Harder Research Group

REDOX-REACTIVITY of Yb and Sm inverse sandwich benzene complexes. An interesting observation is that, depending on substrate, benzene(4-) can reduce Sm(III) to Sm(II). doi.org/10.1002/chem...

Silicon‐Based Azo Compound‐Mediated CO Activation and N2 Release A rare silicon(IV)-based azo compound featuring a Si─N═N─Si linkage was synthesized via the direct reaction of an organoazide with a silaiminyl–silylene precursor. This compound undergoes an unusual ...

Hey #ChemSky, need a read to start of the week? How about our latest #OpenAccess research article on ”Silicon-Based Azo Compound-Mediated CO Activation and N2 Release“ out now in @angewandtechemie.bsky.social: doi.org/10.1002/anie...

A Highly Reduced Magnesium Dicobalt Complex for the Hydrogenation of Tri- and Tetra-Substituted Alkenes The reaction of [K(thf)0.33][Co(η4-cod)2] (E; cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) with 0.5 equiv of MgCl2 led to the isolation of the magnesium dicobalt complex Mg[Co(η4-cod)2]2 (1). Complex 1 forms a tight ionic complex in the solid state and in toluene solution due to electrostatic interactions between the Mg2+ cation and the [Co(η4-cod)2]− anions. The complex is a successful precatalyst for the hydrogenation of sterically challenging tri- and tetra-substituted alkenes, surpassing the catalytic capabilities of related alkali metal and β-diketiminate magnesium complexes.

Check out our latest publication: A Highly Reduced Magnesium Dicobalt Complex for the Hydrogenation of Tri- and Tetra-Substituted Alkenes | Organometallics pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Ending the week on a high! Check out our comparison of manganate and magnesiate now published in ChemComm! Great team effort @bathchem.bsky.social with @tobiaskramer.bsky.social in understanding these elusive bimetallics!

Cesium showing its tricks again! Great stuff 👍

CAPTURING CHALCOGENIDES: A soluble Mg(0) metal crown complex reduces and captures chalcogenes. Large anions Se(2-) and Te(2-) need ring enlargement. Highlight: a first molecular s-block metal telluride complex with nearly planar pentacoordinated Te(2-). shorturl.at/n4TUm

Thx Rab, I will pass it on to the team

Thx Robert. The beauty of low valent group 2 chemistry!

THIS CHALLENGING SYNTHESIS completes the (BDI)Ae-(benzene)-Ae(BDI) series (Ae = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba) with Ba. We show trends in stability, structure, bonding and reactivity. Reacting like (BDI)Ba-Ba(BDI) this is the first Ba(I) synthon. shorturl.at/ZdToA @chemicalscience.rsc.org

P4 REDUCTION generally results in multi-nuclear Zintl anions: P8(2-), P4(2-) or P7(3-). Reaction with a soluble Mg(0) complex gave full reduction to P(3-). Latter anion serves as a triple base, a three-fold nucleophile or 3e-reducing agent. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.10

Alkaline earth metals: heterometallic bonding The alkaline earth metals are notorious for their tendency to form ionic compounds of their dications. In recent years, however, chemists have found ways to kinetically skirt around the edges of these...

Liam Griffin and I have reviewed recent advances in the heterometallic bonding chemistry of the alkaline earth metals @daltontrans.rsc.org. It was fun to put this together, and we hope it's useful!
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...

Cool👍

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 🍻