Institute of Inorganic Chemistry (Berke Group)
Research

The research projects of the Berke group comprise several areas of basic research within the frame of organometallic chemistry, coordination chemistry and solid state chemistry branching into areas of medicinal chemistry, homogeneous catalysis, molecular electronics and archaeometry. Modern chemistry still relies very much on progress in synthesis and on the support of analytical methodologies including quantum mechanical calculations. This all allows further quantifications gradually turning an originally purely descriptive science into a quantitative science.

a) Activation of transition metal hydride complexes. Optimizations of catalytic hydrogenations and hydrosilations. Development of new catalytic processes utilizing heterolytic splitting of H₂ and silanes. 

Project part a) aims at the development of new hydrogenation and hydrosilation catalysts operating on the basis of a formal heterolytic splitting of H₂ or R₃SiH (“ionic” hydrogenation, hydrosilation). The new catalyses are expected to result in new chemo- and regioselectivities with respect to hydrogenation and hydrosilation processes of the Wilkinson type. Furthermore the difficult catalytic hydrogenation and hydrosilaction processes of CO and N₂ are sought to be developed by this new route.

b) Development of synthetic accesses to single-electron-devices based on new approaches for access to low energy work function compounds. 

Project part b) contributes to the modern field of molecular electronics, where miniaturization of electronic devices is approached down to the molecular dimensions. Special types of paramagnetic organometallic molecules are probed. The electronic properties of new systems will be explored.

c) Development of new homogeneous for C-C coupling reactions: ketene formation from alkyl halides and CO and the development of new catalysts for olefin metathesis 

Project part c) deals with the development of efficient homogeneous catalysts for the preparation of ketenes as versatile intermediates in organic synthesis. Furthermore new rhenium based catalysts for olefin metathesis are sought to be developed to tackle the general problems of low activity and low functional group tolerance of existing systems.

d) NO complexes as prodrugs. 

Project part d) NO is one of the most important signaling molecule in biology. Physiological NO deficiency or NO excess leads to pathological states of man, animals and plants. The development of physiological NO donors or NO scavengers is expected to lead to second generation NO prodrugs.

e) Archaeometrical studies of ancient blue and purple pigments. 

In project part e) archaeometrical studies of ancient man-made blue and purple pigment samples are carried out. The original preparations of the pigments are traced by modern synthetic and analytical methodologies. Emphasis is placed on studies of the pigments Egyptian Blue, Chinese Blue and Purple and Ultramarine Blue.