Research in our group is primarily directed toward the coordination chemistry of main group element in unusual oxidation states, the design of novel “frustrated Lewis pairs” and applications thereof to homogeneous catalysis and organic synthesis.

Total Synthesis (I), TU Dortmund, WS 2009/2010
Principles in Organometallic Chemistry, TU Dortmund, SS 2010
Stereoselective Synthesis (I), TU Dortmund, WS 2010/2011
Stereoselective Synthesis (II), TU Dortmund, SS 2011
Total Synthesis (I), TU Dortmund, WS 2011/2012
Stereoselective Synthesis, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, SS 2012 (please find the slides here)
35. "Synthesis and reactivity of electron poor allenes: formation of completely organic frustrated Lewis pairs" D. Palomas, B. Inés, S. Holle, R. Goddard, M. Alcarazo, Dalton Trans. 2012, DOI: 10.1039/C2DT30195D.
34. "Fullerenes as neutral carbon-based Lewis acids" J. Iglesias-Sigüenza, M. Alcarazo, Angew. Chem. 2012, 124, 1553; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2012, 51, 1523.
33. "Synthesis, structure, and reactivity of carbene-stabilized phosphorus(III)-centered trications [L3P]3+" J. Petuškova, M. Patil, S. Holle, C. W. Lehmann, W. Thiel, M. Alcarazo, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 20758.
32. "Catalysis-based and protecting-group-free total syntheses of the marine oxylipins hybridalactone and the ecklonialactones A, B, and C" V. Hickmann, A. Kondoh, B. Gabor, M. Alcarazo, A. Fürstner, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 13471.
31. "Synthesis, structure, and reactivity of a dihydrido borenium cation" B. Inés, M. Patil, J. Carreras, R. Goddard, W. Thiel, M. Alcarazo, Angew. Chem. 2011, 123, 8550; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 8400.
30. "Cyclopropenylylidene-stabilized diaryl and dialkyl phosphenium cations: applications in homogeneous gold catalysis" J. Petuškova, H. Bruns, M. Alcarazo, Angew. Chem. 2011, 123, 34883; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 3799.
29. "On the metallic nature of carbon in allenes and heterocumulenes" M. Alcarazo, Dalton Trans. 2011, 40, 1839.
28. "Metal complexes with carbene ligands stabilized by lateral enamines" M. Alcarazo, K. Radkowski, R. Goddard, A. Fürstner, Chem. Commun. 2011, 47, 776.
27. "Heterocyclic S–S bond cleavage by a purely carbogenic frustrated Lewis pair" B. Inés, S. Holle, R. Goddard, M. Alcarazo, Angew. Chem. 2010, 122, 8567; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 8389.
26. "A new class of singlet carbene ligands" M. Alcarazo, R. M. Suárez, R. Goddard, A. Fürstner, Chem.–Eur. J. 2010, 16, 9746.
25. "Protecting-group-free and catalysis-based total synthesis of the ecklonialactones" V. Hickmann, M. Alcarazo, A. Fürstner, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 11042.
24. "Exploring the reactivity of carbon (0)/borane-based frustrated Lewis pairs" M. Alcarazo, C. Gomez, S. Holle, R. Goddard, Angew. Chem. 2010, 122 ,5924 [Erratum: Angew. Chem. 2010, 122, 5730]; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 5788 [Erratum: Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 5597].
23. "Stereoselective synthesis of cationic heterobidentate C(NHC)/SR rhodium(I) complexes using stereodirecting N,N-dialkylmaino groups" A. Ros, M. Alcarazo, D. Monge, E. Álvarez, R. Fernández, J. M. Lassaletta, Tetrahedron: Asymmetry 2010, 21, 1557.
22. "Synthesis and coordination properties of nitrogen(I)-based ligands" H. Bruns, M. Patil, J. Carreras, A. Vázquez, W. Thiel, R. Goddard, M. Alcarazo, Angew. Chem. 2010, 122, 3762; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 3680.
21. "Steering the surprisingly modular π-acceptor properties of N-heterocyclic carbenes: Implications for gold catalysis" M. Alcarazo, T. Stork, A. Anoop, W. Thiel, A. Fürstner, Angew. Chem. 2010, 122, 2596; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 2542.
20. "Synthesis, structure and properties of [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-3-ylidene rhodium and palladium complexes" J. Iglesias-Sigüenza, A. Ros, E. Díez, M. Alcarazo, E. Álvarez, R. Fernández, J. M. Lassaletta, Dalton Trans. 2009, 7113.
19. "Tetrakis(dimethylamino)allene" A. Fürstner, M. Alcarazo, H. Krause, Org. Synth. 2009, 86, 298.
18. "Coordination Chemistry at Carbon" M. Alcarazo, C. W. Lehmann, A. Anoop, W. Thiel, A. Fürstner, Nat. Chem. 2009, 1, 295.
17. "Stereoselective synthesis of Rh(I) 4-(dialkylamino)triazol-5-yledene complexes" A. Ros, M. Alcarazo, J. Iglesias-Sigüenza, E. Díez, E. Álvarez, R. Fernández, J. M. Lassaletta, Organometallics 2008, 27, 4555.
16. "Carbenes stabilized by ylides: pushing the limits" A. Fürstner, M. Alcarazo, K. Radkowski , W. Lehmann, Angew. Chem. 2008, 120, 8426; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 8302.
15. "Coordination chemistry of ene-1,1-diamines and a prototype "carbodicarbene"" A. Fürstner, M. Alcarazo, R. Goddard, C. W. Lehmann, Angew. Chem. 2008, 120, 3254; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 3210.
14. "Preparation of a non-symmetrical imidazolium salt: 1-adamantyl-3-mesityl-4,5-dimethylimidazaloium tetrafluoroborate" A. Fürstner, M. Alcarazo, V. César, H. Krause, Org. Synth. 2008, 85, 34.
13. "Effective modulation of the donor properties of N-heterocyclic carbene ligands by "through-space" communication within a planar chiral scaffold" A. Fürstner, M. Alcarazo, H. Krause, C. W. Lehmann, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 12676.
12. "Enantioselective conjugate addition of N,N-dialkylhydrazones to α-hydroxy enones" D. Monge, E. Martín-Zamora, J. Vázquez, M. Alcarazo, E. Álvarez, R. Fernández, J. M. Lassaletta, Org. Lett. 2007, 9, 2867.
11. "Imidazo[1,5-a]pyridin-3-ylidene/thioether mixed C/S ligands and complexes thereof" S. J. Roseblade, A. Ros, D. Monge, M. Alcarazo, E. Álvarez, J. M. Lassaletta, R. Fernández, Organometallics 2007, 26, 2570.
10. "Isoquinolin-1-ylidenes as electronically tuneable ligands" S. Gómez-Bujedo, M. Alcarazo, C. Pichon, E. Álvarez, R. Fernández, J. M. Lassaletta, Chem. Commun. 2007, 1180.
9. "Synthesis, structure and applications of N-dialkylamino-N’-alkylimidazol-2-ylidenes as a new type of NHC ligands" A. Ros, D. Monge, M. Alcarazo, E. Álvarez, J. M. Lassaletta, R. Fernández, Organometallics 2006, 25, 6039.
8. "Convenient, scalable and flexible method for the preparation of imidazolium salts with previously inaccessible substitution patterns" A. Fürstner, M. Alcarazo, V. César, C. W. Lehmann, Chem. Commun. 2006, 2176.
7. "Synthesis, structure and electronic properties of N-dialkylamino and N-alkoxy-1,2,4-triazol-3-ylidene ligands" M. Alcarazo, R. Fernández, E. Álvarez, J. M. Lassaletta, J. Organomet. Chem. 2005, 690, 5979.
6. "Magnesium bis(monoperoxyphathalate) hexahydrate (MMPP)" M. Alcarazo Velasco, Synlett 2005, 1807.
5. "Imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine: A versatile architecture for N-Heterocyclic carbenes" M. Alcarazo, S. J. Roseblade, A. R. Cowley, R. Fernández, J. M. Brown, J. M. Lassaletta, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 3290.
4. "1,3-Bis(N,N-dialkylamino)imidazolin-2-ylidenes: synthesis and reactivity of a new family of stable N-heterocyclic carbenes" M. Alcarazo, S. J. Roseblade, E. Alonso, R. Fernández, E. Alvarez, F. J. Lahoz, J. M. Lassaletta, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 13242.
3. "Glyoxal bis-hydrazones: a new family of nitrogen ligands for asymmetric catalysis" J. M. Lassaletta, M. Alcarazo, R. Fernández, Chem. Commun. 2004, 298.
2. "Synthesis and spectroelectrochemical studies of mixed heteroleptic chelate complexes of ruthenium (II) with 1,8-bis(2-pyridyl)-3,6-dithiaoctane (pdto) and substituted 1,10-phenanthrolines" L. A. Ortiz-Frade, L. Ruiz-Ramírez, I. González, A. Marín-Becerra, M. Alcarazo, J. G. Alvarado-Rodriguez, R. Moreno-Esparza, Inorg. Chem. 2003, 42, 1825.
1. "Synthesis of α-hydroxyhydrazones from aldehydes" R. Fernández, E. Martín-Zamora, C. Pareja, M. Alcarazo, J. Martín, J. M. Lassaletta, Synlett 2001, 1158.
It is well established that the reactivity of a metal can be dramatically modulated by the appropriate ligand selection. Typical ligands used in organometallic chemistry and catalysis are phosphines, CO, isonitriles, imines… More recently N-heterocyclic carbenes, a family of compounds based on low valent C(II), have gained a prominent role in the area due to their powerful electron donor ability. This property has led to a tremendous rate enhancement for some catalytic processes, in particular cross-coupling reactions or olefin metathesis. Surprisingly, the use of ligands based on other main group elements in low oxidation state, such as N(I), P(I), Si(II) and Ge(II), is still scarce even though they may be more electron releasing than carbenes. It is the objective of this project to synthesize some of these compounds and to study their coordination chemistry and possible applications in catalysis.
The combination of sterically demanding Lewis acids and bases does not produce the classical neutralization reaction to form Lewis adducts. Instead the unquenched acidity and basicity that coexist in the same media are able to promote unexpected reactions such as the heterolytic cleavage of dihydrogen or the activation of carbon dioxide. However, most of the known “frustrated Lewis pairs” (FLP) rely on P-, C- or N-based Lewis bases combined with a polyfluorinated borane. As an alternative to B(C6F5)3 we have employed electron poor allenes. In these compounds the intrinsic charge separation resulting from the tendency of the substituents to accept electronic density generates a partial carbocationic character on the allene central carbon, rendering this center a potential borane surrogate.
Dr. Alcarazo, Manuel
+49(0)208/306-2428
Dr. Carreras, Javier
+49(0)208/306-2474
Costa, Paolo
Dr. Gualco, Pauline
+49(0)208/306-2475
Holle, Sigrid
+49(0)208/306-2474
Dr. Iglesias Sigüenza, Francisco Javier
+49(0)208/306-2475
Dr. Ines Tejedor, Blanca
+49(0)208/306-2474
Dr. Khan, Shabana
+49(0)208/306-2475
Klein, Betina
+49(0)208/306-2474
Kozma, Ágnes
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Mehler, Gerlinde
+49(0)208/306-2429
Nicasio Collazo, Juan Antonio
+49(0)208/306-2474
Dr. Palomas Dona, David
Petuškova, Jekaterina
Prades Ferrer, Amparo
Steinberg, Sebastian
+49(0)208/306-2429
Truckenbrodt, Jens