Dr. Roland Roesler

Research Interests
Research interests are centered in the relatively broad area of synthetic inorganic chemistry, with emphasis on the chemistry of the main group elements. Of particular interest are compounds involving bonds between the elements of the groups 13, 14 and 15, as well as combinations of these elements with transition metals. The goals are both the development of new molecular materials and the characterization of novel bonding patterns for the main group elements.

The research is dedicated primarily to the investigation of compounds containing main group element frameworks. Current projects include the design and synthesis of N-heterocyclic carbenes and carbenoids with inorganic backbones, the isolation of novel cyclopentadienyl analogs with inorganic frameworks and their use in sandwich complexes, as well as the characterization of other compounds with main group frameworks. The synthesis makes use of the inert atmosphere methodology specific to organometallic chemistry, involving vacuum and Schlenk techniques supported by glove boxes. A wide range of methods are used for the characterization of the products, primarily multinuclear Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy, Mass Spectrometry and X-ray crystallography. In addition Infra Red, Raman, Fluorescence, Ultra Violet - Visible, and Electron Spin Resonance spectroscopy, as well as electrochemical methods are employed.

Other interests include calixarene chemistry, intermolecular interactions in the solid state and supramolecular chemistry, the reactivity of low coordinate transition metal compounds, the use of organometallic compounds of the main group elements in organic chemistry, and the mechanism of inorganic transformations.