Postdoc M/F : Phthalocyanine catalysts for carbene transfer reactions

CNRS; France; Sur place; EUR 35 000 - 45 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

A leading research institution in the field of chemistry is seeking a researcher for a full-time role in Lyon. The position involves developing phthalocyanine-based catalysts for carbene transfer reactions, focusing on innovation in organic synthesis methodologies. Key responsibilities include synthesizing catalysts, conducting catalytic reactions, and performing product analyses. Candidates should have a strong background in organic chemistry and experience with relevant analytical techniques such as NMR and GC-MS. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to advanced research in catalysis.

Qualifications

• Experience in chemistry of tetrapyrrolic complexes.
• Experience in phthalocyanine synthesis.
• Experience in synthetic organic chemistry.
• Skilled in purification and isolation of reaction products.
• Familiar with NMR and GC-MS product analyses.

Responsabilités

• Synthesize phthalocyanine-based catalysts.
• Implement catalytic reactions.
• Analyze reactions by GC-MS and NMR.
• Conduct mechanistic studies.

Connaissances

Chemistry of tetrapyrrolic complexes

Phthalocyanine synthesis

Synthetic organic chemistry

Chromatographic methods

NMR analysis

GC-MS product analysis

Description du poste

Organisation/Company CNRS Department Institut de Recherches sur la Catalyse et l'Environnement de Lyon Research Field Chemistry Physics Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Application Deadline 3 Feb 2026 - 23:59 (UTC) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Mar 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Carbene transfer to X-H bonds (X=N,C,O,S,Si, and olefins has emerged as a powerful strategy for the construction of elaborated molecules. These versatile and atom-economic reactions are efficiently catalyzed by porphyrin complexes and engineered hemoproteins and involve carbenoid metal species. In contrast, phthalocyanines, cheap and industrially available analogues of porphyrins are almost not studied in these reactions. Increasing number of examples demonstrates that phthalocyanines are superior to porphyrins in many other reactions and often show particular reactivity. They deserve more careful evaluation in the carbene transfer reactions. Reactive metal carbene species can adopt different electronic states. Their catalytic properties should be sensitive to the distribution of electronic and spin density, hence to the ligand nature. The project goal is to develop mono- and binuclear phthalocyanines for rapidly extending area of carbene transfer reactions in search of novel reactivity.
The projet objective is to develop phtalocyanine-based catalysts for the carbene transfer reactions and to explore novel synthetic approaches which should provide elaborated organic compounds having interesting biological and pharmaceutical properties. In addition to the development of new synthetic pathways, it is important to determine the origin of the particular reactivity in order to obtain improved catalysts.

• Synthesis of phthalocyanine-based catalysts
• Implementation of catalytic reactions
• Analysis of the reaction by GC-MS and NMR
• Mechanistic studies

L'Institut de Recherches sur la Catalyse est l'Environnement de Lyon (l'IRCELYON) is one of the largest catalytic laboratories in France employing about 50 researchers and 100 master, PhD students and postdocs. There are seven principal research directions: Production and storage of hydrogen, Capture and conversion of CO2, Biomasse valorisation, Depollution and valorisation of wastes, Atmospheric chemistry and Synthesis of materials. These different research areas are treated by six teams:
Integrated Thermodynamical, Reactional and Analytical Approaches (ATARI), Catalytic and Atmospheric Reactivity for the Environment (CARE), Sustainable Chemistry (C'Durable), Heterogeneous Catalysis for Energy Transition (CATREN), Catalyst and Process Engineering (ING) and Methodology in Environmental Microscopy (MEME).
The current study will be performed in the framework of the ANR project: REACTPHTHAL "Toward novel reactivity in carbene transfer reactions provided by phthalocyanine catalysts" at IRCELYON in the C'Durable team. Having strong background in molecular chemistry, C'Durable team has developed recognized expertises in the catalysis applied to the fine chemistry as well as in material synthesis and biomasse valorization. In particular, the development of the novel chiral phthalocyanine for highly dia- and enantioselective cyclopropanation of olefins in the framework of REACTPHTHAL project represents a significant achievement (ACS Catalysis, 2025).

Qualifications

• Experience in chemistry of tetrapyrrolic complexes
• Phtalocyanine synthesis
• Experience synthetic organic chemistry
• Purification and isolation of reaction products by chromatographic methods
• NMR et GC-MS product analyses