Main Content

Research

Research in the AG Tambornino treads the ground between inorganic molecular and solid-state chemistry. Our focus lies on reactive species comprising pseudohalogen ions. We are interested in the syntheses and stabilisation of the at times highly reactive species as well as their reactivities.

  • Quasibinäry pseudohalogen compounds

    While the coordination chemistry of the thiocyanate anion (SCN–) is well known, the solid state chemistry of the quasibinary thiocyanates is somewhat lesser known. We see this even more for its chalcogen homologues: Of the cyanate (OCN–) and selenocyanate (SeCN–) only scarce few quasibinary salts are known.

    Within this context we aim to systematically investigate syntheses and properties of this substance classes. We are especially interested in structure-property relationships, the elucidation of their crystal structures, the rationalisation of phase transitions as well as the reactivity of these compounds.

    Selected references:
    [1] A. Shlyaykher, M. Ehmann, A. J. Karttunen, F. Tambornino*, "A Comprehensive Study on the Full Series of Alkali Metal Selenocyanates AI[SeCN] (AI = Li – Cs)", Chem. Eur. J. 2021, 27(54), 13552–13557.
    [2] Alena Shlyaykher, Thomas Pippinger, Thomas Schleid, Olaf Reckeweg, Frank Tambornino*, "Syntheses, crystallographic characterization and structural relations of Rb[SCN]",
    Z. Kristallogr. – Cryst. Mater. 2022, 648(10), e202100389.

  • Heavy homologues of carbonyl(pseudo) halogenides

    The most well-known carbonyl halide is probably phosgene (COCl2). With a global annual production volume of >8500 kilotons (2015) it is one of the most important C1 synthons in chemical industry. Less known are the respective pseudohalogen homologues, e.g. carbonyl diisocyanate (CO(NCO)2), carbonyl diisothiocyanate (CO(NCS)2) or carbonyl diazide (CO(N3)2). The situation is similar for the related oxalyl-compounds, e.g. oxalyl diisothiocyanate (CO(NCS))2

    Within this project we find new ways towards the syntheses of these highly reactive and sensitive compounds. We focus on the characterization and subsequently on the reactivities of these unusual compounds.

    Selected references:
    [1] J. Pfeiffer, C. Trost, A. Pachkovska, and F. Tambornino*, "A Crystallographic, Spectroscopic, and Computational Investigation of Carbonyl and Oxalyl Diisothiocyanate",
    Inorg. Chem. 2021, 60, 10722–10728.