Research
The pivotal common feature amongst the projects developed in the group is the use of non-noble metals as catalysts for the development of new C─C or C─Heteroatom bond formations. New systems allowing formation of C─C bonds by cross-coupling or C─H activation of weakly activated hydrocarbons are developed, mediated by cheap transition metals (e.g. Fe, Mn, Ni or Cu …). An interest is also put in applying those methodologies to larger scales with potential industrial applications, such as the synthesis of pheromonal mixtures or molecules of pharmaceutical interest.
Moreover, a strong focus is put on the understanding of the mechanistic facets of the investigated transformations. Ligand effects, kinetics parameters, as well as spin and redox properties of tailor-made catalysts can efficiently be tuned thanks to mechanistic understanding in order to improve the selectivity of a productive path. Those mechanistic studies are carried out from both experimental and theoretical standpoints; 1H paramagnetic NMR, EPR, molecular electrochemistry are therefore used as routine techniques. In the case of iron-based systems, strong collaborations with other groups specialized in Mössbauer spectroscopy allow us to gather additional valuable insights.
Our last interest, inseparable from the above-mentioned approach, resides in the characterization of new highly reactive organometallics species, especially at low oxidation states – a thorough analysis and a mapmaking of the elementary steps undergone by those new systems (such as 1-electron and 2-electron redox processes, ligand dynamics, atom / group transfer …) being of high inspiration for developing further catalytic transformations.
Contact
Dr. Guillaume Lefèvre
CNRS, Chimie ParisTech
11 rue Pierre et Marie Curie
75231 Paris Cedex 5
France
Email : guillaume.lefevre@chimieparistech.psl.eu
Telephone : +33 1 85 78 41 70