Heterobimetallic Base-Metal Complexes for Carbon-Carbon Bond Formation

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Connie Lu, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Inorganic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 521217569

Palladium catalysts are well known for constructing carbon‒carbon bonds in organic synthesis, and they have significantly extended the landscape of drug discovery. However, a large drawback is the rarity of palladium, which makes this metal both expensive and unsustainable to use. This project aims to investigate earth-abundant base-metal catalysts as alternatives for palladium, specifically nickel and cobalt, for constructing various types of carbon‒carbon bonds. A main challenge is that the nickel and cobalt are susceptible to one-electron redox chemistry which can lead to the formation of carbon-based radicals, which are themselves reactive by nature, difficult to control, and can result in unselective bond formations. To address this challenge, we introduce a co-catalytic group 13 center in a direct bonding interaction with the base metal. We hypothesize that the group 13 center will favorably tune the electronics at the nickel or cobalt site and that the two metal centers will work cooperatively for controlled carbon‒carbon bond formation. Towards this goal, we will prepare new heterobimetallic nickel- and cobalt-group 13 complexes and investigate their reactivity with organic reagents, their catalytic performance in carbon-carbon bond formation, and their mechanism of action.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants