Berylloles and Alumoles: Highly Unsaturated Antiaromatics at the Frontiers of Metallacyclopentadiene Chemistry

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Holger Braunschweig
• Subject Area: Inorganic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 446663029

The heterocyclopentadiene or metallocyclopentadiene ring system (cyclo-EC4R4 or -MC4R4) is an archetypal molecular architecture and now exist with elements from all corners of the periodic table. Our extensive research on boroles (i.e. boracyclopentadienes) has recently sparked our interest in analogues featuring elements neighbouring boron in the periodic table, namely beryllium and aluminium. These molecules, named berylloles and alumoles, are electronically and coordinatively unsaturated, antiaromatic, and highly reactive, leading to a number of interesting preliminary results. This project will target these two fascinating systems, their elaboration, and the full exploitation of their very promising reactivity in a number of different directions.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants