The actual
scientific interests are mainly addressed to the following
areas:
-
Use of chiral
organic as well as organometallic catalysts for the synthesis
of enantiomerically pure compounds of pharmacological
interest;
-
Design and
development of new recoverable and reusable catalysts via
nanostructured deposition ono inert surfaces;
-
Synthesis and
characterization of new organometallic phosphorous for applications
in opto-electronics.
Homogeneous Asymmetric
Catalysis
The challenging design and realization of
innovative homogeneous chiral catalysts has been addressed with the
realization of efficient organometallic and metallo-free systems to
be exploited in peculiar organic reactivities. Among the others the
following organic reactions have been investigated: allylation of
aldehydes, Michael additions, Friedel-Crafts alkylations,
nitroaldol condensations, hydrosilylation of prochiral carbonyls.
These studies have been object of high international recognition
and diffusion.
Asymmetric Catalysis with Supported
Catalysts
The recovering and reusability of
chiral catalytic species is a demanding and crucial aspect in
asymmetric synthesis. A new class of chiral diamino-oligothiophene
ligands (DATn) have been developed and their catalytic performances
assessed in nucleophilic allylic alkylations, Henry reactions and
reductions of prochiral ketones. The ligands and corresponding
metal complexes have been also tethered to soluble polymers
(i.e. PEG5000), incarcerate into insoluble microcapsules and
electrochemical deposited onto inert surfaces. Efficiency,
recoverability and reusability were demonstrated in a number of
asymmetric transformations and the consequent
investigations.
New Organometallic
Phosphorous for OLED.
Recently, cyclometalated
organometallic complexes of Ir(III) have risen to prominence in the
international scenario due to their efficiency as
phosphorescent dopant for organic light emitting diodes. Within
this topic, research efforts have been devoted to the synthesis,
crystallographic and photophysical characterization of new classes
of neutral Ir-complexes bearing unprecedented ancillary ligands. In
particular, bis-oxazoline ligands have proved to suitable
candidates for the production of thermally stable complexes
with exceptionally high photophysical properties. Ongoing
collaborations with teams of the University of Bologna and with the
University of Salento (Italy) constitute an active network for this
interdisciplinary research field.
