Professor Dr Gerhard Erker

Gerhard Erker has made major contributions to the fields of catalysis and organometallic chemistry. This includes his work on homogenous Ziegler-Natta olefin polymerization catalysis, about the organometallic stabilization of very unusual coordination geometries at carbon (“planar tetra-coordinate carbon compounds”) and to bio-organometallic chemistry. His major current interest is the chemistry of the “frustrated Lewis pairs”, which is a highly visible emerging new chemical research area.
He has significantly contributed in establishing and developing this new field in which co-existing bulky Lewis acids and bases can undergo cooperative reactions and activate a variety of “small” molecules (hydrogen activation and metal-free hydrogenation catalysis, carbon dioxide binding, persistent radical formation from nitric oxide etc.). Additional current activities involve the development of unusual carboboration reactions and the activation of strong carbon-carbon single bonds.