Professor Damien Murphy

Professor of Physical Chemistry

: Media commentator
: Available for postgraduate supervision

I am a Professor of Physical Chemistry, and joined Cardiff University in 1996. Before joining the University, I studied Chemistry in Ireland, Italy, France, and Portugal, notably at the Dublin Institute of Technology, Trinity College Dublin, Universita di Torino, Université P. et M. Curie, and Instituto Superior Technico. I have held several internal senior University management roles, notably Head of School, and external roles, notably secretary of the ESR Group of the Royal Society of Chemistry. I am a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales and the Royal Society of Chemistry. I am currently a Co-Director of the Cardiff Catalysis Institute (CCI). I am passionate about promoting the importance of the chemical sciences in University teaching and research.

My research interests are devoted to the field of radical chemistry and paramagnetic states, primarily in chemical transformations, catalysis, advanced materials, organometallic and coordination chemistry. Many chemical transformations are in fact catalysed by paramagnetic metal complexes or involve reactive oxygen species, and to improve catalyst design/function, one requires detailed knowledge of the structure, properties and reactivity of these often unstable radicals. Since this information cannot be readily extracted by conventional NMR methods, my research has led the way in applying advanced EPR methods to study these important open-shell paramagnetic systems. My research has been continually supported by several funding agencies and I have collaborated widely with various Industrial partners.

2016

Pelties, S., Carter, E., Folli, A., Mahon, M. F., Murphy, D. M., Whittlesey, M. K. and Wolf, R. 2016. Influence of ring-expanded N-heterocyclic carbenes on the structures of half-sandwich Ni(I) complexes: an x-ray, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) study. Inorganic Chemistry 55(21), pp. 11006-11017. (10.1021/acs.inorgchem.6b01540)
Et-Tarhouni, Z., Carter, E., Murphy, D. M., Griffiths, P. C., Mansour, O. T., King, S. M. and Paul, A. 2016. Quantifying the micellar structure formed from hydrocarbon-fluorocarbon surfactants. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physiochemical and Engineering Aspects 492, pp. 255-262. (10.1016/j.colsurfa.2015.12.015)
Hallett, A. J., O'Brien, T., Carter, E., Kariuki, B., Murphy, D. M. and Ward, B. D. 2016. Copper(II) complexes of pyridine-oxazoline (Pyox) ligands: coordination chemistry, ligand stability, and catalysis. Inorganica Chimica Acta 441, pp. 86-94. (10.1016/j.ica.2015.10.032)
Conte, M., Liu, X., Murphy, D. M., Taylor, S. H., Whiston, K. and Hutchings, G. J. 2016. Insights into the reaction mechanism of cyclohexane oxidation catalysed by molybdenum blue nanorings. Catalysis Letters 146(1), pp. 126-135. (10.1007/s10562-015-1660-y)
Chechik, V., Carter, E. and Murphy, D. 2016. Electron paramagnetic resonance. Oxford Chemistry Primers. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

2015

Healy, M. R. et al. 2015. EPR/ENDOR and computational study of outer sphere interactions in copper complexes of phenolic oximes. Inorganic Chemistry 54(17), pp. 8465-8473. (10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5b01180)
Liu, X. et al. 2015. Liquid phase oxidation of cyclohexane using bimetallic Au–Pd/MgO catalysts. Applied Catalysis A: General 504, pp. 373-380. (10.1016/j.apcata.2015.02.034)
Carter, E. and Murphy, D. M. 2015. The role of low valent transition metal complexes in homogeneous catalysis: an EPR investigation. Topics in Catalysis 58(12-13), pp. 759-768. (10.1007/s11244-015-0417-6)
Carter, E., Sharples, K. M., Platts, J. A. and Murphy, D. M. 2015. Structure determination of bound nitrogen-based adducts with copper(ii) acetylacetonato; an EPR, ENDOR and DFT study. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 17(17), pp. 11445-11454. (10.1039/C5CP00559K)
Carter, E. and Murphy, D. 2015. Homogeneous catalytic transformations investigated by EPR spectroscopy. In: Gilbert, B. C., Chechik, V. and Murphy, D. eds. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance., Vol. 24. Royal Society of Chemistry, pp. 148-193., (10.1039/9781782620280-00148)

2014

Bedford, R. B., Brenner, P. B., Carter, E., Gallagher, T., Murphy, D. M. and Pye, D. R. 2014. Iron-catalyzed borylation of alkyl, allyl, and aryl halides: isolation of an iron(I) boryl complex. Organometallics 33(21), pp. 5940-5943. (10.1021/om500847j)
Liu, X. et al. 2014. Molybdenum blue nano-rings: an effective catalyst for the partial oxidation of cyclohexane. Catalysis Science & Technology 5, pp. 217-227. (10.1039/C4CY01213E)
Bedford, R. B. et al. 2014. Iron phosphine catalyzed cross-coupling of tetraorganoborates and related group 13 nucleophiles with alkyl halides. Organometallics 33(20), pp. 5767-5780. (10.1021/om500518r)
Bedford, R. B. et al. 2014. Expedient iron-catalyzed coupling of alkyl, benzyl and allyl halides with aylboronic esters. Chemistry - A European Journal 20(26), pp. 7935-7938. (10.1002/chem.201402174)
Constantinides, C. P., Eisler, D. J., Alberola, A., Carter, E., Murphy, D. M. and Rawson, J. M. 2014. Weakening of the pi*-pi* dimerisation in 1,2,3,5-dithiadiazolyl radicals: structural, EPR, magnetic and computational studies of dichlorophenyl dithiadiazolyls, Cl2C6H3CNSSN. Crystengcomm 16(31), pp. 7298-7312. (10.1039/C4CE00308J)
Hicks, J. et al. 2014. A two-coordinate manganese(0) complex with an unsupported Mn-Mg bond: allowing access to low coordinate homo- and heterobimetallic compounds. Journal of the American Chemical Society 136(14), pp. 5283-5286. (10.1021/ja5021348)
Meenakshisundaram, S., Nowicka, E., Carter, E., Murphy, D. M., Knight, D. W., Bethell, D. and Hutchings, G. J. 2014. The benzaldehyde oxidation paradox explained by the interception of peroxy radical by benzyl alcohol. Nature Communications 5, pp. ., article number: 3332. (10.1038/ncomms4332)
Bedford, R. B. et al. 2014. TMEDA in iron-catalyzed Kumada coupling: amine adduct versus homoleptic "ate" complex formation. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 53(7), pp. 1804-1808. (10.1002/anie.201308395)

2013

Poulten, R. C. et al. 2013. Synthesis, electronic structure, and magnetism of [Ni(6-Mes)2]+: a two-coordinate nickel(I) complex stabilized by bulky N-heterocyclic carbenes. Journal of the American Chemical Society 135(37), pp. 13640-13643. (10.1021/ja407004y)
Sharples, K. M., Carter, E., Hughes, C. E., Harris, K. D. M., Platts, J. A. and Murphy, D. M. 2013. An ENDOR and DFT analysis of hindered methyl group rotations in frozen solutions of bis(acetylacetonato)-copper(ii). Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 15(36), pp. 15214-15222. (10.1039/c3cp52464g)
Griffiths, P. C., Mauro, N., Murphy, D. M., Carter, E., Richardson, S. C. W., Dyer, P. and Ferruti, P. 2013. Self-assembled PAA-based nanoparticles as potential gene and protein delivery systems. Macromolecular Bioscience 13(5), pp. 641-649. (10.1002/mabi.201200462)
Page, M. J. et al. 2013. Three-coordinate nickel(I) complexes stabilised by six-, seven- and eight-membered ring N-heterocyclic carbenes: synthesis, EPR/DFT studies and catalytic activity. Chemistry - a European Journal 19(6), pp. 2158-2167. (10.1002/chem.201202950)
Ab Rahim, M. H. et al. 2013. Oxidation of methane to methanol with hydrogen peroxide using supported gold-palladium alloy nanoparticles. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition 52(4), pp. 1280-1284. (10.1002/anie.201207717)
Bedford, R. B. et al. 2013. Simplifying iron-phosphine catalysts for cross-coupling reactions. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition 52(4), pp. 1285-1288. (10.1002/anie.201207868)
Morris, J. L., Reddington, S. C., Murphy, D. M., Jones, D. D., Platts, J. A. and Tippmann, E. M. 2013. Aryl azide photochemistry in defined protein environments. Organic Letters 15(4), pp. 728-731. (10.1021/ol3028779)
Carter, E. et al. 2013. Formation of [Cr(CO)x(Ph2PN(iPr)PPh2)]+Structural Isomers by Reaction of Triethylaluminum with a ChromiumN,N-Bis(diarylphosphino)amine Complex [Cr(CO)4(Ph2PN(iPr)PPh2)]+: An EPR and DFT Investigation. Organometallics 32(6), pp. 1924-1931. (10.1021/om400029y)
Constantinides, C. P. et al. 2013. Spin-triplet excitons in 1,3-diphenyl-7-(fur-2-yl)-1,4-dihydro-1,2,4-benzotriazin-4-yl. Chemical Communications 49(77), pp. 8662-8664. (10.1039/c3cc44899a)
Carter, E., Hazeland, E. L., Murphy, D. M. and Ward, B. D. 2013. Structure, EPR/ENDOR and DFT characterisation of a [CuII(en)2](OTf)2 complex. Dalton Transactions 42(42), pp. 15088-15096. (10.1039/c3dt51694f)

2012

Hammond, C. et al. 2012. Catalytic and mechanistic insights of the low-temperature selective oxidation of methane over Cu-promoted Fe-ZSM-5. Chemistry - a European Journal 18(49), pp. 15735-15745. (10.1002/chem.201202802)
Owen, M. E., Carter, E., Hutchings, G. J., Ward, B. D. and Murphy, D. M. 2012. Influence of counterions on the structure of bis(oxazoline) copper(II) complexes; an EPR and ENDOR investigation. Dalton Transactions 41(36), pp. 11085-11092. (10.1039/C2DT31273E)
Hammond, C. et al. 2012. Direct catalytic conversion of methane to methanol in an aqueous medium by using copper-promoted Fe-ZSM-5. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition 51(21), pp. 5129-5133. (10.1002/anie.201108706)
Zamani, S., Carter, E., Murphy, D. M. and Van Doorslaer, S. 2012. Probing differences in binding of methylbenzylamine enantiomers to chiral cobalt(II) salen complexes. Dalton Transactions 41(22), pp. 6861-6870. (10.1039/C2DT30207A)
Saiman, M. I. et al. 2012. Involvement of surface-bound radicals in the oxidation of toluene using supported Au-Pd nanoparticles. Angewandte Chemie. International Edition 51(24), pp. 5981-5985. (10.1002/anie.201201059)
Stephen, E. et al. 2012. Redox non-innocence of thioether crowns: elucidation of the electronic structure of the mononuclear Pd(III) complexes [Pd([9]aneS3)2]3+and [Pd([18]aneS6)]3+. Inorganic Chemistry 51(3), pp. 1450-1461. (10.1021/ic2017006)
Van Doorslaer, S. and Murphy, D. M. 2012. EPR spectroscopy in catalysis. In: Drescher, M., Jeschke, G. and Bordignon, E. eds. EPR Spectroscopy: Applications in Chemistry and Biology. Topics in Current Chemistry Vol. 321. Berlin: Springer, pp. 1-39., (10.1007/978-3-642-28347-5)
Adams, C. J. et al. 2012. Iron(I) in Negishi cross-coupling reactions. Journal of the American Chemical Society 134(25), pp. 10333-10336. (10.1021/ja303250t)
Vinck, E., Carter, E., Murphy, D. M. and Doorslaer, S. V. 2012. Observation of an organic acid mediated spin state transition in a Co(II)-Schiff base complex: an EPR, HYSCORE, and DFT study. Inorganic Chemistry 51(15), pp. 8014-8024. (10.1021/ic300058p)
Conte, M., Liu, X., Murphy, D. M., Whiston, K. and Hutchings, G. J. 2012. Cyclohexane oxidation using Au/MgO: an investigation of the reaction mechanism. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 14(47), pp. 16279-16285. (10.1039/c2cp43363j)
Hammond, C. et al. 2012. Cover Picture: Catalytic and mechanistic insights of the low-temperature selective oxidation of methane over Cu-promoted Fe-ZSM-5 (Chem. Eur. J. 49/2012). Chemistry - A European Journal 18(49), pp. 15557. (10.1002/chem.201290208)

2011

Murphy, D. M. et al. 2011. Visualizing diastereomeric interactions of chiral amine-chiral copper salen adducts by EPR spectroscopy and DFT. Inorganic Chemistry 50(15), pp. 6944-6955. (10.1021/ic200113u)
Carter, E. et al. 2011. Structure and pulsed EPR characterization of N,N′-bis(5-tert-butylsalicylidene)-1,2-cyclohexanediamino-vanadium(IV) oxide and its adducts with propylene oxide. Dalton Transactions 40(28), pp. 7454-7462. (10.1039/c1dt10378d)
Woodul, W. D. et al. 2011. A neutral, monomeric germanium(I) radical. Journal of the American Chemical Society 133(26), pp. 10074-10077. (10.1021/ja204344e)
Murphy, D. M., McDyre, L., Carter, E., Stasch, A. and Jones, C. 2011. A CW-EPR, ENDOR and special TRIPLE resonance study of a novel magnesium ketyl radical. Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry 49(4), pp. 159-163. (10.1002/mrc.2721)
Alberola, A., Carter, E., Constantinides, C. P., Eisler, D. J., Murphy, D. M. and Rawson, J. M. 2011. Crystal structures, EPR and magnetic properties of 2-ClC6H4CNSSN˙ and 2,5-Cl2C6H3CNSSN˙. Chemical Communications 47(9), pp. 2532-2534. (10.1039/c0cc04296j)
McDyre, L. et al. 2011. Intramolecular formation of a CrI(bis-arene) species via TEA activation of [Cr(CO)4(Ph2P(C3H6)PPh2)]+: sn EPR and DFT investigation. Organometallics 30(17), pp. 4505-4508. (10.1021/om2006062)
Caretti, I., Carter, E., Fallis, I. A., Murphy, D. M. and Van Doorslaer, S. 2011. Interactions of an asymmetric amine with a non-C2 symmetric Cu-salen complex: An EPR/ENDOR and HYSCORE investigation. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 13(45), pp. 20427-20434. (10.1039/c1cp22522g)
Rickard, D. T., Hatton, B., Murphy, D. M., Butler, I., Oldroyd, A. and Hann, A. 2011. FeS-induced radical formation and its effect on plasmid DNA. Aquatic Geochemistry 17(4-5), pp. 545-566. (10.1007/s10498-010-9116-x)
Murphy, D. M., McNamara, K., Richardson, P., Sanchez-Romaguera, V., Winpenny, R. E. and Yellowlees, L. J. 2011. Electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical studies of complexes of 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione. Inorganica Chimica Acta 374(1), pp. 435-441. (10.1016/j.ica.2011.02.050)

2010

Griffiths, P. C. et al. 2010. Interaction of an endosomolytic polyamidoamine ISA23 with vesicles mimicking intracellular membranes: A SANS/EPR study. Macromolecular Bioscience 10(8), pp. 963-973. (10.1002/mabi.201000040)
Luzon, J. et al. 2010. Spin density studies on p-O2NC6F4CNSSN: A heavy p-block organic ferromagnet. Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics 81(14), article number: 144429. (10.1103/PhysRevB.81.144429)
Carter, E., Fallis, I. A., Murphy, D. M., Willock, D. J., Van Doorslaer, S. and Vinck, E. 2010. Probing the role of weak outer sphere interactions (H-bonds) in VO(3,5-tBu2-salophen) – Epoxide adducts by EPR, ENDOR and HYSCORE. Chemical Physics Letters 486(1-3), pp. 74-79. (10.1016/j.cplett.2009.12.066)
Carter, E. et al. 2010. Experimental observation of spin delocalisation onto the aryl-alkynyl ligand in the complexes [Mo(C=CAr)(Ph2PCH2CH2PPh2)(η-C7H7)]+ (Ar = C6H5, C6H4-4-F; C7H7 = cycloheptatrienyl): an EPR and ENDOR investigation. Dalton Transactions 39(47), pp. 11424-11431. (10.1039/c0dt00642d)
McDyre, L., Hamilton, T., Murphy, D. M., Cavell, K. J., Gabrielli, W. F., Hanton, M. J. and Smith, D. M. 2010. A cw EPR and ENDOR investigation on a series of Cr(I) carbonyl complexes with relevance to alkene oligomerization catalysis: [Cr(CO)(4)L](+) (L = Ph2PN(R)PPh2, Ph2P(R)PPh2). Dalton Transactions 39(33), pp. 7792-7799. (10.1039/C0DT00127A)
Vinck, E., Murphy, D. M., Fallis, I. A., Strevens, R. R. and Van Doorslaer, S. 2010. Formation of a Cobalt(III)-Phenoxyl Radical Complex by Acetic Acid Promoted Aerobic Oxidation of a Co(II)salen Complex. Inorganic Chemistry 49(5), pp. 2083-2092. (10.1021/ic901849e)
Jones, C., McDyre, L., Murphy, D. M. and Stasch, A. 2010. Magnesium(i) reduction of benzophenone and anthracene: first structural characterisation of a magnesium ketyl. Chemical Communications 46(9), pp. 1511-1513. (10.1039/b922002j)

2009

Green, J., Carter, E. and Murphy, D. M. 2009. Interaction of molecular oxygen with oxygen vacancies on reduced TiO2: Site specific blocking by probe molecules. Chemical Physics Letters 477(4-6), pp. 340-344. (10.1016/j.cplett.2009.07.002)
Green, J., Carter, E. and Murphy, D. M. 2009. An EPR investigation of acetonitrile reactivity with superoxide radicals on polycrystalline TiO2. Research on Chemical Intermediates 35(2), pp. 145-154. (10.1007/s11164-008-0022-4)
Murphy, D. M., Fallis, I. A., Carter, E., Willock, D. J., Landon, J., Van Doorslaer, S. and Vinck, E. 2009. Enantioselective binding of structural epoxide isomers by a chiral vanadyl salen complex: a pulsed EPR, cw-ENDOR and DFT investigation. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 11(31), pp. 6757-6769. (10.1039/b907807j)
Van Doorslaer, S., Caretti, I., Fallis, I. A. and Murphy, D. M. 2009. The power of electron paramagnetic resonance to study asymmetric homogeneous catalysts based on transition-metal complexes. Coordination Chemistry Reviews 253(15-16), pp. 2116-2130. (10.1016/j.ccr.2008.12.010)
Vinck, E., Murphy, D. M., Fallis, I. A. and Doorslaer, S. 2009. A Pulsed EPR and DFT Investigation of the Stabilization of Coordinated Phenoxyl Radicals in a Series of Cobalt Schiff-Base Complexes. Applied Magnetic Resonance 37(1-4), pp. 289-303. (10.1007/s00723-009-0059-6)
Bennati, M. and Murphy, D. M. 2009. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra in the solid state. In: Brustolon, M. and Giamello, E. eds. Electron paramagnetic resonance: a practitioner's toolkit. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley, pp. 195-249., (10.1002/9780470432235.ch6)
Murphy, D. M. 2009. EPR (Electron paramagnetic resonance) spectroscopy of polycrystalline oxide systems. In: Jackson, S. D. and Hargreaves, J. S. J. eds. Metal Oxide Catalysis. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH, pp. 1-50., (10.1002/9783527626113.ch1)
Carter, E. and Murphy, D. 2009. Structure-function relationships and mechanistic pathways in homogeneous catalysis as probed by ENDOR spectroscopy. In: Yarwood, J., Douthwaite, R. and Duckett, S. eds. Spectroscopic properties of inorganic and organometallic chemistry., Vol. 40. Specialist periodical report Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry, pp. 355-384., (10.1039/b715580h)

2008

Vinck, E., Van Doorslaer, S., Murphy, D. M. and Fallis, I. A. 2008. The electronic structure of N,N′-bis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylidene)-1,2-cyclohexane-diamino cobalt(II). Chemical Physics Letters 464(1-3), pp. 31-37. (10.1016/j.cplett.2008.08.103)
Amoroso, A. J. et al. 2008. The synthesis and structure of terpyridine-N-oxide complexes of copper(II) perchlorate. Dalton Transactions(4), pp. 506-513. (10.1039/b713444d)
Laidlaw, W. M., Denning, R. G., Murphy, D. M. and Green, J. C. 2008. Solvent dependence of the g-anisotropy in the ESR of cyanide-bridged mixed-valence complexes. Dalton Transactions(44), pp. 6257-6264. (10.1039/b810224d)
Murphy, D. M., Fallis, I. A., Willock, D. J., Landon, J. H., Carter, E. and Vinck, E. 2008. Discrimination of geometrical epoxide isomers by ENDOR spectroscopy and DFT calculations: the role of hydrogen bonds. Angewandte Chemie. International Edition 47(8), pp. 1414-1416. (10.1002/anie.200703537)
Murphy, D. M. and Chiesa, M. 2008. EPR of paramagnetic centres on solid surfaces. In: Gilbert, B. C. ed. Electron paramagnetic resonance., Vol. 21. Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry, pp. 105-130., (10.1039/b709153m)

2007

Carter, E., Carley, A. F. and Murphy, D. M. 2007. Evidence for O2- Radical Stabilization at Surface Oxygen Vacancies on Polycrystalline TiO2. Journal of Physical Chemistry C 111(28), pp. 10630-10638. (10.1021/jp0729516)
Griffiths, P. C. et al. 2007. Derivatizing weak polyelectrolytes-Solution properties, self-aggregation, and association with anionic surfaces of hydrophobically modified poly(ethylene imine). Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 314(2), pp. 460-469. (10.1016/j.jcis.2007.05.082)
Carter, E., Carley, A. F. and Murphy, D. M. 2007. Free-Radical Pathways in the Decomposition of Ketones over Polycrystalline TiO2: The Role of Organoperoxy Radicals. ChemPhysChem 8(1), pp. 113-123. (10.1002/cphc.200600484)
Morgan, A. J., Pleasance, B., Kinsey, H., Murphy, D. M. and Davies, M. S. 2007. The manganese relationships of ecophysiologically contrasting earthworm species (Lumbricus rubellus and Aporrectodea caliginosa) inhabiting manganese-mine soils. European Journal of Soil Biology 43(S1), pp. S297-S302. (10.1016/j.ejsobi.2007.08.030)
Van Doorslaer, S., Murphy, D. M. and Fallis, I. A. 2007. Evaluating pi-pi stacking effects in macrocyclic transition metal complexes using EPR techniques. Research on Chemical Intermediates 33(8-9), pp. 807-823. (10.1163/156856707782169318)
Chiesa, M., Giamello, E., Annino, G., Massa, C. A. and Murphy, D. M. 2007. Multi-frequency high-field EPR study of (H+)(e−) pairs localized at the surface of polycrystalline MgO. Chemical Physics Letters 438(4-6), pp. 285-289. (10.1016/j.cplett.2007.03.024)
Ribeiro, M. F. et al. 2007. Improvement of toluene catalytic combustion by addition of cesium in copper exchanged zeolites. Applied Catalysis B - Environmental 70(1-4), pp. 384-392. (10.1016/j.apcatb.2006.01.027)
van Doorslaer, S., Murphy, D. M. and Fallis, I. A. 2007. Evaluating π-π stacking effects in macrocyclic transition metal complexes using EPR techniques. Research on Chemical Intermediates 33(8-9), pp. 807-823. (10.1163/156856707782169318)

2006

Conte, M. et al. 2006. Chemically Induced Fast Solid-State Transitions of ω-VOPO4 in Vanadium Phosphate Catalysts. Science 313(5791), pp. 1270-1273. (10.1126/science.1130493)
Chiesa, M., Paganini, M. C., Giamello, E., Murphy, D. M., Di Valentin, C. and Pacchioni, G. 2006. Excess Electrons Stabilized on Ionic Oxide Surfaces. Accounts of Chemical Research 39(11), pp. 861-867. (10.1021/ar068144r)
Bushell, J. A., Claybourn, M., Murphy, D. M. and Williams, H. E. 2006. An EPR, ENDOR and EIE study of γ-irradiated poly (lactide-co-glycolide) polymers. Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry 44(10), pp. 929-935. (10.1002/mrc.1880)
Williams, H. E., Loades, V. C., Claybourn, M. and Murphy, D. M. 2006. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Studies of Oxidative Degradation of an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient and Quantitative Analysis of the Organic Radical Intermediates Using Partial Least-Squares Regression. Analytical Chemistry 78(2), pp. 604-608. (10.1021/ac051697f)
Murphy, D. M. and Farley, R. D. 2006. Principles and applications of ENDOR spectroscopy for structure determination in solution and disordered matrices. Chemical Society Reviews 35(3), pp. 249-268. (10.1039/b500509b)
Baker, R. J., Jones, C., Mills, D. P., Murphy, D. M., Hey-Hawkins, E. and Wolf, R. 2006. The reactivity of gallium-(i), -(ii) and -(iii) heterocycles towards Group 15 substrates: attempts to prepare gallium-terminal pnictinidene complexes. Dalton Transactions(1), pp. 64-72. (10.1039/b511451a)

2005

Baker, R. J., Farley, R. D., Jones, C., Mills, D. P., Kloth, M. and Murphy, D. M. 2005. An EPR and ENDOR Investigation of a Series of Diazabutadiene-Group 13 Complexes. Chemistry-a European Journal 11(10), pp. 2972-2982. (10.1002/chem.200401103)
Alberola, A., Farley, R. D., Humphrey, S. M., McManus, G. D., Murphy, D. M. and Rawson, J. M. 2005. EPR studies on the thiophenodithiazolyl radical, C4H2S3N˙. Dalton Transactions(24), pp. 3838-3845. (10.1039/b508912c)
Bushell, J. A., Claybourn, M., Williams, H. E. and Murphy, D. M. 2005. An EPR and ENDOR study of γ- and β-radiation sterilization in poly (lactide-co-glycolide) polymers and microspheres. Journal of Controlled Release 110(1), pp. 49-57. (10.1016/j.jconrel.2005.09.009)
Antcliff, K. L., Baker, R. J., Jones, C., Murphy, D. M. and Rose, R. P. 2005. Reactions of a Gallium(II)-Diazabutadiene Dimer, [{{[(H)C(But)N]2}GaI}2], with [ME(SiMe3)2] (M = Li or Na; E = N, P, or As): Structural, EPR, and ENDOR Characterization of Paramagnetic Gallium(III) Pnictide Complexes. Inorganic Chemistry 44(6), pp. 2098-2105. (10.1021/ic0486825)

2004

Fallis, I. A., Murphy, D. M., Willock, D. J., Tucker, R. J., Farley, R. D., Jenkins, R. L. and Strevens, R. R. 2004. Direct Observation of Enantiomer Discrimination of Epoxides by Chiral Salen Complexes Using ENDOR. Journal of the American Chemical Society 126(48), pp. 15660-15661. (10.1021/ja045491s)
Garcia, T., Solsona, B. E., Murphy, D. M., Antcliff, K. L. and Taylor, S. H. 2004. Deep oxidation of light alkanes over titania-supported palladium/vanadium catalysts. Journal of Catalysis 229(1), pp. 1-11. (10.1016/j.jcat.2004.09.018)

2003

Tucker, R. J., Fallis, I. A., Farley, R. D., Murphy, D. M. and Willock, D. J. 2003. An ENDOR and DFT analysis of 'solvatochromic' effects in an oxovanadium (IV) complex. Chemical Physics Letters 380(5-6), pp. 758-766. (10.1016/j.cplett.2003.09.077)
Baker, R. J., Edwards, P., Farley, R. D., Murphy, D. M., Platts, J. A. and Voss, K. E. 2003. Low valent carbonylvanadium complexes of the triphosphorus macrocycle 12[ane]P3Et3. Dalton Transactions(5), pp. 944-948. (10.1039/B211105P)

2002

Farley, R. D. et al. 2002. An ENDOR study of oxomolybdenum(V) tris(pyrazolyl)borate complexes; identification of couplings to boron and other. Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry 40(11), pp. 683-686. (10.1002/mrc.1090)
Purnell, I. J., Chiesa, M., Farley, R. D., Murphy, D. M., Rowlands, C. C., Paganini, M. C. and Giamello, E. 2002. Heterogeneity of surface colour centres on alkaline earth metal oxides as revealed through EPR/ENDOR spectroscopy. Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry 40(6), pp. 381-386. (10.1002/mrc.1028)
Murphy, D. M., Fallis, I. A., Farley, R. D., Tucker, R. J., Avery, K. L. and Willock, D. J. 2002. Conformational changes of an oxovanadium complex probed by ENDOR spectroscopy and DFT calculations. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 4(20), pp. 4937-4943. (10.1039/b204564h)
Chiesa, M., Paganini, M. C., Giamello, E. and Murphy, D. M. 2002. O- radical ions on MgO: a tool for a structural description of the surface. Research on Chemical Intermediates 28(2-3), pp. 205-214. (10.1163/156856702320267118)
Chiesa, M., Giamello, E., Paganini, M. C., Sojka, Z. and Murphy, D. M. 2002. Continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance investigation of the hyperfine structure of O-17(2)- adsorbed on the MgO surface. Journal of Chemical Physics 116(10), pp. 4266-4274. (10.1063/1.1447907)

2001

Chiesa, M., Paganini, M. C., Giamello, E. and Murphy, D. M. 2001. Partial ionization of cesium atoms at point defects over polycrystalline magnesium oxide. Journal of Physical Chemistry B 105(43), pp. 10457-10460. (10.1021/jp0118470)
Murphy, D. M. and Rowlands, C. C. 2001. Recent applications of electron magnetic resonance (EMR) techniques in heterogeneous catalysis. Current Opinion in Solid State and Materials Science 5(1), pp. 97-104.
Traa, Y., Murphy, D. M., Farley, R. D. and Hutchings, G. J. 2001. An EPR study on the enantioselective aziridination properties of a CuNaY zeolite. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 3(6), pp. 1073-1080. (10.1039/B010083H)

2000

Piaggio, P. et al. 2000. Enantioselective epoxidation of (Z)-stilbene using a chiral Mn(III)-salen complex: effect of immobilisation on MCM-41 on product selectivity. Journal of the Chemical Society - Perkins Transactions 2 2000(10), pp. 2008-2015. (10.1039/B005752P)
Giamello, E., Paganini, M. C., Chiesa, M., Murphy, D. M., Pacchioni, G., Soave, R. and Rockenbauer, A. 2000. N-2(-) radical anion reversibly formed at the surface of "electron-rich" alkaline-earth oxides. Journal of Physical Chemistry B 104(9), pp. 1887-1890. (10.1021/jp994126y)
Fallis, I. A., Farley, R. D., Malik, K. M. A., Murphy, D. M. and Smith, H. J. 2000. Divalent first-row transition metal complexes of the rigid pendant-arm ligand 1,4,7-tris(2-aminophenyl)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane. Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions 20, pp. 3632-3639. (10.1039/b005402j)

1999

Jenkins, C. A. and Murphy, D. M. 1999. Thermal and photoreactivity of TiO2 at the gas-solid interface with aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes. Journal of Physical Chemistry B 103(6), pp. 1019-1026. (10.1021/jp982690n)

My research interests lie in the study of open-shell species (radicals and paramagnetic spins states) and primarily their role in controlling chemical reactivity. Free radicals and redox processes are ubiquitous in nature and indeed fundamental to life. Generally these radicals can display harmful or beneficial properties depending on the chemical or biological environment. Certainly in chemical systems, numerous transformations are actually dependent on the participation of open-shell species and their angular momentum, particularly in the field of catalysis. Despite their importance and almost universal presence in nature (including biology, food, water, atmosphere, materials, etc) the role and actions of free radicals remains exceedingly complex. Owing to their short lifetimes and transient state, these open-shell systems remain intriguing but elusive entities to study.

We therefore use and develope the advanced spectroscopic technique called Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and the related hyperfine methodologies, such as Electron Nuclear Double Resonance (ENDOR) spectroscopy, to fully interrogate the electronic structures of these open-shell paramagnetic spin systems both in the ground and excited states. In turn this enables us to better understand the broad structure of these chemically active paramagnetic states and reactive intermediates, and in turn the central role of the unpaired spin state in the driving chemical transformations.

The principle field of our research activitiy revolves around developments in heterogeneous catalysis and photocatalysis, homogeneous catalysis, and the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in oxidation reactions. The group also provides insights into the weak secondary interactions that control reaction selectivity, the conformational changes that occur to catalyst structure, the free radical chemistry by the ROS and the redox/spin states involved in the electron transfer steps. We also utilise high field EPR in our catalysis research, and are exploring the use of perturbation methodologies (pressure and temperature jump EPR) to study the radical chemistry in unprecedented detail. Since temperature and pressure are primary thermodynamic parameters in reaction kinetics, chemical equilibria, molecular conformations and interactions, it is very important in catalysis as a manipulative tool to examine reaction mechanisms using PJ- and TJ-EPR capabilities.

More recently, we have investigated the role of microwaves in accelerating radical mediated chemical transformations using a novel dual mode MW-EPR resonator developed with colleagues in the School of Engineering. The ability to use microwaves to thermally drive chemical reactions when combined with suitable techniques to study the intermediates formed is therefore most revealing. As chemical reactions often generate reactive short-lived radical intermediates that direct the transformation of reactants to products, our in-situ MW-EPR offers a facile means to identify and understand the nature of the intermediates present, and their roles in associated reactions.

I currently contribute to a 4^th Year taught Module in Advanced Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.

CH3410 Advanced Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy: Principles and Applications

CHT231 Advanced Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy: Principles and Applications

My previous teaching activities in the School included modules in

CH0001 Fundamental Aspects of Chemistry,

CH3101 Foundations of Physical Chemistry,

CH2117 Environmental Chemistry,

CH2115 Chemistry of the Cosmos,

CH3204 Symmetry, Spectroscopy and Quantum Mechanics,

CH0215 Materials and Applications,

CH0306 Structure Determination,

CH2406 Theory of Electron Dynamics.

In addition I have contributed to all other aspects of teaching delivery, including tutorials, laboratory practicals and project supervision. I also oversaw a number of major changes to our degree programme.

Having taught EPR spectroscopy at Cardiff University for over 25-years, this experience stimulated me to contribute as a co-author to the Oxford University Press (OUP) primer textbook entitled Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (ISBN: 9780198727606).

Professor Damien Murphy joined Cardiff University in 1996 as a Lecturer in Physical Chemistry, and was later promoted to Senior Lecturer (2002), Reader (2008) and full Professor (2013). He is currently a Professor of Physical Chemistry, Co-Director of the Cardiff Catalysis Institute (CCI) and a specialist in Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectroscopy. He has held several senior management roles in Cardiff University, including 6-years as Head of the School of Chemistry (2017-2023), and 4-years as Deputy Head of School and Director of Research (2013-2017).

He began his career by studying Applied Science (Chemistry) at the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), Ireland (1986-1990), and later at the Universitá di Torino, Italy (1990-1993) and Trinity College Dublin (TCD), where he completed his PhD (under the supervision of Prof Elio Giamello) using EPR spectroscopy to study defect vacancies and radical species on oxide surfaces. He then moved to the Instituto Superior Technico (IST), Lisbon (1994-1995) to study the structure of small water clusters in asymmetric membranes using ATR-FTIR (with Prof. Maria de Pinho), and later to the Université P. et M. Curie, Paris (1995-1996) examining the structure of microporous materials and zeolites using FTIR and EPR (with Profs Michel Che and Pascale Massiani).

To date his research in EPR spectroscopy has received financial support through a number of large EU and UKRI grants. He collaborates widely with a number of academic partners both nationally and internationally, and he also works with various industrial partners. As an expert in the study of free radicals, he was awarded a Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award (2014-2019). He is Fellow of the RSC (since 2009), a Fellow of the LSW (since 2018), and currently a Visting Professor at the Universita di Torino, Italy.

Contact Details

MurphyDM@cardiff.ac.uk
+44 29208 75850

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“Welsh is a language for science”

Catalysis pioneer wins Environment Prize

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