Research

Main areas of research: coordination and organometallic chemistry, synthesis of heterofunctional ligands, hemilabile metal-ligand systems, metal-metal bonded (hetero)dinuclear, cluster complexes, coordination clusters, homogeneous catalysis, cluster-derived nanoparticles, quinonoid zwitterions and their assembly on metal surfaces.

His main research interests deal with the inorganic and organometallic chemistry of the transition and main group elements. This includes the synthesis of heterofunctional ligands, of NHC ligands, of quinonoid zwitterions, the study and catalytic relevance of hemilabile metal-ligand systems, of metal-metal bonded (hetero)dinuclear and cluster complexes and of coordination clusters. Applications range from homogeneous catalysis, e.g. ethylene oligomerization, to nanosciences.

Career

• since 2014 CNRS Emeritus Research Director at the University of Strasbourg and “Professeur conventionné de l’Université de Strasbourg », France
• 2003-2014 CNRS Research Director (except. class) at the University of Strasbourg, France
• 1990 CNRS Research Director (1st class)
• 1979 CNRS Maître de Recherche
• 1975 Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the TU Munich (Prof. E. O. Fischer) and Chargé de Recherche CNRS
• 1974 Dr. dès Sciences (State Doctorate) at the Université Louis Pasteur Strasbourg, France
• 1972 Stagiaire de recherche CNRS and Research Associate at Universty College London (Profs. R. S. Nyholm and R. J. H. Clark), UK
• 1971 Dr. Ing. at the Université Louis Pasteur Strasbourg, France
• 1965-1969 Dipl. Ing. from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Mulhouse, France

Functions

• since 2016  Member of the Expertengremium für die Exzellenzstrategie (joint nomination of the German National Research Council (Wissenschaftsrat) and the DFG.
• Since 2012 Member of the International Program Committee for the Millennium Science Initiative in Chile
• 2011-2016 Member of the Strategy Commission of the German National Research Council (Wissenschaftsrat)
• 2010-2015 Member of Panel PE5 “Materials and synthesis” - Advanced Grants of the European Research Council
• since 2007 Vice-Président of the Fondation Nationale Alfred Kastler
• 2006-2012 President of the Alumni of the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Mulhouse
• 2005-2009 Member of the Council of the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK
• since 2002 Editor-in-chief of Comptes Rendus Acad. Sciences, Paris, France
• 1995-2004 Member of the Comité National de la Chimie, Paris, France
• 1990-1994 President of the Coordination Chemistry Division of the French Chemical Society

Projects

• since 1995 Numerous national and international research projects
• 1992-1995 President of the coordination committee of the European Science Foundation Network "Metal Clusters"

Honours and Memberships

• 2018 Distinguished Visiting Scholar, University of Hong-Kong                   
• 2018-2023 Distinguished Honorary Professor Yangzhou University        
• 2017-2022 Appointed Academic “Master” of the “111 Project” Rubber-Plastics Materials and Engineering Overseas Expertise Introduction Center for Discipline Innovation, Qingdao University of Science and Technology (China)               
• 2017-2020 Chair Professor Soochow University (China)    
• 2017-2019 Qiushi Chair Professor of Zhejiang University (China)
• 2017 Officier de l’Ordre National du Mérite                
• 2016-2019 Visiting Professor at Qingdao University of Science and Technology (China)
• 2015 Head of the Chemistry Division of the European Academy of Sciences    
• 2015 Foreign Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of Lisbon
• 2013-2017 Distinguished Visiting Scientist, Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*STAR, Singapore
• 2013 Grand Prix Pierre Süe of the French Chemical Society      
• 2013 Sacconi Medal and Lecture, Italian Chemical Society
• 2013 International Award of the Japanese Society of Coordination Chemistry        
• 2013 Award of the International Organic Chemistry Foundation, Kyoto, Japan
• 2013 Nominated “Technische Universität Munich” (TUM) Ambassador
• 2009 Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur        
• 2008 Descartes-Huygens Prize, Dutch Academy of Sciences
• 2006 Honorary Professor – Chinese Academy of Sciences – Beijing, China
• 2005 Member of the French Academy of Sciences
• 2005 Member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• 2004 Grand Prix of the Institut Français du Pétrole of the French Academy of Sciences
• 2003 Nyholm Lecture and Medal, Royal Society of Chemistry
• 2003 Chini Memorial Lecture, Italian Chemical Society
• 2002 Member of the European Academy of Sciences
• 2002 Member of Academia Europaea
• 2002 Corresponding Member of the Saragossa Academy of Sciences, Spain
• 2002 Otto Warburg Prize, Germany
• 1999 Grignard-Georg Wittig Prize, French Chem. Soc. and Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker
• 1998 1st Awardee of the franco-spannish Prize Paul Sabatier - Miguel Catalán, French Chemical Society and Royal Spannish Chemical Society
• 1996 Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, CChem FRSC
• 1995 Grand Prix Raymond Beer of the French Chemical Society
• 1993 Corresponding Member of the French Academy of Sciences
• 1991 Max Planck-Forschungspreis, jointly with H. Vahrenkamp, Germany
• 1989 Silver Medal of the CNRS
• 1988 Alexander von Humboldt-Forschungspreis