Research focus
Our research is concerned with the chemistry of
electrophilic and/or Lewis acidic molecules with a special
focus on the discovery of novel structures and bonding
modes. We are currently studying the design of boron-,
antimony- and tellurium-containing Lewis acids as water
compatible receptors for small anions. These efforts, which
constitute the main thrust of our current research, have led
to the discovery of anion sensors for small anions,
including fluoride, cyanide and azide. Some of these
sensors can be used in water where they provide a turn-on
colorimetric or fluorescence response in the presence of the
anion. In addition to these analytical applications, we are
also applying our anion-capture strategies to the field 18F-positron
emission tomography, an imaging technique used for cancer
diagnosis.
A second component of our
work deals with the chemistry of heterobimetallic metal
complexes containing a Lewis acidic main group element such
as tellurium or antimony and a late transition metal.
From a fundamental perspective, we are interested in the
nature of the donor-acceptor bond formed between the metal
which acts as a donor and the main group element which acts
as an acceptor. From a more applied perspective, we are
investigating the redox properties of these complexes, some
of which support the photoreductive elimination of
halogens. Such reactions are of interest for the
discovery of new solar energy storage approaches. They
also provide a means to control the Lewis acidity of the
main group center and trigger the release of coordinated
anions.
In addition to synthesis
which lies at the heart of our research projects, our
investigations also involves the extensive use of modern
characterization techniques (UV-vis and fluorescence
spectroscopy, NMR and EPR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction,
electrochemistry) and computational methods (DFT
calculations, AIM and NBO analysis).