Probing Avenues for Isolation of Simple Organic Radical Anions – Of Metal Coordination and Encapsulation Between Cations

• Applicant: Dr. Christian Gunnar Werncke
• Subject Area: Inorganic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: from 2016 to 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 325302919

Organic radical anions play a crucial role in a variety of synthetic applications. Further, radical anions as well as diradicals of extended aromatic systems have gained interest in their use as semiconducting and magnetic materials, electron conductors (e.g. in batteries), mediators for ((electro-)catalytic) substrate reduction reduction, distinct photophysical properties as well as their role in biological transformations. Despite their importance and wide use, structural information about radical anions of simple organic compounds, which pose the essential structural motifs of larger systems, is very limited. In this project we want to thus broaden the fundamental, structural knowledge on simple radical anions. This is extended to similar organic phosphine oxides that have found use as electron acceptor materials. For that, radical anions of simple organic molecules shall be generated by linear metal(I) complexes and be stabilized in the coordination sphere of the metal. Further we want to scavange such radikal anions betwwen shielding cation. Such a synthetic handle might open up new avenues for the further examination of and reactivity studies on elusive, highly reactive radical anions under moderate conditions.

• DFG Programme: Independent Junior Research Groups