Organisation
Sustainable Chemistry for Metals and Molecules
Division
Coordination chemistry aims to study the effect of ligand geometry and nature on the central metal ions. These are transition metals (3d, 4d or 5d), lanthanides (4f) and actinides (5f). The symmetry of coordination mainly determines the electronic structure of the metal ions and influences in this way the spectroscopic, electrochemical, thermodynamic and magnetic properties of the complexes. A lot of applications of coordination compounds are found in lasers, up converters, color television, NMR contrast imaging, NMR shifts, high temperature supermagnets, optical, magnetic or radioactive probes as immuno-assays ... Our group is involved with the study of lanthanides, uranium and rather unusual transition metals (Tc, Rh, Ir,...). We use mainly magneto optical spectroscopy, electrochemistry and radiochemistry. We have a solid theoretical background on ligand field theory. Our equipment is: absorption, fluorescence, magnetic circular dichroism, magnetic circular polarized luminescence, Ram an, IR,... photolysis, nuclear instrumentation. We are also specialised in the synthesis and characterisation of lanthanide-containing liquid crystals (metallomesogens). Research is focused on the synthesis, analysis and structure-activity correlations of analogues of bioactive compounds and of supramolecular structures. Synthesis, functional variation and cycloadditions of 2(1H)pyr azinones, 1,4-oxazinones and pyridopyranones. Development of C-nucleosides, specifically substituted pyridines, piperidines, piperazines and polycyclic analogues with potential antiviral, antitumor, bactericide, fungicide or CNS activity. Conversion of sugar compounds into chiral synthons for heterocycles useful as potential inhibitors of e.g. glycosidases, viral replication.... Synthesis of ion-sensitive fluorescent probes for intracellular applications. New strategies for the synthesis of dendrimers using new functionalised porphyrins, carbazoles, alkyne thiolates. Self-assembly of catenanes and rotaxanes by molecular recognition of thi acrown ethers and Ò-electron acceptors. Synthesis and thermolysis of heterocyclic azides. Mechanistic study of rearrangements of five-membered heterocycles.