Our research interests cover several aspects of the coordination chemistry of transition metal complexes, including their synthesis, structural and physicochemical characterization, biological and catalytic applications, and the exploration of novel reaction pathways and activation modes of organic synthons.<\/p>\n
Diiron complexes have emerged as versatile scaffolds for the design and construction of new organometallic architectures, owing to the cooperativity of two adjacent iron centers (two hands work better than one!<\/em>), their ability to mimic biological systems, and the advantages of using a nontoxic, cost-effective metal such as iron. We have developed two benchmark classes of stable compounds that display promising anticancer potential, which is currently under investigation.\u00a0 We are also exploring strategies to functionalize the key bridging ligand to modulate the behaviour of the compounds in both biological environments and metal-mediated organic synthesis.<\/p>\n Selected References<\/em><\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n Acc. Chem. Res. 2026, 59, 1227\u22121243<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2025, 64, e202510795<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n J. Med. Chem. 2024, 67, 11138<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n J. Med. Chem. 2024, 67, 7553<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Inorg. Chem. Front. 2025, 12, 1156<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Coord. Chem. Rev. 2021, 449, 214203<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Chem. Eur. J. 2021, 27, 10169<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Building on the concept that incorporating organic fragments with documented biological functions may enhance drug efficacy, we have focused on the synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of new transition metal complexes containing bioactive fragments, linked to the metal centre through suitable ligands.<\/p>\n Selected References<\/em><\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n Eur. J. Med. Chem. 2025, 286, 117304<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n RSC Med. Chem. 2025, 16 , 4463<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Dalton Trans. 2024, 53 , 13503<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Chem. Eur. J. 2020, 26, 17525<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Eur. J. Med. Chem. 2021, 212, 113143<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n We are interested in developing new synthetic routes to valuable chemicals, by exploring the catalytic potential of iron and ruthenium complexes in the activation of carbon dioxide, dihydrogen and other small molecules. In particular, the facile incorporation of CO2<\/sub> into carbamate ligands provides straightforward access to a variety of compounds of the general formula [M(O2<\/sub>CNR2<\/sub>)n<\/sub>]. These species, in turn, can serve as efficient catalytic precursors in CO2<\/sub>-fixation reactions.<\/p>\n Selected References<\/em><\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n J. Catal. 2025, 450, 116231<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n J. Catal. 2024, 439, 115761<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n ChemSusChem 2020, 13, 5586<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n J. CO2<\/sub> Util. 2021, 47, 101495<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n ChemSusChem 2018, 11, 2737<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n We have contributed to advances in the chemistry of halides of high-valent group 5 and 6 metals, which can promote unusual activation pathways of organic compounds. Moreover, halo-metalato species are capable of stabilizing otherwise highly reactive organic cations (including, remarkably, the benzene radical cation, which can stabilized at room temperature in a common organic solvent).<\/p>\n Selected References<\/em><\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n Coord. Chem. Rev. 2023, 496 , 215399<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Chem. Commun. 2012, 48 , 635 [Feature Article]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 5268<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Chem. Commun. 2017, 53, 364<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
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