Young researcher Aljoša Bolje studied synthesis and coordination properties of novel triazole and triazolylidene ligands towards osmium, ruthenium, iridium, copper and palladium. Special achievement of his work is an introduction of heteroaryl group into the ligand molecule, which in combination with triazole as the second dent, enables a novel architecture in the coordination chemistry. Thus prepared coordination compounds exhibit remarkable catalytic properties in transformations that are highly important in academia and industry. These include oxido-reductive processes, C-H activation, and formation of carbon-carbon bond under green conditions. The results were published in six scientific papers in high-quality journals, all in the first quartile (Q1). One article was featured on the inside cover of the printed journal Chemistry, 2015, 21(18) (see also 5.2.). One article (Organic Letters, 2013, 15, 5084–5087) was highlighted in Chemistry & Industry (December 2013, 77(12), p 57). One article (Organometallics 2014, 33, 2588–2598) was listed in June 2014 among the “journal's top 20 most downloaded articles”. In 2015, Dr. Aljoša Bolje received Krka Prize for special achievements (https://www.krkinenagrade.si/media/bin?bin.id=5877). Young researcher Jure Vajs developed derivatives of 1,3-diaryltriazene, which could potentially be used to treat lethal bacterial infections, especially infections with MRSA, as well as for the treatment of tuberculosis and cancer. His important publications in the field are: Journal of inorganic biochemistry, 2015, 153, 42-48 and European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2014, 77, 193-203; doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2014.02.065; [COBISS.SI-ID 1695279]. In 2015, Dr. Jure Vajs received Krka Prize (https://www.krkinenagrade.si/media/bin?bin.id=5877).
E.01 National awards
COBISS.SI-ID: 1536312771M. Kočevar organized a scientific meeting "Pure and applied organic synthesis: a greener and more sustainable approach," with a series of lectures Ljubljana - Venice, UL FKKT, Ljubljana, 9. and 10. 4. 2015, at which the Guest Professors Stefano Paganelli and Oreste Piccolo from the University of Venice presented three plenary lectures, and our Young researchers presented results of their investigation. The meeting was financially supported by the EU.
B.01 Organiser of a scientific meeting
COBISS.SI-ID: 1536266691We have developed a novel type of water soluble and thermally stable Pd-NHC complex that is based on a bidentate pyridyl-1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidene ligand. The complex requires only low synthetic investment and has been identified as a highly efficient precatalyst for Sonogashira cross-coupling that proceeds in air and in pure water, and in the complete absence of amine, copper, phosphine and other additives. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the Sonogashira catalysis with a cationic Pd-complex. Preliminary mechanistic investigation indicates that bis-carbene palladium reactive species are involved in two connected palladium catalytic cycles. Such a mechanism is unprecedented for the Sonogashira cross-coupling.
D.01 Chairing over/coordinating (international and national) projects
COBISS.SI-ID: 1536716483In the frame of the invited lecture at the conference, we presented our recent results on the synthesis and anticancer activity of diazenes. The emphasis was dedicated to our latest results in the field of ruthenium-diazene coordination compounds, which exhibited excellent and specific cytotoxic activities against several tumour cells. These coordination compounds have potential as catalytic anticancer drugs, which is emerging as an important strategy in drug development.
B.04 Guest lecture
COBISS.SI-ID: 1536455107In the frame of the invited lecture at the important international conference, we presented the application of 2H-pyran-2-ones as starting compounds for a wide array of reactions yielding different products. The emphasis was dedicated to our latest results in the field of catalysis with transition metals, organocatalysis (with DABCO) and especially to the dehydrogenation with Darco KB as a catalyst. The latter case has shown that Darco KB represents an ecologically clean and cheap alternative to the precious metals (on active charcoal as solid support) that are otherwise used in such reactions. The transformations presented were investigated under thermal conditions (conventional and microwave heating) and high pressures (up to 15 kbar).
B.04 Guest lecture
COBISS.SI-ID: 1536234947