Metal-Free Photolytic Activation of N2 and other Inert Small Molecules (A05)

• Subject Area: Inorganic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 551403841

Project A05 “Metal-Free Photolytic Activation of N2 and other Inert Small Molecules” targets the activation of N2 and other selected small molecules using new borylene carbonyl precursors for photo-decarbonylation. The synthesis of the borylene carbonyls and decarbonylation reactions in the condensed phase as well as in the gas phase will be investigated. Over the long term, the project aims at the photolytic borylene-based activation of inert small molecules on a synthetic scale.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1762: Boron as property-determining element
• Applicant Institution: Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Holger Braunschweig; Professor Dr. Ingo Fischer; Professor Dr. Qing Ye