journey in the Bismuto lab!

Mar 2025

> Congrats to Tamina on her work on NCN ligands being published in the IRIS-2024 special issue of Molecules! See link on Publications page.

> Michael and Joe's work on stereochemistry dependent polymerization outcomes for PN ring connectors is out as a Full Article in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.! Check out the Publications page.

> Maryam, Erin, and Mohsen's work on hybrid organic/inorganic polymers featuring PN cages has been accepted as a Full Article in J. Am. Chem. Soc.! Check out the Publications page.

> Tamina's book chapter on geometrically-deformed bismuth compounds has been accepted for inclusion in Structure & Bonding by Springer.

Feb 2025

> Congrats to Will Howlett who has passed his Qualifying Exam to become a PhD Candidate!

> Congrats to PDF Maryam Abdollahi for winning an NSERC PDF to continue her research for another 2 years with us!

January 2025

> Congrats to joint PhD student (with Macdonald group) Will Howlett on the publication of his first 1st author paper in the Can. J. Chem. special issue dedicated to the late Prof. Steve Westcott.

> Our first publication of 2025 is a Commentary in Chem. Sci. about work on geometrically deformed phosphino-phosphonium ions published by the Greb group.

> A warm welcome to undergraduate student Zoe Pouliot who is joining us as a volunteer to make new ligands!

> We start the new year welcoming Pinelopi Tsami, who joins us as a new PhD student from Greece!

"to sights unseen, and beyond"