Prof. Dr. Karsten Meyer

Prof. Dr. Karsten Meyer

Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy
Chair of Inorganic and General Chemistry (ACII)

Room: Room A 3.4
Egerlandstr. 1
91058, Erlangen

• Phone number: +49 9131 85-27360
• Fax number: +49 9131 85-27367
• Email: karsten.meyer@fau.de
• Website: https://www.inorgchem2.nat.fau.de

• ORCID: Page of Karsten Meyer

General Scientific Interests

In general, synthetic chemistry is at the heart of the Meyer group research program.  Studies focus on the synthesis of (organic) custom-tailored ligand architectures and their (inorganic) transition and light actinide metal coordination complexes.  Special attention is drawn to molecularly engineered, ordered structures that provide well-defined confined spaces for highly selective molecular and catalytic transformations.  While transition metals are traditionally a very important source of inspiration for our research, the Meyer group has developed a distinguished expertise in uranium coordination chemistry.  Transition-metal-based catalysts in pre-organized materials, such as task-specific ionic liquids (ILs) and ionic liquid crystals (ILCs), play an important role in our research.  Recently, the development of platforms to facilitate charge and light-driven catalytic processes relevant to sustainable energy cycles has been explored.

State-of-the-art (physical) spectroscopic investigations of the molecular and electronic structures of the reactive metal-substrate complexes as well as computational methods aid the elucidation of coordination modes, underlying electronic structures, and reactivities.  The combination of synthesis, spectros­copy, electrochemistry, and (theory) computation facilitates deep understanding of molecular reactivity and better knowledge of structure-function relationships.  Ultimate long-term objectives of the fundamental research are the development of efficient catalysts for the metal-assisted conversion of abundant natural substrate resources and the discovery of renewable energy sources.

Coordination complexes that facilitate the chemical, electrochemical, and photochemical trans­formation of small, relatively unreactive molecules and renewable resources – such as N₂, CO₂, and H₂O – continue to attract intense research interest.  The overall objective of our research is to explore the reactivity of newly developed, highly reactive, uranium and transition metal complexes for potential applications in small molecule activation, transformation, and catalysis.  The discovery of unique reactivity of novel transition and uranium metal complexes in molecularly engineered ligand environments is a promising starting point for future research in catalysis and biologically inspired transformations.  The ligands, although different in nature and application, are designed to accomplish a common rationale, namely:

• coordinate to electron-rich uranium and low-valent transition metal centers,
• in coordinatively unsaturated ligand environments,
• with sterically encumbering substituents,
• that protect the metal ion from unwanted side reaction (decomposition via dimerization),
• and provide a cavity for ligand binding, activation, and functionalization.

Among others, five main goals with respect to small molecule reactivity will be pursued: 1) Dioxygen activation and oxygen atom transfer chemistry, such as epoxidation catalysis, 2) the synthesis of imido and nitrido-/nitrene species as aziridination reagents for the functionalization of alkanes, 3) alkane binding, oxidative addition, C–C bond formation and reductive eliminations for C–H bond activation and aryl coupling catalysis, 4) activation and transformation of C1 molecules such as CO and CO₂, and 5) the development of f-element-based catalysts for the electrocatalytic H₂ production from H₂O with a particular emphasis on uranium.  These studies involve ligand derivatization for catalyst immobilization on electrode surfaces to facilitate the electro- and photocatalytic production of H₂ from water.

All experiment sought are designed to aid the discovery of unprecedented small molecule reactivity critical to the eventual development of efficient catalysts.  Trends in reactivity of all complexes will have to be pursued as the chemistry unfolds.