New Products & Processes
PD Dr. Torsten Beweries
Dr. Christian Hering-Junghans

Research in Topic 07 is based on LIKAT‘s long-standing expertise in fundamental and applied areas of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, complemented by new aspects, junior research groups and associated research groups.
This includes aspects of classical homogeneous catalysis, organometallic and coordination chemistry, main group chemistry, photocatalysis, and organocatalysis. This knowledge is complemented by aspects of heterogeneous catalysis. 


An illustrative example are transition metal-catalyzed syntheses of fi ne chemicals, which often find application in the pharmaceutical industry. The development of transition metal complexes with polydentate P-containing ligands plays a central role. Often, a new generation of ligands enables unusual conversions and a signifi cant increase in activity.
Catalysis bears a key role in the valorization of renewable resources and CO2 chemistry. The production of plant-based platform chemicals or the use of CO2 hold great potential in terms of climate and resource protection. Catalytic processes are then needed to convert the sustainable platform chemicals into new compounds and materials.
In addition to industry-related research projects, basic research accounts for a large part of the activities in Topic 07. The relevance of this work lies, among other things, in the investigation of reactivities and the discovery of new methods, which allows conclusions to be drawn about catalysis-related issues.
In the following, only a few of the multifaceted topics are mentioned as examples. Intensive research efforts are being made in the field of phosphorus chemistry, also at the boundary
between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. This includes the development of new (stereogenic) P-containing ligands, the synthesis of strained P-containing ring systems or P(III)/P(V) redox-based organocatalysis.
Furthermore, it is investigated how inexpensive metal-based and metal-free catalysts for carbonylative coupling reactions can be used for the synthesis of heterocycles or how small bioactive molecules can be produced by established and new methods.
The amine-borane class of compounds holds potential for use as precursors for new B-N materials and is therefore of great interest. Their dehydrocoupling with early and late transition metal complexes or the preparation of linear polyaminoboranes are the subject of intense investigation.
Highly strained metallacycles, such as unsaturated and four-membered Ti-containing ring systems, are challenging compounds to prepare with interesting bonding situations. Based on the synthesis and studies of these compounds, conclusions can be drawn about individual substeps of catalytic mechanisms.