DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

Research Statement

The Gordon Lab applies the principles of physical inorganic chemistry to advance efficient, selective, and sustainable approaches in energy catalysis and chemical synthesis. Our research focuses on overcoming fundamental challenges in bond activation and electron transfer, which are central to energy conversion and synthetic chemistry, by integrating transition-metal and organometallic chemistry with photochemical and electrochemical strategies. Key areas of our research include developing sustainable nitrogen-based fuels, unlocking new modes of synthesis that rely on abundant chemical feedstocks, and designing novel light-harvesting materials. To probe the mechanisms that underpin these complex chemical transformations, we employ a wide range of spectroscopic techniques, both in-house and through collaborations, which provide molecular-level insight into structure and reactivity. We are also interested in understanding how these principles translate to heterogeneous surfaces to broaden the scope of catalytic strategies that contribute to sustainable chemical transformations.

Selected Publications

Campbell, B. M.^§; Gordon, J. B.^§; Raguram, E. R.^§; Reynolds, K. G.; Sullivan, M. G.; Nocera, D. G., Ligand-to-Metal Charge Transfer of Ag(II) CF₂X Carboxylates: Quantum Yield and Electrophotocatalytic Arene Fluoroalkylation Tuned by X. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.. 2025, e202511642.

Kang, B.; Lavagnino, M. N.; Gordon, J. B.; Reynolds, K. G.; Nocera, D. G.; Radosevich, A. T., Visible Light Promotes P^III/P^V-Catalyzed Reductive N-Arylation of Nitroarenes at Room Temperature. ACS Catal. 2025, 15, 12477-12483.

Campbell, B. M.; Gordon, J. B.; Raguram, E. R.; Gonzalez, M. I.; Reynolds, K. G.; Nava, M.; Nocera, D. G., Electrophotocatalytic perfluoroalkylation by LMCT excitation of Ag(II) perfluoroalkyl carboxylates. Science 2024, 383, 279-284.

Gordon, J. B.; Albert, T.; Yadav, S.; Thomas, J.; Siegler, M. A.; Moënne-Loccoz, P.; Goldberg, D. P., Oxygen versus Sulfur Coordination in Cobalt Superoxo Complexes: Spectroscopic Properties, O2 Binding, and H-Atom Abstraction Reactivity. Inorg. Chem. 2023, 62, 392-400.

Gordon, J. B.; Albert, T.; Dey, A.; Sabuncu, S.; Siegler, M. A.; Bill, E.; Moënne-Loccoz, P.; Goldberg, D. P., A Reactive, Photogenerated High-Spin (S = 2) Fe^IV(O) Complex via O₂ Activation. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 21637-21647.

Gordon, J. B.; McGale, J. P.; Siegler, M. A.; Goldberg, D. P., Proton-Coupled Electron-Transfer Reactivity Controls Iron versus Sulfur Oxidation in Nonheme Iron–Thiolate Complexes. Inorg. Chem. 2021, 60, 6255-6265.

Guillet, G. L.; Arpin, K. Y.; Boltin, A. M.; Gordon, J. B.; Rave, J. A.; Hillesheim, P. C., Synthesis and Characterization of a Linear Triiron(II) Extended Metal Atom Chain Complex with Fe–Fe Bonds. Inorg. Chem. 2020, 59, 11238-11243.

Gordon, J. B.; Vilbert, A. C.; DiMucci, I. M.; MacMillan, S. N.; Lancaster, K. M.; Moënne-Loccoz, P.; Goldberg, D. P., Activation of Dioxygen by a Mononuclear Nonheme Iron Complex: Sequential Peroxo, Oxo, and Hydroxo Intermediates. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 17533-17547.

Gordon, J. B.; Vilbert, A. C.; Siegler, M. A.; Lancaster, K. M.; Moënne-Loccoz, P.; Goldberg, D. P., A Nonheme Thiolate-Ligated Cobalt Superoxo Complex: Synthesis and Spectroscopic Characterization, Computational Studies, and Hydrogen Atom Abstraction Reactivity. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 3641-3653.

 Gordon, J. B.; McGale, J. P.; Prendergast, J. R.; Shirani-Sarmazeh, Z.; Siegler, M. A.; Jameson, G. N. L.; Goldberg, D. P., Structures, Spectroscopic Properties, and Dioxygen Reactivity of 5- and 6-Coordinate Nonheme Iron(II) Complexes: A Combined Enzyme/Model Study of Thiol Dioxygenases. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 14807-14822.

Selected Honors/Awards

Early Career Postdoctoral-Faculty Bridge Grant, ACS Green Chemistry Institute (2025)

CAS Future Leaders (2025)

NIH NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship (2023)

Sigma Xi Grants in Aid of Research Award (2020)

Sonneborn Fellowship, Johns Hopkins University (2020)

Shepherd Memorial Travel Award, Johns Hopkins University (2019)

Excellence in Teaching Award Finalist, Johns Hopkins University (2016)

Owens Scholar Fellowship, Johns Hopkins University (2015)

ACS Division of Inorganic Chemistry Undergraduate Award in Inorganic Chemistry (2015)

NSF iREU Program in France (2014)

University Scholars Program Award, University of Florida (2014)