Greg Nocton

Greg Nocton is an Associate Professor at École polytechnique, affiliated with the Laboratoire de Chimie Moléculaire (CNRS) in France. He specializes in organometallic chemistry of f-elements for sustainable chemistry and quantum technologies, focusing on small molecule activation, catalysis, and electronic structure analysis of lanthanide complexes.

• Born in Reims, France (1983)
• B.Sc., M.Sc. (Inorganic & Bio-inorganic Chemistry), PhD (2006-2009) on uranium coordination chemistry with Marinella Mazzanti (CEA Grenoble)
• Postdoctoral Researcher at UC Berkeley (2010-2011) under Dick Andersen

His research investigates low-valent organometallics, heterobimetallic complexes, and magnetic properties of lanthanides. He leads the ANR RelaxMax (2020-2024) and previously secured an ERC Starting Grant (2017-2022). Key projects include CO2 valorization, divalent lanthanide precursors, and photochemical cross-coupling.

Recent publications highlight trends in lanthanide-based catalysis (CO2 functionalization, alkene isomerization), quantum technologies (single molecule magnets), and electronic structure tuning of f-elements for modular reactivity. He has received prestigious awards including the CNRS Bronze Medal (2016), French Chemical Society's Coordination Chemistry Division Junior Award (2021), and multiple Best Talk/Poster Awards.

• Recipient of the CNRS Bronze Medal (2016)
• Principal Investigator for ANR RelaxMax (2020-2024) and ERC Starting Grant (2017-2022)
• Active in teaching symmetry/spectroscopy and supramolecular chemistry at École polytechnique since 2018
• Collaborates internationally with labs in France, Germany, USA, and Japan