We focus on the study of reactive and unusual complexes of the rare earths, actinides, and early transition metals. We use these to make new catalysts for difficult transformations such as hydrocarbon C-H bond activation and CO2 chemistry. Our labs are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment for the synthesis of highly air-sensitive complexes, and the study of their reactivity towards small, inert molecules, particularly in the development of new homogeneous catalysts.

Polly L. Arnold, FRSE, FRSC.

News

Mar '13: Polly discusses unconscious bias against women in science on BBC Radio's 'Newshour'. Listen to the interview here.

Mar '13: Welcome to Dr Rowan Young, starting an EPSRC-funded PDRA position to look at catalytic hydrocarbon chemistry.

Jan '13: our Dalton paper 'Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide insertion chemistry of f-block N-heterocyclic carbene complexes was amongst the top ten accessed articles from the online version of Dalton Transactions. Full list here.

Jan '13: Welcome to Dr Thomas Cadenbach, starting an EPSRC-funded PDRA position on the catalysis of biorenewable monomers and CO2 conversion; part of our new EaStCHEM £3m sustainable catalysis research programme.

Jan '13: Welcome to Dr Alessandro Prescimone, starting an EPSRC-funded PDRA position to study dinuclear uranium complexes, in collaboration with Professors Euan Brechin and Simon Parsons.

Jan '13: Welcome to Rami Batrice, visiting PhD student from Moris Eisen's group in Israel, funded by a COST scholarship to study catalytic alkyne chemistry with us.

Dec '12: work starts on a film about Women in Chemistry.

Dec '12: Two new Drs in a fortnight. Many congratulations to Dr Anne-Frederique Pecharman and Dr Anne Germeroth. Good luck to both in their PDRA positions starting in January.

Nov '12: Welcome to Joy Farnaby, our newest EPSRC-funded PDRA.

Nov '12: Polly collects her Corday-Morgan prize from the RSC.

Oct '12: Polly lectures at the Royal Society in London. Watch the Rosalind Franklin award lecture here.

Oct '12: Congratulations to Dr Nicola Bell for her award of an EPSRC-funded PDRA in our lab.

Jul '12 Stephen's Nature Chem paper is out.

Jul '12: Welcome Prof Kate Joliffe from the University of Sydney, on sabbatical with our groups for the summer.

May '12: Congratulations to Guy Jones for winning the Inorganic lecture prize at Edinburgh.

May '12: Aaron Gamboa is awarded a bursary by the RSC to present his work at a conference in Brazil later this summer. We look forward to new collaborative links with South American researchers.

April '12 Welcome to Dr Timo Bollermann, our new PDRA with a fellowship from the Humboldt Foundation.

Feb '12 Guy's Nature Chem paper is out.

Jan '12: congratulations Anne Germeroth, who has been awarded postdoctoral funding to carry out catalyst development studies on our carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide chemistry.