Dominik Munz

Prof. Dr. Dominik Munz is a Professor of Coordination Chemistry at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology, Saarland University, Germany. He leads an interdisciplinary research group at the interface of inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry, focusing on creative solutions for catalysis, energy conversion, and functional materials.

Education:

• Ph.D. from TU Dresden (implied by 'alma mater' reference).

Research Interests: The Munz group is driven by the pursuit of novel chemical bonding and unusual electronic structures. Their primary research areas are:

• Bond Activation for Catalysis: Designing new transition- and main-group metal complexes with innovative bonding motifs to activate strong bonds and facilitate energy conversion.
• Optoelectronic Materials: Investigating radicaloid systems for applications in solar cells and microelectronics.
• Reactive Intermediates as Molecular Switches: Exploring transient, highly reactive species for use in soft and intelligent materials. Their synthetic work is guided by computational predictions and employs advanced spectroscopic techniques under inert conditions.

Publication Trends: The group's recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on pushing the boundaries of main-group and transition-metal chemistry. Key themes include the synthesis of highly unusual species like terminal gold(I) imides and lead(II)-substituted triplet carbenes, the discovery of powerful new reagents from simple oxidations (e.g., PPh3), and the exploration of high- and low-valent states of metals (e.g., FeVII, Al(I)). Their work frequently appears in top-tier journals like JACS, Nature, and Angewandte Chemie, highlighting its significance and impact.

Scientific Awards:

• European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant

Advising and Grants: Prof. Munz actively mentors a large group of students and postdoctoral researchers, as evidenced by numerous publications led by his advisees. His research is supported by significant competitive grants, including the ERC Starting Grant and a DFG-funded Research Training Group (RTG Ec=m²), which is hiring 10 new PhD scholars. This indicates a robust research program focused on 'Engineering Covalent Bonds in Molecules and Materials.'

Laboratories and Research Groups: The Munz group operates state-of-the-art laboratories at Saarland University, equipped with brand-new gloveboxes for air-sensitive chemistry. The group is a key part of the 'PharmaScienceHub,' a collaborative initiative between Saarland University and the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research. They are also involved in the Skilizium, a research meeting with groups from Saarland, Marburg, and Münster. The group fosters a dynamic environment, engaging in outreach activities like hosting high school students and organizing scientific meetings such as the Fulbright-Cottrell Meeting on Science Communication.