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Karl Otto Christe

Professor (Research) of Chemistry

Contact Information
E-mail: kchriste@usc.edu
Phone: (213) 740-3552
Office: LHI 106

LINKS
Faculty Profile on Departmental Website
Personal Website
 

Education
B.S. Chemistry, Technical University Stuttgart, Germany, 1957
M.S. Chemistry, Technical University Stuttgart, Germany, 1960
Ph.D. Chemistry, Technical University Stuttgart, Germany, 1961
 

Academic Appointment, Affiliation, and Employment History
Research Professor, University of Southern California, 1994-  
 

Description of Research

Summary Statement of Research Interests
Our interests are very broad and range from very basic studies to applied research of academic, Government or industrial interest. We are particularly interested in high energy density materials (HEDM), inorganic main group chemistry, polynitrogen and nitramine chemistry, high-oxygen carriers, energetic ionic liquids, chemistry at the limits of oxidation and coordination, the synthesis and characterization of novel carbocation and fluorocarbon compounds, and the development of quantitative scales for fundamental properties, such as Lewis acidity, oxidizer strength and the “nakedness” of fluoride ion sources. Our work exploits the synergism of theory and synthesis and greatly benefits from close collaborations with several groups of theoreticians. The main goal of our research is to advance the state of the art and strive for spectacular breakthroughs, rather than settling for small incremental improvements.
 

Research Keywords
High Energy Density Materials, Polynitrogen and High-Nitrogen Compounds, High-Oxygen Carriers, Ionic-Liquid Monopropellants, Green Propellants, Polyazides, Fluorine Chemistry,
 

Research Specialties
Main Group Inorganic Chemistry, Chemical Synthesis, Halogen Chemistry, Fluorine Chemistry, High-Nitrogen and High-Oxygen Chemistry, Propellants, Explosives, High Energy Density Materials
 

Publications

Journal Article
Haiges, R., Boatz, J. A., Christe, K. O. (2010). The Synthesis and Structure of the Vanadium(IV) and Vanadium(V) Binary Azides V(N3)4, [V(N3)6]2-, and [V(N3)6]-. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.. Vol. 49 (43), pp. 8008-8012.
Cracium, R., Long, R. T., Dixon, D. A., Christe, K. O. (2010). Electron Affinities, Fluoride Affinities and Heats of Formation of the Second RowTransition Metal Hexafluorides: MF6 (M = Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag). J. Phys. Chem. A. Vol. 114, pp. 7571-7583.
Christe, K. O., Dixon, D. A., Grant, D. J., Haiges, R., Tham, F. S., Vij, A., Vij, V., Wang, T., Wilson, W. W. (2010). Dinitrogen Difluoride Chemistry. Inorg. Chem.. Vol. 49 (15), pp. 6823-6833.
Christe, K. O., Dixon, D. A., Haiges, R., Hopfinger, M., Jackson, V. E., Klapoetke, T. M., Krumm, B., Scherr, M. (2010). Selenium(IV) fluoride and oxofluoride anions. J. Fluorine Chem.. Vol. 131 (7), pp. 791-799.
West, W. C., Shevade, A., Soler, J., Kulleck, J., Smart, M. C., Ratnakumar, B. V., Moran, M., Haiges, R., Christe, K. O., Prakash, G. (2010). Sulfuryl and Thionyl Halide-Based Ultralow Temperature Primary Batteries. Journal of the Electrochemical Society. Vol. 157 (5), pp. A571-A577.
Cracium, R., Picone, D., Long, R. T., Li, S., Dixon, D. A., Peterson, K. A., Christe, K. O. (2010). Third Row Transition Metal Hexafluorides, Extraordinary Oxidizers and Lewis Acids: Electron Affinities, Fluoride Affinities, and Heats of Formation of WF6, ReF6, OsF6, IrF6, PtF6, and AuF6. Inorganic Chemistry. Vol. 49 (2010), pp. 1056-1070.
Grant, D. J., Wang, T., Dixon, D. A., Christe, K. O. (2010). Heats of Formation of XeF3+, XeF3-, XeF5+, XeF7+, XeF7-, and XeF8 from High Level Electronic Structure Calculations. Inorganic Chemistry. Vol. 49 (2010), pp. 261-270.
Christe, K. O., Haiges, R., Wilson, W. W., Boatz, J. A. (2010). Synthesis and Properties of N7O+. Inorganic Chemistry. Vol. 49 (2010), pp. 1245-1251.
Grant, D. J., Dixon, D. A., Camaioni, D., Potter, R. G., Christe, K. O. (2009). Lewis Acidities and Hydride, Fluoride, and X- Affinities of the BH3-nXn Compounds for (X=F, Cl, Br, I, NH2, OH, and SH) from Coupled Cluster Theory. Inorganic Chemistry. Vol. 48 (18), pp. 8811-8821.
Gerken, M., Moran, M. D., Mercier, H. P., Pointner, B. E., Schrobilgen, G. J., Hoge, B., Christe, K. O., Boatz, J. A. (2009). On the XeF+/H2O System: Synthesis and Characterization of the Xenon(II) Oxide Fluoride Cation, FXeOXeFXeF+. Journal of the American Chemical Society. Vol. 131 (37), pp. 13474-13489.
Christe, K. O. (2008). Neil Bartlett, Founder of Noble Gas Chemistry. Nature. Vol. 455 (11 September), pp. 182.
Matus, M. H., Nguyen, M. T., Dixon, D. A., Christe, K. O. (2008). Thermochemical Parameters of CHFO and CF2O. J. Phys. Chem. A. Vol. 112 (2008), pp. 4973.
Dixon, D. A., Grant, D. J., Christe, K. O., Peterson, K. A. (2008). The Structure and Heats of Formati The Structure and Heats of Formation of Iodine Fluorides and the Respective Closed-Shell Ions from CCSD(T) Electronic Structure Calculations and Reliable Prediction of the Steric Activity of the Free-Valence Electron Pair in ClF6-, BrF6-, and IF6-. Inorg. Chem.. Vol. 47 (2008), pp. 5485.
Grant, D. J., Matus, M. H., Switzer, J. R., Dixon, D. A., Francisco, J. S., Christe, K. O. (2008). Bond Dissociation Energies in Second-Row Compounds. J. Phys. Chem. A. Vol. 112 (14), pp. 3145-3156.
Nguyen, M. T., Matus, M. H., Ngan, V. T., Haiges, R., Christe, K. O., Dixon, D. A. (2008). Energetics and Mechanism of the Decomposition of Trifluoromethanol. J. Phys. Chem. A. Vol. 112 (2008), pp. 1298.
Klapoetke, T. M., Krumm, B., Scherr, M., Haiges, R., Christe, K. O. (2007). The Binary Selenium(IV) Azides Se(N3)4, [Se(N3)5]-, and [Se(N3)6]2-. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.. Vol. 46, pp. 8686-8690.
Dixon, D. A., Wang, T. H., Grant, D. J., Peterson, K. A., Christe, K. O., Schrobilgen, G. J. (2007). Heats of Formation of Krypton Fluorides and Stability Predictions for KrF4 and KrF6 from High Level Electronic Structure Calculations. Inorg. Chem.. Vol. 46, pp. 10016.
Christe, K. O., Hegge, J., Hoge, B., Haiges, R. (2007). Convenient Access to Trifluoromethanol. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.. Vol. 46, pp. 6155.
Wilson, W. W., Haiges, R., Boatz, J. A., Christe, K. O. (2007). Synthesis and Characterization of z-N3NFO+ and e-N3NFO+. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.. Vol. 46, pp. 3023.
Christe, K. O. (2007). Recent Advances in the Chemistry of N5+, N5-, and High Oxygen Compounds. Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics. Vol. 32, pp. 194.
Haiges, R., Boatz, J. A., Yousufuddin, M., Christe, K. O. (2007). Polyazide Chemistry: Synthesis and Properties of [Nb(N3)7]2- and [Ta(N3)7]2-. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.. Vol. 46, pp. 2869.
Schneider, S., Gerken, M., Haiges, R., Schroer, T., Boatz, J. A., Dixon, D. A., Grant, D. J., Christe, K. O. (2007). Synthesis and Characterization of Silyldichloramines, their Reactions with F- Ions, Stability of N2Cl2 and NCl2-, and Formation of NCl3. Inorg. Chem.. Vol. 46 (1), pp. 93.
Christe, K. O. (2006). Following in the Footsteps of Henri Moissan. l'actualite chimique. Vol. 301-302, pp. 34.
Jones, C. B., Haiges, R., Schroer, T., Christe, K. O. (2006). Oxygen Balanced Energetic Ionic Liquid. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.. Vol. 45, pp. 4981.
Haiges, R., Wagner, R., Boatz, J. A., Yousufuddin, M., Etzkorn, M., Prakash, G., Christe, K. O., Chapman, R. D., Welker, M. F., Kreutzberger, C. B. (2006). Preparation, Characterization, and Crystal Structures of the SO3NHF- and SO3NF2- Anions. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.. Vol. 45, pp. 5179.
Haiges, R., Gerken, M., Iuga, A., Bau, R., Christe, K. O. (2006). Are the NF4+ Cations in NF4BF4 Really Nontetrahedral. Inorg. Chem.. Vol. 45, pp. 7981.
Haiges, R., Boatz, J. A., Schroer, T., Yousufuddin, M., Christe, K. O. (2006). Experimental Evidence for Linear Metal-Azide Bonds. The Binary Group 5 Azides Nb(N3)5, Ta(N3)5, [Nb(N3)6]- and [Ta(N3)6]-, and 1:1 Adducts of Nb(N3)5 and Ta(N3)5 with CH3CN. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.. Vol. 45, pp. 4830.
Kunikeev, S. D., Taylor, H. S., Schroer, T., Haiges, R., Jones, C. B., Christe, K. O. (2006). New Signal Processing Method for the Faster Observation of Natural Abundance 15N NMR Spectra and its Application to N5+. Inorg. Chem.. Vol. 45, pp. 437.
 

Honors and Awards
Elected Fellow of European Academy of Sciences and Arts (Salzburg), 2010-  
Elected Fellow of European Academy of Sciences (Liege), 2009-  
Recipient of National or International Prize in Discipline, Alfred Stock Gedaechtnis Preis from the German Chemical Society, 2006-  
Inaugural Neil Bartlett Memorial Lecturer, UC Berkeley, 2009-2010   
 

Service to the University

Other Service to the University
Coaching the USC Fencing Team, 2006-  
 

Service to the Profession

Committees
Member, Presidential Committee of the German Chemical Society, 2007-  
 

Professional Memberships
American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2006-  
American Chemical Society, 2006-  
German Chemical Society, 2006-  
 
 
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