Pieber Group

Catalysis and Synthetic Methodology

Nature uses solar light as energy source to convert raw materials such as CO2 and water into complex molecules. From a synthetic chemists’ perspective, visible-light can be considered an ideal reagent. In contrast to conventional reagents, light is non-toxic, generates no waste, and can be obtained from renewable sources.

The mission of the PieberLab is to unravel the full potential of visible-light photocatalysis as a powerful and sustainable strategy for synthetic organic chemistry by developing new catalysts and methods. We aim to provide solutions for challenging chemical problems and to realize sustainable, robust photocatalytic transformations. The research in our group is driven by curiosity and the understanding of photophysical properties of photocatalysts as well as reaction mechanisms. A key aspect of our research philosophy is to learn from other areas such as materials sciences.

We are particularly interested in heterogeneous photocatalysis using organic and inorganic semiconductors. These materials are promising sustainable alternatives to common homogeneous photocatalysts given their high stability, straightforward preparation, and ease of catalyst recycling. Another focus is the development of photocatalytic methods in which the choice of wavelength can be used as a parameter to control the outcome of the reaction.