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.


