Professor Michl's group works in physical organic chemistry, a combination of synthesis of organic and organometallic (both main group and transition metal) compounds with an investigation of their properties by physical, mechanistic, and computational methods. This ranges from photochemical reactions to nanoscience.

The areas of most interest at this time are (i) Photochemistry and photophysics of singlet fission for higher efficiency solar cells, (ii) Electron and ion conducting compounds and polymers of new types, from single-molecule measurements to bulk polymers, (iii) Surface-mounted molecular rotors and molecular circuits based on organic, organometallic, and inorganic structures, synthesized covalently or by self-assembly, and intended for use in nanoelectronics, nanofluidics, and optical metamaterials, (iv) "Naked" lithium cation catalyzed reactions, especially radical polymerization and copolymerization of alkenes, alkynes, and alkadienes, (v) Novel structures based on boron, silicon, fluorine, and lithium chemistry that support activities in areas (i) - (iv), (vi) Theoretical chemistry applications in support of activities in areas (i) - (iv), both in molecular structure theory and in molecular dynamics.

In traditional single molecule electronics we are looking at the use of single molecules as electronic components (diode, transistor). In non traditional molecular electronics we are exploiting the concept of dipolar molecular rotors mounted on surfaces and driven by rotating electric field or by fluid flow. In an attempt to position such rotors in a regular two dimensional pattern, we are developing synthetic approaches to molecules that look like a tennis net or chicken wire.

Photochemical mechanisms deal with issues such as the nature of "twisted internal charge transfer states", heavy atom effects on intersystem crossing, and harvesting of solar energy. The saturated compounds whose electronic excitation we are examining as a function of chain conformation are peralkylated oligosilanes.

The new carborane and related structures involve some of the strongest acids and strongest oxidants known. We are attempting to prepare bulk species otherwise known only in the gas phase. This is very fundamental science but it also has some immediate applications for polymer lithium battery electrolytes and fuel cell membranes.