Phindile C.Masangane
Personal Data
Date of Birth: 19 February 1972
Nationality : Swazi
Email: p.masangane@ic.ac.uk
Phone: (**44) 171 589 5111 ext 55758
University Education
Sept 1995-Date: Ph.D research at Imperial College in the Lickiss group.
Jan 1995-Sept 1995: MSc research (incomplete) Prof. N.J Coville's catalysis research
group, University of the Witwaterstrand.
1989-1993: BSc (Maths and Chemistry), University of Swaziland.
Ph.D. Research
My research area now is on the use of the bulky ligand (Me3Si)3C- , tris(trimethylsilyl)methyl, commonly known as the trisyl ligand and denoted Tsi, in synthesising novel organosilicon compounds. The Tsi ligand has been shown to give kinetic stability to reactive compounds by sterically hindering the reactive center of the compound.
So far we have been able to isolate a number of new organosilicon compounds including the interesting silanol (HOMe2Si)3CSi(OH)3. Probably the most debatable topic in silicon chemistry these days is the existence of silicenium ions in solution. We are now looking at hydride abstraction from compounds of the type TsiSiR1R2H (where R1, R2 = Me, Ph, H) which could possibly give the corresponding silicenium ions. We are also using the ligand in attempts to prepare multiply bonded species such as silanones (compounds of the type R2Si=O).
FUTURE WORK AND PLANS
To contiue in the academic field most probably in the chemistry department of the University of Swaziland.