A one-year postdoctoral position (with opportunity for extension for a second year) in the field of organometallic chemistry is available in Prof. Dr. Cristina Nevado’s research group at the University of Zurich in Switzerland. The project is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNFS) and will be conducted under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Cristina Nevado and Dr. Jaime Martín. The research will focus on the isolation and characterization of novel gold(III) complexes and their application in catalysis. For more information about the research group, please visit our website.
Your responsibilities
Over the past two decades, homogeneous gold catalysis has emerged as a powerful tool to build molecular complexity, largely due to gold’s carbophilic π-acid properties. While gold(I) chemistry has traditionally been more studied, the interest in gold(III) compounds has increased significantly due to their promising applications in material science, antitumoral investigation, and catalysis. The use of bidentate and tridentate chelating ligands has been pivotal in accessing gold(III) complexes, as they can modulate the redox properties of the metal and stabilize species that would otherwise be highly reactive and difficult to study.
Our group is particularly keen to characterize and study key elementary steps in gold(III) chemistry. Recently, we have developed new classes of (N^C), (N^C^C) and (P^N^C) ligands, which have successfully stabilized previously elusive gold(III)-species such as the fluoride, formate, and hydride complexes. The goal of this postdoctoral project will be to synthesize and characterize novel species in gold(III) chemistry and explore their application in catalysis.
Key references: Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015, 54, 14287; J. Am. Chem. Soc 2016, 138, 13790; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 1994; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 12862; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022, 61, e 202116755; Inorg. Chem. 2024, 63, 8390.
Your profile
The postdoctoral researcher will join a multidisciplinary and international team lead by Prof. Cristina Nevado. This is the successful applicant’s profile:
- PhD in Chemistry with a strong background in organic, inorganic and organometallic chemistry.
- Experience in the synthesis and characterization of sensitive organometallic complexes is essential.
- Proficiency in inert atmosphere techniques (glovebox, vacuum line, Schlenk techniques) and characterization methods (NMR, IR, UV-Vis, MS).
- Knowledge of X-ray diffraction analysis and EPR is desirable.
- Excellent command of English, both spoken and written.
- Strong scientific communication skills.
- Well-developed organizational abilities, independence, proactive learning attitude and ability to work effectively in a team.
Information on your application
Please submit your application, containing a short CV (max. 2 pages), academic record, motivation letter, and reference details, as one PDF file.