Prof. Frank Glorius

Organisch-Chemisches Institut der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität

e-mail: glorius@uni-muenster.de

Catalysis is a key technology of our modern societies, since it allows for increased levels of selectivity and efficacy of chemical transformations. While significant progress can be made by rational design or engineered step-by-step improvements, many pressing challenges in the field require the discovery of new and formerly unexpected results. Arguably, the question “How to discover?” is at the heart of the scientific process.
In this talk, strategies and discoveries from the Glorius group will be discussed. Topics might involve art,1 the use of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) in different fields of catalysis2-4 and also photocatalysis.5

Landing of of Columbus at the Island of Guanahani, West Indies, 12 October 1492, John Vanderlyn, 1836-47.

1) L. Rakers, L. Tebben,* F. Glorius*, Chem. Eur. J. 2017, 23, 5860.
2) Review: Hopkinson, M. N.; Richter, C.; Schedler, M.; Glorius, F., Nature 2014, 510, 485.
3) G. Wang, A. Rühling, …, N. L. Doltsinis, F. Glorius,* H. Fuchs,* Nature Chem. 2017, 9, 152.
4) M. P. Wiesenfeldt, Z. Nairoukh, W. Li, F. Glorius, Science 2017, 357, 908.
5) Hopkinson, M. N.; Gomez-Suarez, A.; Teders, M.; Sahoo, B.; Glorius, F. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 4361.