News

The SWR reports about current research topics in the Waldvogel lab. [Video]

The European Journal of Organic Chemistry highlights Prof. Dr. Siegfried R. Waldvogel with the aid of an author profile within its last issue of the year 2017. [Author profile]

In addition to his educational career, achievements, and research interests, questions regarding his career choice and source of ideas are addressed.

Link to the latest Waldvogel lab publication in EurJOC: DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201701124

Chemical and Engineering News thematised the work of the Waldvogel lab with regards to the anodic cross-coupling reactions employing phenol or aniline derivatives in collaboration with Evonik Industries in the Green Chemistry topic: ‘Electrosynthesis got chemists charged up‘ (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, DOI: 10.1002/anie.20160432, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201605865, and Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201612613). Furthermore, Waldvogel lab’s contribution to the IKA continuous-flow electrosynthesis system ‘ElectraSyn Flow‘ is mentioned. (OPRD 2017, DOI:10.1021/acs.oprd.7b00123).

Link to the article: ELECTROSYNTHESIS GOT CHEMISTS CHARGED UP

The Waldvogel lab is highlighted again due to their work on reagent- and metal-free anodic cross coupling reactions employing phenole or aniline derivatives:
[Highlight (international Ed.)] [Highlight (german Ed.)] Preceding highlights about anodic C–C cross-coupling reactions can be found here:
Reagent- and metal-free anodic C–C cross-coupling of aniline derivatives ChemistryViews.
Reagent- and metal-free anodic C–C cross-coupling reactions: Chemical and Engineering News

Doctoral students from various German universities met at the end of September for the first international summer school on electrosynthesis. The organizer, Prof. Waldvogel, had put together an international team of lecturers. Next to Daniel R. Little (Santa Barbara) and Kevin D. Moeller (St. Louis), Bernardo Frontana-Uribe (Mexico City), Katrin F. Domke and Waldvogel himself (both Mainz) gave lectures for the participants. The three-day program also offered the participants plenty of time to discuss individual questions on electrosynthesis with the experts. In a practical part, all participants were able to gain their first hands-on experience. Thanks to all participants and lecturers for a great time!

On September 14-15, the international elite of electrosynthesis convened in Mainz. About 120 specialists from this emerging branch of chemical research from Japan, USA, Italy, Holland, Switzerland and Germany met for the symposium at the JGU Mainz. Prof. Siegfried R. Waldvogel from the Johannes Gutenberg University has organized this meeting again. The strong participation of representatives of the chemical industry was particularly remarkable. Prof. Waldvogel is pleased:"Until now, electrosynthesis has always been smiled at as a niche topic. Now the users are gradually jumping up to this seminal topic."
In many chemical syntheses, only electrons are added to or removed from molecules. In classical processes, this is done by means of chemicals and reagents, which must be produced for this purpose, but also first of all and often generate toxic waste. In electrosynthesis, this task is directly performed by the electrical current. This makes sustainable, forward-looking and more efficient production methods possible for many chemical products. Prof. Waldvogel notes:"One speaks of the 'electrification' of chemical synthesis and considers the progress to be a disruptive technology development".

In addition of the highlight in Chemical and Engineering News for the work on symmetric and non-symmetric cross-coupling reactions, the Waldvogel lab was mentioned in another highlight for their work on reagent- and metal-free anodic C–C cross-coupling of aniline derivatives (DOI:10.1002/anie.201612613/abstract) in ChemistryViews.

Chemical and Engineering News highlighted Waldvogel lab and their work on symmetric and non-symmetric cross-coupling reactions in the Green Chemistry topic: "Electrosynthesis gives chemists more power".
"Waldvogel’s group, for example, in collaboration with researchers at Evonik Industries, last year created a metal-free, oxidant-free one-step electrochemical protocol for cross-coupling phenols to make symmetrical and nonsymmetrical biaryl diols (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, DOI: 10.1002/anie.20160432 and DOI: 10.1002/anie.201605865). The researchers just expanded the approach to aniline-aniline cross-couplings to form 2,2´-diaminobiaryls (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201612613)." by S. K. Ritter

To establish electro-synthetic methods in academic research as well as in the chemical industry commercial availability of suitable standardized electrochemical cells is crucial. To tackle this point, C. Gütz and S. R. Waldvogel developed a highly modular flow cell for the continuous electrosynthesis of fine chemicals and pharmaceutical active intermediates and agents. The setup allows identification of important process parameters for later up-scaling on a technical scale. This flow system can be purchased as ElectraSyn Flow to provide the electro-synthetic community with an adequate electrochemical equipment. (ElectraSyn flow).

Sebastian B. Beil was accepted in the Gutenberg Akademie at the Johannes Gutenberg-University as a Juniorfellow. Congratulations to this prestigious fellowship!