Current research interests of our group

Organometallic chemistry combines the classical disciplines of Inorganic and Organic chemistry. It deals with compounds in which a metal atom (half-metals and non-metals are included) is linked to a carbon atom of an organic ligand. These products fullfill a variety of important functions as catalysts in modern industrial processes, synthetic polymers with a large scope of applications, as precursors for high-tech materials and as reagents in organic synthesis.
In our group the focus lies on the synthesis of new compounds where the aspects of basic and applied research play an important role. The following topics are currently (2010) under investigation.

1. Dynamic Covalent Chemistry: A Strategy for the Synthesis of Novel Organogallium Compounds

"Dynamic Covalent Chemistry" relates to chemical reactions carried out reversibly under conditions of equilibrium control. In our group, this concept is applied in organogallium chemistry for the synthesis of compounds with novel structural features.

As an example, the reversible reactions of 1,1`-bis(dimethylgallyl)ferrocene to the two- and threefold 1,1´-ferrocenediyl substituted gallium compounds are presented:





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2. Metal and Metal-Oxide Nanoparticles Prepared from Solution by Precursor Decomposition; and: the "Droplet Model"

As part of the DFG-Research Group FOR 945 ("Nanomagnete: von der Synthese über die Wechselwirkung mit Oberflächen zur Funktion") and in collaboration with the group of Prof. Dr. A. Hütten (Department of Physics) we investigate the synthesis and characterization of ligand stabilized magnetic nanoparticles (Fe, Co, Fe/Co, Fe₃O₄) suitable for a further functionalization with biomolecules [1] and of ligand stabilized core-shell particles (Co@Ru) suitable to study the GMR effect.
In the context with the experimental control of nanoparticle morphology, we are studying modifications of the generally accepted "LaMer model" for the nucleation and growth step during particle formation from precursor decomposition in solution, and we introduce the "droplet model".

The following topics are currently under research:



1. Control of the diffusion process in Co particles and of the redox-transmetallation process in the preparation Co@Ru core-shell particles.
2. Synthesis of multidentade ligands for the kinetic stabilisation on the surface of hard and soft nanoparticles.
3. Size and Shape Control in the Synthesis of β-Tin Particles prepared by Precursor-Decomposition in Solution via Nanoscaled Droplets.


[1] A. Hütten, D. Sudfeld, I. Ennen, G. Reiss, W. Hachmann, U. Heinzmann, K. Wojczykowski, P. Jutzi, W. Saikaly, G. Thomas, J. Biotec. 2004, 112, 47.

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3. π-Complexes of Low-Valent Silicon: the Chemistry of Cyclopentadienylsilicon(II) Cations

π-Complexation with cyclopentadienyl (Cp) ligands allows the isolation of sandwich- and half-sandwich compounds with divalent silicon as central atom. Such complexes are regarded as the resting state of highly reactive (η¹-Cp)₂Si-, (η¹-Cp)RSi- and (η¹-Cp)Si⁺ fragments, due to the electronic flexibility of the respective Cp ligand (η^2,3,5 - η¹-rearrangment).
Actually, we investigate the chemistry of the (Me₅C₅)₂Si and of the Me₅C₅Si⁺ cation.

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