Laboratory of Catalysis

The Laboratory of Catalysis at the University of Liège has more than 30 years of expertise in macromolecular chemistry, organometallic synthesis and homogeneous catalysis.

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t is specialized in the application of transition metal complexes to promote reactions in fine organic synthesis and to control specific polymerization processes through molecular engineering.

Its research activities cover all the steps involved in the development of a new homogeneous catalytic process in the laboratory, from the synthesis of ligands and organometallic complexes, to the characterization of discrete or macromolecular products, via the optimization of experimental conditions and the elucidation of reaction mechanisms.

The current research efforts of the Laboratory of Catalysis focus on the development of new catalytic methods for the formation of carbon-carbon bonds, especially via olefin metathesis reactions in the presence of ruthenium-arene or ruthenium-alkylidene complexes. The catalytic engineering developed along these lines involves the synthesis and the characterization of new N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands, their precursors, and derivatives. Recently, these strong nucleophiles have also been used as organocatalysts on their own and their reactivity toward allenes and heteroallenes to form stable zwitterionic adducts has been thoroughly investigated. In particular, the NHC•CS₂ betaines have emerged as promising ligands for coordination chemistry. Although this is still a largely uncharted research area, the Laboratory of Catalysis has developed a significant expertise in the synthesis and characterization of monometallic and polymetallic transition metal complexes and clusters bearing these neutral dithiocarboxylate ligands.

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CONTACT : Prof. L. Delaude