Coordination Chemistry and Catalysis
Prof. Dr. Uwe Rosenthal
The four topics deal with aspects of the coordination chemistry in the homogeneous catalysis with transition metals (preferably with Ti, Zr, Hf, Cr, Co, Ru, Pd), aimed at developing processes that are useful for the application in the chemical industry. The developing process includes investigations of the molecular model and optimisation of the reaction to the point of transfer into technical processes.
The topic „Catalysis with early transition metals” covers investigations towards the knowledge of the coordination chemistry as well as catalysis for the optimisation of existing processes or the finding of new catalytic reactions. With metallocene complexes in hand we are able to investigate a broad array of stoichiometric and catalytic reactions with the functional groups of different classes of substrates. Examples are the formation of unusual metallacycles of Ti, Zr and Hf, polymerisations of olefins, ringopening polymerisations, hydrodehalogenations and the activation of C-C, C-H and C-F bonds.
„Cycloaddition reactions“, namely cobalt- and photo-catalysed [2+2+2] cycloadditions, have been used to react nitrils and alkynes yielding unusual substituted pyridines with central or axial chirality as well as for the reaction of functionalised alkynes for the preparation of chiral diphenylphosphine ligands. These catalytic processes are important for the synthesis of potentially active pharmaceutical ingredients or of vitamin B6 derivatives. Hydroheterofunctionalisations of acetylene are in the focus of investigations.
The „Oligomerisation“ of ethylene leading in a highly selective process to linear alpha-olefins as an valuable industrial intermediate was achieved with different metallacycles and innovative ligands. A novel catalyst system is currently tested in a pilot plant and improvements of the patented SABLIN® process are used in a plant with 120.000 ta in Al Jubail (Saudi Arabia).
The topic “Organometallic water splitting” covers the search for new active systems for photocatalytic water splitting. Moreover elemental steps of the catalytic cycle and stoichiometric reactions of organometallic complexes with water are studied to get an insight into the overall reaction. In addition, different approaches for hydrogen storage are studied in our group.
Catalysis with early transition metals (Dr. Perdita Arndt)
- Exotic five-membered metallacycles of titanium and zirconium
- Unusual cleavage of C-F bonds
- Catalytic hydrodefluorinations
- Polymerisation and oligomerisation catalysis of olefins
Cycloaddition reactions (Dr. Marko Hapke)
- Axially chiral biaryls
- Potential active pharmaceutical ingredients and vitamin research
- Catalytic reactions of acetylene
- Hydroheterofunctionalisations
- Photo catalysis
Oligomerisations (Dr. Bernd H. Müller)
- Selective oligomerisations of ethylen
- Innovative ligand and metal complex syntheses
- Technical and scientific steering of industrial cooperations
Organometallic Water Splitting (Dr. Torsten Beweries)
- Investigation of the elemental steps of water splitting
- Synthesis of new photocatalyst systems
- Hydrogen storage
U. Rosenthal, V. V. Burlakov, M. A. Bach, T. Beweries, Chem. Soc. Rev. 2007, 36, 719.
T. Beweries, C. Fischer, S. Peitz, V. V. Burlakov, P. Arndt, W. Baumann, A. Spannenberg, D. Heller, U. Rosenthal, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 4463.
M. Lamac, A. Spannenberg, W. Baumann, H. Jiao, C. Fischer, S. Hansen, P. Arndt, U. Rosenthal, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132 , 4369.
M. Lamac, A. Spannenberg, H. Jiao, S. Hansen, W. Baumann, P. Arndt, U. Rosenthal, Angew. Chem. 2010, 122, 2999; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 2937.
