P3.3 Synthesis of biradical metal catalysts and application in activation and coupling of CO2
Supervisors:
Topic and overall goal:
In a joint project, both research groups succeeded in 2011 in synthesizing the first phosphorus-based singlet biradical and demonstrated its great potential in activating small molecules such as CO2. Furthermore, it has already been shown by in situ NMR (under incorporated light switching), UV spectroscopy and structural analysis that the biradical (generated by reaction with isonitriles) forms a transannular bond and a closed-shell housane structure under red light, which thermally reacts back. This molecular switching has been applied to switch chemical reactions on and off. The Beweries group has many years of experience in activating small molecules using low valent, cyclic compounds of group 4 metals. These metallacycles can be produced by coupling alkenes, alkynes, nitriles, carbodiimides or isocyanides to metallocenes and in some cases also show photochemically induced reactivity.