Chemist, Joint Appointee
Chemist, Joint Appointee

Biography

Jenny Yang’s research interests include the discovery and study of inorganic electrocatalysts for the generation and utilization of chemical fuels. Dr Yang’s current and prior research includes oxygen activation, hydrogen production and oxidation, and carbon dioxide reduction. These studies have primarily focused on discerning the effect of bio-inspired secondary coordination sphere interactions and understanding the effect of thermochemical properties on catalytic activity. She has also initiated projects in electrochemical separations, with a specific focus on CO2 from dilute sources or rare earths metal ions. Dr Yang is a joint appointee with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the University of California, Irvine.

Research Interest

  • Coordination chemistry
  • Inorganic synthesis
  • Electrocatalysis
  • Electrochemical separations
  • Bio-inspired chemistry
  • Electric field effects
  • Small molecule activation
  • Proton-coupled electron transfer
  • Hybrid materials
  • Molecular attachment onto surfaces. 

Disciplines and Skills

  • Molecular synthesis and characterization
  • Ligand design
  • Electrochemical analysis
  • Electrocatalytic studies
  • Kinetic and mechanistic studies
  • Structural characterization
  • Surface characterization
  • Non-covalent interactions.

Education

  • Postdoctoral fellow, Institute for Interfacial Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA
  • PhD in Inorganic Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • BS in Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley.

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • Editorial Advisory Board, ACS Energy Letters (2021 – Current)
  • Editorial Advisory Board, Organic and Inorganic Chemistry Au (2021 – Current)
  • Editorial Advisory Board, Chem Catalysis  (2021 – Current)
  • American Chemical Society, division of Inorganic Chemistry (2001 – Current)
  • Executive Board, Solutions that Scale (UCI) (2020 – Current)
  • Advisory Board, University of California Chemical Symposium (UCCS) (2019 – Current)
  • Early Career Editorial Advisory Board, ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering (2018 – Current)
  • Editorial Advisory Board, Inorganic Chemistry (2019 –2021)
  • Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, Integration team  (2012 – 2013)
  • Chemistry graduate student council, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2002 – 2004)
  • Women in chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2001 – 2007, Chair, 2002-2003).

Awards and Recognitions

  • Inorganic Chemistry Lectureship, Inorganic Chemistry and the ACS Division of Inorganic Chemistry (DIC) (2021)
  • Research Corporation Scialog Fellow for Negative Emissions Science (2020)
  • UC Irvine Academic Senate Early Career Research Award (2019)
  • Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (2019)
  • Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Fostering Undergraduate Research (2019)
  • CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar (2018)
  • Sloan Foundation Fellow (2018)
  • Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering (PECASE) (2017)
  • Research Corporation Scialog Fellow for Advanced Energy Storage (2017)
  • Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellow (2017)
  • National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2016)
  • Camille and Henry Dreyfus Environmental Postdoctoral Mentor (2015)
  • ACS Catalysis Lectureship (member of team award from work at PNNL) (2015)
  • Hellman Faculty Fellow, University of California (2015)
  • Department of Energy Early Career Award, U.S. Department of Energy (2014)
  • Presidential Fellowship, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2001).

Publications

2022

  • Leonard, N. G.; Chantarojisir, T.; Ziller, J. W.; Yang, J. Y.*, J. Am. Chem. Soc, 2022, 144, 1503-1508. “Cationic Effects on the Net Hydrogen Atom Bond Dissociation Free Energy of High Valent Manganese Imido Complexes"

2021

  • Shafaat, H. S.*; Yang, J. Y.*, Nature Catal., 2021, 4, 928-933.(invited perspective to Focus Issue “CO2 Reimagined”) “Uniting Biological and Synthetic Chemical Strategies for Selective CO2 Reduction”
  • Leonard, Nadia G.†; Dhaoui, R.†; Chantarojsiri, T.; Yang, J.Y*, ACS Catal., 2021, 11, 10923-10932. (invited perspective) "Electric Fields in Catalysis: From Enzymes to Molecular Catalysts"
  • Idris, N. S.†; Barlow, J. M.†; Chabolla, S. A.; Ziller, J. W.; Yang, J. Y.*, Polyhedron, 2021, 208, 115385. †shared 1st author (published in special issue “Undergraduate Research in Inorganic Chemistry”) “Synthesis and Redox Properties of Heterobimetallic Re(bpyCrown-M1)(CO)3Cl Complexes, where M= Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Ba2+"
  • Thoi, V. S.; Yang, J. Y. Inorg. Chem., 2021, 60(10), 6853-6854. Editorial for Guest Edited Special Issue "Heterogeneous Interfaces Through the Lens of Inorganic Chemistry"

2020

  • Barlow, J. M.; Ziller, J.; Yang, J.Y.*, ACS Catal., 2020, 11, 8155-8164. “Inhibiting the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) with Proximal Cations: A Strategy for Promoting Selective Electrocatalytic Reduction”
  • Wedal, J. C.; Barlow, J. M.; Ziller, J. W.; Yang, J. Y.; Evans, W. J.*, Chem. Sci., 2020, in press. "Electrochemical Studies of Tris(cyclopentadienyl) Thorium and Uranium Complexes in the +2, +3, and +4 Oxidation States"
  • Huh, D.†; Barlow, J. M.†; Ziller, J.; Yang, J Y.*; Evans, W.*, Inorg. Chem., 2020, 59(23), 17077-17083. †shared 1st author "Stabilization of U(III) to Oxidation and Hydrolysis by Encapsulation Using 2.2.2-Cryptand"
  • Yang, Jenny Y.*; Kerr, Tyler; Wang, Xinran S.; Barlow, Jeffrey M., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2020, 142(46), 19438-19445. "Reducing CO2 to HCO2- at Mild Potentials: Lessons from Formate Dehydrogenase"
  • Cunningham, Drew C.; Yang, J. Y.* Chem. Commun, 2020, 56, 12965-12968. (Invited to special issue "Bioinspired metal complexes for chemical transformations and catalysis") "Kinetic and Mechanistic Analysis of a Synthetic Reversible CO2/HCO2- Electrocatalyst"
  • Bullock, R. M.*; Chen, J. G.*; Gagliardi, L.*; Chirik, P. J.; Farha, O. K.; Hendon, C. H.; Jones, C. W.; Keith, J. A.; Klosin, J.;  Minteer, S. D.; Morris, R. H.; Radosevich, A. T.; Rauchfuss, T. B.; Strotman, N. A.; Vojvodic, A.; Ward, T. R.; Yang, J. Y.; Surendranath, Y.*, Science, 2020, 369(6506), eabc3183. "Using Nature’s Blueprint to Enable Catalysis with Earth-Abundant Metals"
  • Proppe, A. H.; Li, Y. C.; Aspuru-Guzik, A.; Berlinguette, C. P.; Chang, C. J.; Cogdell, R.; Doyle, A. G.; Flick, J.; Gabor, N. M.; van Grondelle, R.; Hammes-Schiffer, S.; Jaffer, S.; Kelley, S. O.; Leclerc, M.; Leo,K.; Mallouk,T. E.; Narang, N.; Schlau-Cohen, G.; Scholes, G. D.; Vojvodic, A.; Yam, V. W.; Yang, J. Y.; Sargent, E. H.*, Nature Rev. Mat., 2020, ASAP (DOI: 10.1038/s41578-020-0222-0) "Bioinspiration in Light Harvesting and CO2 Catalysis"
  • Buonsanti, R.; Buriak, Jillian*; Cabana, L.; Cossairt, B.; Dasog, M.; Dehnen, S.; Dempsey, J.; Koziej, D.; Grace, A. M.; McElwee-White, L.; Thomas, C.; Yang, J. Y., Chem. Mater. 2020, 32(12), 4859–4862. "Checking in with Women Materials Scientists During a Global Pandemic: May 2020"
  • Hanna, C. M.; Pekarek, R. T; Miller, E. M.; Yang, J. Y.*; Neale, N. R.*, ACS Energy Lett., 2020, 5, 1848-1855."Decoupling Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Interfacial Catalysis at a Chemically Modified Black Silicon Semiconductor Photoelectrode"
  • Bhowmick, I.; Shaffer, D. W.; Yang, J. Y.; Shores, M. P.*, Chem. Commun. 2020, 56, 6711-6714. "Single molecule magnet behaviour in a square planar S = 1/2 Co(II) complex and spin-state assignment of multiple relaxation modes"
  • Cunningham, D. W.; Barlow, J. M.; Velasquez, R. S.; Yang, J. Y.*, Angew. Chemie. Int. Ed., 2020, 59(11), 4443-4447. (**selected as a VIP paper**) “Reversible CO2 to HCO2- Electrocatalysis near the Thermodynamic Potential”
  • Thammavongsy, Z.; Yang, J. Y.; Tet. Lett., 2020, 61(20), 152056. “Modular Synthesis of Symmetric Proazaphosphatranes Bearing Heteroatom Groups”
  • Cunningham, D.; Yang, J. Y.*; Trends in Chemistry, 2020, 2(4), 401-402 (invited Mechanism of the Month feature for the Special Issue “First Anniversary – Laying the Groundwork for the Future”) “Selective Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to HCO2-“
  • Ceballos, B. M.; Yang, J. Y.* Organometallics, 2020, 39(9), 1491-1496. (Invited to special issue “Organometallic Chemistry for Enabling Carbon Dioxide Utilization”) "Highly Selective Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction by [Pt(dmpe)2]2+ through Kinetic and Thermodynamic Control"

2019

  • Kang, K.; Fuller III, J.; Reath, A. H. Ziller, J. W.; Alexandrova, A. N.;* Yang, J. Y.*, Chem. Sci. 2019, 10, 10135-10142.“Installation of Oriented Electric Fields by Non-Redox Active Cations in Transition Metal Complexes”
  • Lydon, B. R.; Lee, C. C.; Tanifuji, K.; Sickerman, N. S.; Newcomb, M. P.; Hu, Y.*, Ribbe, M. W.*; Yang, J. Y.*, ChemBioChem, 2019, 20, 1-7. (Invited to “Nitrogenase and homologues systems” special issue) “Electrochemical characterization of isolated nitrogenase cofactors from Azotobacter vinelandii”
  • Thoi, S. V.*; Yang, J. Y.* ACS Energy Lett. 2019, 4, 2201-2204. (Invited Energy Focus) “Molecular Insights into Heterogeneous Processes in Energy Storage and Conversion”
  • Thammavongsy, Z.; Mercer, I. P.; Yang, J. Y.* Chem. Commun. 2019, 55, 10342 - 10358. (Invited Feature Article for “Frontiers in Proton Coupled Electron Transfer” special issue) “Promoting Proton Coupled Electron Transfer in Redox Catalysts Through Molecular Design”
  • Barlow, J. M.; Yang, J. Y.* ACS Cent. Sci., 2019, 5(4), 580-588 (Invited outlook) "Thermodynamic Considerations for Optimizing Selective CO2 Reduction by Molecular Catalysts"
  • Sutthirat, N.; Ziller, J. W.; Yang, J. Y.; Thammavongsy, Z.* Acta Cryst. 2019, E75, 438-442. "Crystal structure of NiFe(CO)5[tris(pyridylmethyl)-azaphosphatrane]: a synthetic mimic of the NiFe hydrogenase active site incorporating a pendant pyridine base"
  • Hanna, C. M.; Luu, A.; Yang, J. Y.*, ACS Appl. Energy Mat., 2019, 2(1), 59-65. (Invited to “New Chemistry to Advance the Quest for Sustainable Solar Fuels Forum”) “Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer in Anthraquinone upon Noncovalent Attachment to Indium Tin Oxide Electrodes”

2018

  • Ceballos, B. M.; Yang, J. Y.* Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 2018, 115(50), 12686 – 12691. “Directing the Reactivity of Metal Hydrides for Selective CO2 Reduction”
  • Chantarojsiri, T.; Reath, A. H.; Yang, J. Y.* Angew. Chem., Int. Ed., 2018, 57, 14037-14042 “Cationic Charges Lead to an Inverse Free Energy Relationship for N2 Bond Formation by Mn(VI) Nitrides”
  • Tsay, C.; Ceballos, B. M.; Yang, J. Y.* Organometallics, 2018, 38(6), 1286-1291
  • (invited to “Organometallic Electrochemistry — Redox-Catalysis Going the Smart Way” special issue) “pH-Dependent Reactivity of a Water-Soluble Nickel Complex: Hydrogen Evolution vs Selective Electrochemical Hydride Generation”
  • Thammavongsy, Z.; Sutthirat, N.; Cunningham, D. C.; Eisenhart, R. J.; Ziller, J. W.; Yang, J. Y.* Dalton Trans., 2018, 47, 14101-14110. “Adaptable Ligand Donor Strength: Tracking Transannular Bond Interactions in Tris(2-pyridylmethyl)-azaphosphatrane (TPAP)”
  • Hanna, C. M.; Sanborn, C. D.; Ardo, S.; Yang, J. Y.* ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2018, 10(15), 13211-13217 "Interfacial Electron Transfer of Ferrocene Immobilized onto Indium Tin Oxide through Covalent and Noncovalent Interactions"
  • Chabolla, S.; Yang, J. Y.* ACS Cent. Sci., 2018, 4(3), 315-317. “For CO2 Reduction, Hydrogen-Bond Donors Do the Trick” (invited perspective)
  • Khosrowabadi, J. F. K.; Ziller, J. W.; Combs, R. L.; Yang, J. Y.*, Chem. Sci., 2018, 9, 2750 - 2755. “Intramolecular Hydrogen-Bonding in a Cobalt Aquo Complex Enables Electrochemical Water Oxidation Activity”
  • Chantarojsiri, T.; Ziller, J. W.; Yang J. Y.* Chem. Sci., 2018, 9, 2567 - 2574. “Incorporation of Redox-Inactive Cations Promotes Iron Catalyzed Aerobic C-H Oxidation at Mild Potentials”

2017

  • Ceballos, B. M.; Tsay, C.; Yang, J. Y.* Chem. Commun. 2017, 53, 7405-7408. (invited to “2017 Emerging Investigators Issue” special issue)“CO2 Reduction or HCO2- Oxidation? Solvent Dependent Thermochemistry of a Nickel Hydride Complex”
  • Reath, A.; Ziller, J.; Tsay, C.; Ryan, A. J.; Yang, J. Y.* Inorg. Chem. 2017, 56(6), ​3713-3718. (Selected for ACS Virtual Issue “Synthetic Chemistry Addressing Challenges in Energy and the Environment”) “Redox Potential and Electronic Structure Effects of Proximate Non-Redox Active Cations in Cobalt Schiff Base Complexes”

2016

  • Shaffer, D. W.; Bhowmick, I.; Rheingold, A. L.; Tsay, C.; Livesay, B.; Shores, M. P.*; Yang, J. Y.* Dalton Trans., 2016, 45, 17910-17917. “Spin State Diversity in a Series of Co(II) PNP Pincer Bromide Complexes”
  • Tsay, C.; Yang, J. Y.*, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2016, 138(43), 14174-14177. (Selected for JACS Spotlight & Cover) “Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Under Acidic Aqueous Conditions and Mechanistic Studies of a Highly Stable Molecular Catalyst”
  • Thammavongsy, Z.; Kha, I. M.; Ziller, J. W.; Yang, J. Y.*, Dalton Trans., 2016, 45, 9853-9859. (invited to “New Talent: Americas” special issue) “Electronic and Steric Tolman Parameters for Proazaphosphatranes, the Superbase Core of the Tri(pyridylmethyl)azaphosphatrane (TPAP) Ligand”
  • Lydon, Brian R.; Germann, A.; Yang, J. Y.*, Inorg. Chem. Front., 2016, 3, 836-841.  (invited to “Emerging Investigator” special issue) “Chemical Modification of Gold Electrodes via Non-Covalent Interactions”
  • Kotyk, J. F. K.; Ziller, J. W.; Yang, J. Y.*, J. Coord. Chem., 2016, 69(11-13), 1990-2002.  (invited to "Emerging Leaders in Coordination Chemistry Issue") "Copper Tetradentate N2Py2 Complexes with Pendant Bases in the Secondary Coordination Sphere: Improved Ligand Synthesis and Protonation Studies"

2015

  • Thammavongsy, Z.; Kotyk, J. F. K.; Tsay, C.; Yang, J. Y.*, Inorg. Chem., 2015, 54(23), 11505-11510. "Flexibility is Key: Synthesis of a Tripyridylamine (TPA) Congener with a Phosphorus Apical Donor and Coordination to Cobalt(II)"
  • Tsay, C.; Livesay, B.; Ruelas, S.; Yang, J. Y.*, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137(44), 14114-14121.(Selected for JACS virtual issue on Electrocatalysis) "Solvation Effects on Transition Metal Hydricity"

2014

  • Shaffer, D. W.; Johnson, S. I.; Rheingold, A.; Ziller, J.; Goddard III, W.; Nielsen, R. J.; Yang, J. Y.*, Inorg. Chem. 2014, 53(24), 13031-13041. "Reactivity of a Series of Isostructural Cobalt Pincer Complexes with CO2, CO, and H+"

2013

  • Hoffert, W. A.; Mock, M. T.; Appel, A. M.; Yang, J. Y.* Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2013, 22-23, 3846-3857. (invited to special issue "Small-Molecule Activation by Reactive Metal Complexes") “Incorporation of Hydrogen-Bonding Functionalities into the Second Coordination Sphere of Iron-Based Water-Oxidation Catalysts”
  • Yang, J. Y.*; Smith, S. E.; Liu, T.; Dougherty, W. G.; Hoffert, W. A.; Kassel, W. S.; DuBois, M. R.; DuBois, D. L.; Bullock, M. R. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 9700-9712.“Two Pathways for Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Hydrogen by a Nickel Bis(diphosphine) Complex with Pendant Amines in the Second Coordination Sphere”

2012

  • O’Hagan, M.; Ho, M.-H.; Yang, J. Y.; Appel, A. M.; DuBois, M. R.; Raugei, S.; Shaw, W. J.; DuBois, D. L.; Bullock, R. M. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 19409–19424. “Proton Delivery and Removal in [Ni(PR2NR´2)2]2+ Hydrogen Production and Oxidation Catalysts”
  • Matson, B. D.; Carver, C. T.; Von Ruden, A.; Yang, J. Y.; Raugei, S.; Mayer, J. M.
    Chem. Commun. 2012, 48, 11100-11102.“Distant Protonated Pyridine Groups in Water-Soluble Iron Porphyrin Electrocatalyst Promote Selective Oxygen Reduction to Water”
  • Smith, S. E.; Yang, J. Y.*; Bullock, R. M.; DuBois, D. L. Angew. Chemie Int. Ed. 2012, 51, 3152-3155. “Reversible Electrocatalytic Production and Oxidation of Hydrogen at Low Overpotentials by a Functional Hydrogenase Mimic”
  • Wiedner, E. S.; Yang, J. Y.; Chen, S.; Raugei, S.; Dougherty, W. G.; Kassel, W. S.; Helm, M. L.; Bullock, R. M.; DuBois, M. R.; DuBois, D. L. Organometallics 2012, 31, 144-156. “Stabilization of Nickel Complexes with Ni0···H-N Bonding Interactions Using Sterically Demanding Cyclic Diphosphine Ligands”

2011

  • Galan, B. R.; Schöffel, J.; Linehan, J. C.; Seu, C.; Appel, A. M.; Roberts, J. A. S.; Helm, M. L.; Kilgore, U. J.; Yang, J. Y.; DuBois, D. L.; Kubiak, C. P. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 12767-12779. “Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Formate by [Ni(PR2NR’2)2(CH3CN)]2+ Complexes”
  • O’Hagan, M.; Shaw, W. J.; Raugei, S.; Chen, S.; Yang, J. Y.; Kilgore, U. J.; DuBois, D. L.; Bullock, R. M. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 14301-14312. “Moving Protons with Pendant Amines: Proton Mobility in a Nickel Catalyst for Oxidation of Hydrogen”
  • Appel, A. M.; Pool, D. H.; O’Hagan, M.; Shaw, W. J.; Yang, J. Y.; DuBois, M. R.; DuBois, D. L.; Bullock, R. M. ACS Catalysis 2011, 1, 777-785. “[Ni(PPh2NBn2)2(CH3CN)]2+ as an Electrocatalyst for H2 Production: Dependence on Acid Strength and Isomer Distribution”
  • Yang, J. Y.; Bullock, R. M.; DuBois, M. R.; DuBois, D. L. MRS Bulletin 2011, 36, 39-47. “Fast and Efficient Molecular Electrocatalysts for H2 Production: Using Hydrogenase Enzymes as Guides” (invited)

 2010 and Earlier