Development of NHC organocatalysts for extreme photoreduction (ANR CASPI project) Internship Offer (Master’s level - Organic Chemistry / Catalysis)

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La recherche à l’Institut de Chimie Radicalaire se concentre sur les composés porteurs d’électrons non appariés. Nous maîtrisons leur structure à travers la synthèse, la caractérisation et les simulations pour accéder à un large éventail d’applications, des matériaux avancés aux utilisations thérapeutiques.

Description

Development of NHC organocatalysts for extreme photoreduction

(ANR CASPI project)

Internship Offer (Master’s level – Organic Chemistry / Catalysis)

Laboratoire : Institut de Chimie Radicalaire – UMR 7273

Equipe : pharmaco-chimie radicalaire (PCR)

Adresse : Faculté de Pharmacie – Campus Timone 5ème étage, 27 boulevard Jean Moulin 13385 Marseille

Scientific context

Photoredox catalysis provides elegant solutions in organic synthesis for the reductive activation of inert substrates under mild conditions. [1] However, traditional photocatalysts remain limited by the reducing power of their excited states (> –2 V vs. SCE).

The ANR CASPI project aims to implement the ConPET strategy (Consecutive Photo-induced Electron Transfer) to generate highly reducing anionic photocatalysts within N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) chemistry. NHC organocatalysts have recently been applied to diverse reductive radical transformations. [2] Our preliminary results show that visible-light irradiation can expand their reactivity to challenging, previously inaccessible substrates.

Internship objectives

The goal is to explore the potential of new free redox-active NHCs in extreme photoreductive catalysis.

The intern will:

- Optimize the conditions for generating and activating these NHCs,

- Apply them to the reduction of a variety of substrates,

- Conduct experiments under inert atmosphere (glovebox) and under photoactivation (UV-visible lamps).

Perspectives

This internship is the first step of a broader research project. A PhD fellowship is secured starting in September 2026.

[1] a) D. W. C. MacMillan et al. Visible light photoredox catalysis with transition metal complexes: applications in organic synthesis, Chem. Rev . 2013 , 113 , p5322. b) N. A. Romero, D. A. Nicewicz Organic photoredox catalysis, Chem. Rev. 2016 , 116 , p10075.

[2] a) Martin, J. Broggi et al. Critical assessment of the reducing ability of Breslow-type derivatives and implications for carbene-catalyzed radical reactions, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021 , 60, p26783. b) D. Martin, J. Broggi et al. A simple NHC for the catalytic up-conversion of aldehydes into stoichiometric Super Electron Donors Chem. Sci. 2024 , 15 , p14699.

Profil

Candidate profile

Master’s student in organic chemistry or catalysis.

Basic knowledge of organic synthesis.

Interest in catalysis, radical chemistry, and photochemistry.

Duration : 5–6 months

Gratification: approximately €660 per month

Prise de fonction

15/01/2026