Cooperative Reactivity

The activation of inert molecules and their synthetic utilization is a major challenge in current chemical research. Establishing fundamental concepts for the activation and transformation of small molecules like dihydrogen is an important purpose. Considering the abundance of silicon, the second most common element of the Earth`s crust, the design of a metal-free, silicon-based bond activation concept will definitely be a worthwhile and pioneering under­taking.

The Junior Research Group at a glance

Place of researchUniversity of Regensburg
AssociationElite Graduate Program „Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis“
Project duration2018 to 2023
Group leaderDr. Jonathan Bauer
Contact the group leader

Developing Methods in Silicon-Ligand Cooperation

The research group "Cooperative Reactivity" is located at the interface of fun­da­men­tal and ap­plied science. The challenge of the research project will be the linkage of two molecular units with com­ple­men­tary re­activity within a silicon-oxygen frame­work, in a way that both reactivity centers retain their chemical independence (frustration) but are still able to “communicate” with each other (cooperation).

Portrait photo: Dr. Jonathan Bauer

The Junior Research Group program, supported by the Free State of Bavaria, is a sign of quality. It is definitely among the best support programs in Germany at this stage of career.

Dr. Jonathan Bauer

Theoretical aspects concerning structure, stereo­electronic properties, reactivity, cooperativity, and frustration as a function of different electronic and chemical influences on silicon centers will be studied. In addition, new methodological ap­proa­ches in the synthesis of main group element com­pounds will be addressed, with a focus on silicon chemistry.

Cooperative Reactivity for Bond Activation

Another focus of the research program is dedicated to studying bond activation. It will be investigated whether these frustrated, zwitterionic compounds feature transition-metal-like chemical behavior and if they are able to activate small molecules or bonds in or­ganic substrates, leading to new solutions for sustainable transformations.

The research group cooperates with the Elite Graduate Program „Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis“ at the University Regensburg.

Further cooperations

Kyushu UniversityFukuoka, Japan
Technion - Israel Institute of TechnologyHaifa, Israel
Technische Universität MünchenMünchen, Deutschland
Universität AugsburgAugsburg, Deutschland
Universität BielefeldBielefeld, Deutschland
Universität des SaarlandesSaarbrücken, Deutschland
University of CaliforniaBerkeley, USA
Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovot, Israel