Â鶹ֱ²¥

Dr. Eckenhoff is a synthetic inorganic chemist whose research focuses on the design and study of transition metal complexes containing copper, iron, cobalt, nickel, and molybdenum. His research group at Â鶹ֱ²¥ College combines inorganic synthesis, spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and catalysis to investigate fundamental questions in coordination chemistry while exploring applications relevant to energy and sensing technologies.

Current projects in the Eckenhoff Research Group include the development of nickel and cobalt catalysts for hydrogen production in artificial photosynthesis and the study of unusual solvatochromic molybdenum complexes that display dramatic color changes in different solvents. These projects give undergraduate researchers hands-on experience with modern inorganic and materials chemistry techniques while contributing to broader efforts in sustainable energy and molecular sensing.

At Â鶹ֱ²¥, Dr. Eckenhoff regularly teaches CHEM 120/125L: Foundations of Chemistry with Laboratory and CHEM 408/408L: Inorganic Chemistry with Laboratory, and occasionally teaches CHEM 486: Senior Seminar and CHEM 212L: Organic Chemistry II Laboratory. Since 2023, he has also served as Chair of the Environmental Studies and Sciences Program.

For more information about current projects, publications, and student researchers, visit the 

PUBLICATIONS at RHODES

Wicker, S.A.; Hutchison, P.S.; Musicante, R.G.; Kiker, M.T.; Suffern, N.C.; Graham, D.K.; Â鶹ֱ²¥, L.M.; Binu, A.P.; Jean-Francois, S.A.; Graves, A.S.; Brennessel, W.W.; Eckenhoff, W.T. Hydrogen Production using a Nickel Catalyst Combining Redox Activity and Pendent Base Effects, Inorg. Chem. 2024, 63(1), 451-461. 

Helland, S.D., Chang, A.S., Lee, K.W., Hutchison, P.S., Brennessel, W.W., Eckenhoff, W.T. Synthesis and Characterization of Strongly Solvatochromic Molybdenum(III) Complexes. Inorg. Chem. 2020, 59, 705-716.

Charles, R.M.III;Tupkar, H.; Helland, S.D.; Mercado, A.; Eckenhoff, W.T.; Schley, N.D.; DeYonker, N.J.; Brewster, T.P. Synthesis and Electronic Characterization of Iridium-Aluminum and Rhodium-Aluminum Heterobimetallic Complexes Bridged by 3-Hydroxypyridine and 4-Hydroxypyridine. Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2020, 1192-1198.

Chang, A.S.; Pintauer, T.; Basu, P.; Eckenhoff, W.T. Structural and Electronic Investigation of Tetrachalcogenidomolybdate Dianions. ChemistrySelect. 2018, 3(21), 5808-5813.

Brewster, T.P.; Nguyen, T.H.; Li, Z.; Eckenhoff, W.T.; Schley, N.D.; DeYonker, N.J.; Synthesis and Characterization of Heterobimetallic Iridium-Aluminum and Rhodium-Aluminum Complexes. Inorg. Chem. 2018, 57(3), 1148-1157.

Dewar, J. C.; Thakur, A. S.; Brennessel, W. W.; Cafiero, M.L.; Peterson, L.P.; Eckenhoff, W.T. Simple Zinc Complex to Model Substrate Binding to Zinc Enzymes. Inorg. Chim. Acta, 2018, 473, 15-19.

Eckenhoff, W.T. Molecular Catalysts of Co, Ni, Fe, and Mo for Hydrogen Generation in Artificial Photosynthetic Systems. Coord. Chem. Rev., 2017, 373, 295-316.