Noah McMillion

Education

BS in Chemistry, 2018 University of Chicago

PhD in Chemistry, 2023 UNC Chapel Hill

Postdoctoral Researcher, 2024-2026, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Research Description

Transition metal (TM) compounds are heavily involved in sustainability chemistry ranging from polymer upcycling to solar energy storage to environmental remediation. This utility is facilitated by access to highly tunable synthetic methodologies which do not easily map onto the chemistry of main group (MG) compounds in the s- and p-blocks of the periodic table. Despite this challenge, MG compounds offer unique bonding and reactivity that is inaccessible to TMs, creating many exciting opportunities to provide novel contributions to areas of research dominated by TMs. The McMillion Lab seeks to bridge the fields of TM and MG chemistry by developing hybrid systems that draw upon strengths from both areas in the synthesis of novel (electro)catalysts that address problems in sustainability such as wastewater remediation, valorization of atmospheric pollutants, and hydrogen storage.

Publications

Zhang, C.; Wang, J.; McMillion, N.D.; Deng, C.-L.; Gilliard, R.J.; Cummins, C.C. Reactions of diazoboranes with oxygen enables the synthesis and isolation of dioxaboriranes. Nat. Chem. 2026.

McMillion, N.D.; Aliahmadi, M.; Bruch, Q.J.; Chen, C.H.; Hegg, A.S.; Holland, P.L.; Miller, A.J.M. Water-Soluble Rhenium Nitride Complexes Supported by Multidentate Phosphinite Ligands Provide Insights into Aqueous Ammonium Synthesis Using Samarium Diiodide. Inorg. Chem. 2025, 64 (42), 20986.

Dabringhaus, P.; Molino, A.; McMillion, N.D.; Gilliard, R.J. Dicationic Boron Derivatives of Schlenk’s and Thiele’s Hydrocarbon. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147 (13), 11318.

Weber, J.E.^†; McMillion, N.D. ^†; Hegg, A.S.^†; Wertz, A.E.; Aliahmadi, M.; Mercado, B.Q.; Crabtree, R.H.; Shafaat, H.S.; Miller, A.J.M.; Holland, P.L. Isocyanide Ligation Enables Electrochemical Ammonia Formation in a Synthetic Cycle for N₂ Fixation. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146 (49), 33595. ^†Equal contributions.

McMillion, N.D.^†; Smith, A.M.^†; Miller, A.J.M. Responsibility as a Foundation of Safety Culture. ACS Chemical Health & Safety. 2023, 30 (3), 105. ^†Equal contributions.