Harder Research Group

Arene Activation by Calcium Hydride/Zinc Amide Equilibration The β-diketiminato calcium hydride, [(BDI)CaH]2 (BDI = HC{(Me)CNDipp}2, where Dipp = 2,6-i-Pr2C6H3), reacts with [Zn{N(SiMe3)2}2] and [Zn(TMP)2] (TMP = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidide) to provide labile...

Excited to see this work published today in @jacs.acspublications.org , fun chemistry and a real group effort here by @clairemcmullin.bsky.social , @moraleschem.bsky.social , Mary and big Mike! (@bathchem.bsky.social)

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Molecular complexes of low-valent f-elements from lanthanum to californium This review outlines the structure and chemistry of divalent lanthanides and actinides in small molecule systems, focusing on the less accessible diva…

@hbwineinger.bsky.social wrote this review for those interested in low valent f elements #fblockrocks www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Heavier alkaline earth and heterobimetallic s-block “ate” complexes of a di(amido)siloxane ligand: solid-state structure and dynamic solution-phase behaviour The diverse solid-state structures and solution-phase dynamics of both neutral and heterometallic s-block “ate” complexes of the heavier alkaline earth metals (Ae; Ca–Ba) supported by a chelating and…

🔓Read this #OpenAccess work by @coles-lab.bsky.social, @fultonro.bsky.social, Zoë Turner, Dermot O'Hare & co on heavier alkaline earth and heterobimetallic s-block “ate” complexes supported by di(amido)siloxane ligand👀

pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...

📍 @ox.ac.uk, @vicuniwgtn.bsky.social
#Chemsky 🧪

Double win and nice to know our research is of interest! Dedicated to the students and collaborators involved in all the hard work. #TopViewedArticle

C–C Bond Formation at an Aluminacyclopropane The reactivity of the aluminacyclopropane compound K[Al(NON)(η2-C2H4)] (NON = κN,N’-[O(SiMe2NDipp)2]2–; Dipp = 2,6-iPr2C6H3) toward isocyanides R–NC (R = Cy, Ad, tBu; Cy = cyclohexyl, Ad = 1-adamantyl...

C–C Bond Formation at an Aluminacyclopropane | Organometallics (pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...)
Published as part of Organometallics special issue “Organometallic Chemistry Beyond the Transition Metals:
Fundamentals and Applications of the P-Block”

Day 4 at #eucomc2025 starts with a feast on #alkalimetalchemistry and the unique perspectives that #Cs offers in catalysis with first #plenary speaker @remglasgow.bsky.social @unistrathclyde.bsky.social #group1metals #theheavierthebetter

Merci beaucoup, Fanny!

Today we had Georgii Nikonov visiting. Thx for the lecture and joining us on a Franco Ian-Dutch-Belgian beer road trip🍺🍺🍺

Room Temperature Ring Opening of Benzene by Four-Electron Reduction and Carbonylation Cleaving a benzene ring under mild conditions requires disrupting its aromaticity, which is a significant challenge in modern chemistry. Although the generation of cyclic products from cleaving benzen...

Our work on the room-temperature ring-opening of benzene is now published in JACS. Great teamwork and thanks for the kind comments from the reviewers!
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

A Ca(I) synthon with bridging N2 is key to the synthesis of homometallic Ca peroxide and oxide complexes. In solution, the Ca oxide complex decomposes even at -80 C. It can only be prepared in the solid state. @ChemCommun @RoySocChem shorturl.at/AUoWM

Thanks very much to Mason Wakley from @chemistryworld.com for this really nice write-up from our latest paper. 🙏🏻

Zwei ERC Advanced Grants für Prof. Dr. Maria Chekhova und Prof. Dr. Sjoerd Harder Ein erneuter Beweis für die Forschungsstärke am Wissenschaftsstandort Erlangen-Nürnberg: Zwei Forschende der Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) sind jetzt mit jeweils einem der…

Zwei ERC Advanced Grants für Forschende der Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät! Prof. Dr. Maria Chekhova (Physik) und Prof. Dr. Sjoerd Harder (Chemie) erhalten je 2,5 Mio. Euro Förderung für ihre Projekte zu Quantenlicht und unedlen Metallen.

Mehr Infos: www.nat.fau.de/2025/06/17/z...

Zwei ERC Advanced Grants für FAU-Forschende Zwei Forschende der FAU sind mit jeweils einem der begehrten Advanced Grants des Europäischen Forschungsrats ausgezeichnet worden.

Rund 5 Millionen Euro Forschungsförderung für Projekte in der Physik und Chemie an der FAU! Prof. Dr. Maria Chekhova und Prof. Dr. Sjoerd Harder erhalten jeweils einen ERC Advanced Grant 🎉

👇 Mehr erfahren über die geförderten Projekte:
www.fau.de/2025/06/news...

I Hope… Definitely will buy you a beer on our next encounter 🍺

Thx Robert. Lots of work to do!

Thx!

Thx David. Next round on me 🍺🍺🍺

Danke Dominik! Cheers 🍻

A LOT OF MONEY FOR CHEAP METALS: Happy that our group has been awarded an ERC-ADVANCED GRANT extending our unique chemistry on main group M(0) chemistry. We thank the many reviewers that trust us continuing to do COOL (OR HOT?) CHEMISTRY. We won’t disappoint you! @FAU #ERCAdG

OPEN SINGLET DIRADICALOID as intermediate in the Ca-mediated reductive coupling of isocyanide finally resulting in a deltate complex. A unique mechanism in group 2 metal mediated reductive C-C coupling @ChemicalScience pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...

Congratulations! Persistence pays off. Wish the team a flying start 👍

LOW-VALENT Si, Ge, Sn, Pb: HOW LOW CAN WE GO???
Hydrocarbon-soluble Mg(0) reduces Si all the way to Si(4-). Unfortunately not stable and decomposing to the HSi(3-) anion. However, Sn(4-) is stable and functions as 4-fold Nu or 8e reducing agent. Preprint: shorturl.at/4mH0O

One day in the year the Harder lab turns orange. Great Beer Tasting session with 12 beers from Holland, Belgium and France🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺

Bismuth Meets Olefins: Ethylene Activation and Reversible Alkene Insertion into Bi─N Bonds Well-defined cationic bismuth compounds have been exposed to simple α-olefins, including the benchmark substrate ethylene. Unprecedented and facile insertion, extrusion, and olefin exchange scenarios....

Bismuth meets olefins! Happy to share our recent contribution to small molecule activation with #Bismuth: peerless reversible ethylene and alpha-olefin insertion into Bi-N bonds. Now out @angewandtechemie.bsky.social: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Invited lecture at the Technical University Dresden. Great when the host also runs a fantastic brewery! Thank you for a fantastic day and hospitality Jan Weigand and colleagues 👍🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺

Thx. I pass on the compliments.

Hexaphenyl-1,2-Diphosphonium Dication [Ph3P–PPh3]2+: Superacid, Superoxidant, or Super Reagent? The oxidation of triphenylphosphine by perfluorinated phenaziniumF aluminate in difluorobenzene affords hexaaryl-1,2-diphosphonium dialuminate 1. Dication 12+ is valence isoelectronic with elusive hex...

Oxidizing PPh3 generates a powerful reagent - Read more about this cool molecule @jacs.acspublications.org (previously @chemrxiv.bsky.social) Congrats to @fabiandankert.bsky.social, Simon, Sergi, Chandan & Sneha 🎊🍾
[Ph3P–PPh3]2+: Superacid, Superoxidant, Super Reagent? pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

K and Sr join forces in N2 reduction: We describe the loooong road to Sr-N2 complexes. So reactive!!! Converts Teflon within minutes in a soluble form of K+F- @AngewChem doi.org/10.1002/anie...

Synthesis of Molecular Organo‐f‐Element‐Polyphosphides with Non‐Classical Divalent Lanthanide Precursors The coordination and functionalization of white phosphorus (P4) by transition metal and main group element compounds has led to a great variety of polyphosphides. However, larger polyphosphides of th....

And we are also thrilled to share our latest communication out now in @angewandtechemie.bsky.social on the "Synthesis of Molecular Organo-f-Element-Polyphosphides with Non-Classical Divalent Lanthanide Precursors":
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

TOMORROW: the first Global Inorganic Virtual Seminar with @TheBartLab and @harder_research riceuniversity.zoom.us/webinar/regi...