Functional Light-Responsive Metal Carbonyl Systems

The formation of metal carbonyls represents some of the earliest observations of organometallic chemistry. Metal interactions with carbon monoxide play a central role in the fields of catalysis and bioorganometallic research including medicinal inorganic chemistry. In the present project, we will focus on the photoreactivity of novel metal carbonyl systems with improved light-responsive properties. One major goal of the current research proposal is the synthesis of water soluble derivatives of light-controlled organometallic compounds. Furthermore, systematic studies will be carried out to provide photoresponsive carbonyl systems that can be controlled by red-light or near infrared light (NIR) excitation. Potential applications of these novel compounds for the design of different photocatalytic processes will be explored in detail. These efforts will include the characterization of NIR-sensitive systems for light-controlled CO-release (photo-CORMs), novel organometallic multielectron transfer catalysts for the investigation of photoinduced CO2-reduction in homogeneous solution, and polynuclear compounds for bio-inspired H2-photogeneration based on water soluble metal carbonyl complexes. Key Words: Organometallic Chemistry, Coordination Chemistry, Photochemistry, Carbonyl Complexes, Photocatalysis, Light-Triggered Processes