Research

How can light, mechanical force, and earth-abundant catalysts change the way we form chemical bonds?

I study this question through photo-mechanochemistry, visible-light catalysis, and manganese-catalyzed hydrogen transfer.

Manganese catalysis

My early work explored manganese(I) complexes as alternatives to precious-metal catalysts for C–C bond formation. In borrowing-hydrogen catalysis, the catalyst temporarily removes hydrogen from an alcohol and returns it later in the catalytic cycle.

We used this strategy to couple ketones with secondary alcohols and access β-branched carbonyl compounds, with water as the only by-product.

Manganese-catalyzed α-alkylation · Chem. Commun. (2020)

Visible-light catalysis

I use two ways to transfer the energy of visible light into a reaction. In photoredox catalysis, electron transfer enables nickel-catalyzed coupling of two electrophiles. In energy-transfer catalysis, a sensitizer excites a substrate and opens pathways such as dearomative cycloadditions.

Photoredox/nickel C(sp²)–C(sp³) coupling · ACS Catalysis (2024)

Dearomative cycloadditions · Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. (2026)

Photo-mechanochemistry

At the University of Bern, I’m investigating how visible light and ball milling can work together to drive organic reactions. I’m interested in when combining these inputs can reduce solvent use or open reaction pathways unavailable with either input alone.

My related work examines the role of organic piezoelectric materials in solid-state redox reactions.

Solid-state redox study · Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. (2026)