Photoinduced Electron Transfer Across Phospholipid Bilayers in Anaerobic and Aerobic Atmospheres Novitasari Sinambela, Richard Jacobi, Dieter Sorsche, Leticia González, Andrea Pannwitz Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2025 In natural photosynthesis, light‐driven electron transfer across the thylakoid membrane enables efficient charge separation and the confinement of reaction spaces for generating NADPH and CO2 and oxidation of water. These reactions are complementary redox reactions and require different reaction conditions for optimal performance. However, current artificial photosynthesis studies only take place in the bulk and are sensitive toward oxygen and air, which limits their applicability under aerated and water‐splitting conditions. Herein, we report light‐driven electron transfer across a lipid bilayer membrane of liposome vesicles via a rigid oligoaromatic molecular wire that allows to electronically connect an oxidation and reduction reaction which are spatially separated by the membrane. The molecular wire has a simple, symmetric, easy‐to‐synthesize design based on benzothiadiazole and fluorene units and absorbs in the visible spectrum which makes it suitable for solar energy conversion. The model reactions in this study are light‐driven NADH oxidation on one side of the membrane and light‐driven reduction of an organic water‐soluble dye in the bulk phase of liposomes. Additionally, the system is active in both aerobic and anaerobic atmospheres, rendering it ideal for aerobic conditions or reactions that produce oxygen such as solar‐driven water splitting and artificial photosynthesis applications.
Beyond the First Coordination Sphere─Manipulating the Excited-State Landscape in Iron(II) Chromophores with Protons Kamil Witas, Shruthi Santhosh Nair, Tamar Maisuradze, Linda Zedler, Heiner Schmidt, et al. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2024 Molecular transition metal chromophores play a central role in light harvesting and energy conversion. Recently, earth-abundant transition-metal-based chromophores have begun to challenge the dominance of platinum group metal complexes in this area. However, the development of new chromophores with optimized photophysical properties is still limited by a lack of synthetic methods, especially with respect to heteroleptic complexes with functional ligands. Here, we demonstrate a facile and efficient method for the combination of strong-field carbenes with the functional 2,2′-bibenzimidazole ligand in a heteroleptic iron(II) chromophore complex. Our approach yields two isomers that differ predominantly in their excited-state lifetimes based on the symmetry of the ligand field. Deprotonation of both isomers leads to a significant red-shift of the metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) absorption and a shortening of excited-state lifetimes. Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy in combination with quantum chemical simulations and resonance Raman spectroscopy reveals the complex relationship between protonation and photophysical properties. Protonation is found to tip the balance between MLCT and metal-centered (MC) excited states in favor of the former. This study showcases the first example of fine-tuning of the excited-state landscape in an iron(II) chromophore through second-sphere manipulations and provides a new perspective to the challenge of excited-state optimizations in 3d transition metal chromophores.
Stabilizing Decavanadate Cluster as Electrode Material in Sodium and Lithium-ion Batteries Meena Ghosh, Dieter Sorsche, Rezwana Binte Ahmed, Montaha Anjass Chemsuschem, 2023 Decavanadate ([V10O28]6−, {V10}) clusters are a potential electrode material for lithium and post‐lithium batteries; however, their low stability due to the solubility in liquid organic electrolytes has been challenging. These molecular clusters are also prone to transform into solid‐state oxides at a moderate temperature needed in the typical electrode fabrication process. Hence, controlling the solubility and improving the thermal stability of compounds are essential to make them more viable options for use as battery electrodes. This study shows a crystal engineering approach to stabilize the cluster with organic guanidinium (Gdm+) cation through the hydrogen‐bonding interactions between the amino groups of the cation and the anion. The comparison of solubility and thermal stability of the Gdm{V10} with another cluster bearing tetrabutylammonium (Tba+) cation reveals the better stability of cation‐anion assembly in the former than the latter. As a result, the Gdm{V10} delivers better rate capability and cycling stability than Tba{V10} when tested as anode material in a half‐cell configuration of a sodium‐ion battery. Finally, the performance of the Gdm{V10} anode is also investigated in a lithium‐ion battery full cell with LiFePO4 cathode.
Kristalle züchten: zwischen Alchemie und Wissenschaft Marius Müßler, Andrea Pannwitz, Dieter Sorsche Nachrichten Aus Der Chemie, 2023 „Nur während der ruhigen Zeit zwischen den Jahren, wenn niemand im Labor ist, können die Kristalle schön wachsen“, heißt es, oder „Bestimmte Kristalle wachsen nur im Winter im dunklen, kalten Kühlschrank“. Manche verlassen sich auf Fliegenbeine als Kristallisationskeime oder stellen Kristallansätze offen auf die Fensterbank. Tipps und Tricks, um Kristalle herzustellen.
Coupled reaction equilibria enable the light-driven formation of metal-functionalized molecular vanadium oxides Stefan Repp, Moritz Remmers, Alexandra Stefanie Jessica Rein, Dieter Sorsche, Dandan Gao, et al. Nature Communications, 2023 The introduction of metal sites into molecular metal oxides, so-called polyoxometalates, is key for tuning their structure and reactivity. The complex mechanisms which govern metal-functionalization of polyoxometalates are still poorly understood. Here, we report a coupled set of light-dependent and light-independent reaction equilibria controlling the mono- and di-metal-functionalization of a prototype molecular vanadium oxide cluster. Comprehensive mechanistic analyses show that coordination of a Mg2+ ion to the species {(NMe2H2)2[VV12O32Cl]}3- results in formation of the mono-functionalized {(NMe2H2)[(MgCl)VV12O32Cl]}3- with simultaneous release of a NMe2H2+ placeholder cation. Irradiation of this species with visible light results in one-electron reduction of the vanadate, exchange of the second NMe2H2+ with Mg2+, and formation/crystallization of the di-metal-functionalized [(MgCl)2VIVVV11O32Cl]4-. Mechanistic studies show how stimuli such as light or competing cations affect the coupled equilibria. Transfer of this synthetic concept to other metal cations is also demonstrated, highlighting the versatility of the approach.
Blickpunkt Anorganik: Die Eisenzeit der Photochemie beginnt Andrea Pannwitz, Dieter Sorsche Nachrichten Aus Der Chemie, 2023 Photochemische Prozesse finden in Synthese, Oleds und katalytischen Prozessen statt. 3d‐Übergangsmetalle wie Eisen können die Farbstoffe und Photosensibilisatoren aus Schwermetallen ablösen.
Electrochemical Investigation of a Rotationally Flexible Bibenzimidazole Di-iron Complex M Nilsson, PG Porta, D Sorsche, E Ahlberg, M Busch Electrochimica Acta, 149122 , 2026 2026
Hot-Carrier Injection and Millisecond Charge Separation from a Robust Heteroleptic Iron(II) Chromophore Immobilized on TiO 2 T Whittemore, M Schmalle, E Ryndin, M Spitler, EHP Brohmer, S Rau, ... Journal of the American Chemical Society , 2026 2026
Local Environmental Effects on Light-Driven CO 2 Reduction in Liposomes A Abbas, R Jacobi, I Merker, R Müller, NR Ritz, N Kumar, HM Elbeheiry, ... ACS catalysis 16 (5), 4362-4372 , 2026 2026
A Bright New Link–A Novel Light-Switch-Capable Bridging Ligand in Photoactive Metal Complexes D Isakov, K Witas, M Semwal, P Traber, ASJ Rein, D Sorsche, ... ChemRxiv 2025 (1222) , 2025 2025
Entropy-driven ligand exchange in a rotationally flexible dinuclear Fe (II)-Fe (II) complex PG Porta, B Kintzel, B Weber, M Busch, D Sorsche ChemRxiv 2025 (1126) , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Lichtgetriebener Elektronentransfer durch Phospholipid‐Doppelschichten in anaerober und aerober Atmosphäre N Sinambela, R Jacobi, D Sorsche, L González, A Pannwitz Angewandte Chemie 137 (22), e202423393 , 2025 2025
Photoinduced electron transfer across phospholipid bilayers in anaerobic and aerobic atmospheres N Sinambela, R Jacobi, D Sorsche, L González, A Pannwitz Angewandte Chemie International Edition 64 (22), e202423393 , 2025 2025 Citations: 13
Shifting the MLCT of d6 metal complexes to the red and NIR D Sorsche, MAL Lima, N Meitinger, K Prasad, S Mandal, KD Glusac, ... Coordination Chemistry Reviews 530, 216454 , 2025 2025 Citations: 20
Beyond the First Coordination Sphere─ Manipulating the Excited-State Landscape in Iron (II) Chromophores with Protons K Witas, SS Nair, T Maisuradze, L Zedler, H Schmidt, P Garcia-Porta, ... Journal of the American Chemical Society 146 (29), 19710-19719 , 2024 2024 Citations: 21
Stabilizing decavanadate cluster as electrode material in sodium and lithium‐ion batteries M Ghosh, D Sorsche, R Binte Ahmed, M Anjass ChemSusChem 16 (24), e202300631 , 2023 2023 Citations: 8
Kristalle züchten: zwischen Alchemie und Wissenschaft M Müßler, A Pannwitz, D Sorsche Nachrichten aus der Chemie 71 (12), 64-67 , 2023 2023 Citations: 1
Blickpunkt Anorganik: Die Eisenzeit der Photochemie beginnt. A Pannwitz, D Sorsche Nachrichten aus der Chemie 71 (10) , 2023 2023
Coupled reaction equilibria enable the light-driven formation of metal-functionalized molecular vanadium oxides S Repp, M Remmers, ASJ Rein, D Sorsche, D Gao, M Anjass, ... Nature Communications 14 (1), 5563 , 2023 2023 Citations: 11
Silica Supported Organometallic Ir I Complexes Enable Efficient Catalytic Methane Borylation O Staples, MS Ferrandon, GP Laurent, U Kanbur, AJ Kropf, MR Gau, ... Journal of the American Chemical Society 145 (14), 7992-8000 , 2023 2023 Citations: 23
Supramolecular Aggregation Control in Polyoxometalates Covalently Functionalized with Oligoaromatic Groups S Knoll, M Hänle, AK Mengele, D Sorsche, S Rau, C Streb Chemistry–A European Journal 29 (15), e202203469 , 2023 2023 Citations: 1
Red Light Absorption of [Re I (CO) 3 (α-diimine)Cl] Complexes through Extension of the 4,4′-Bipyrimidine Ligand’s π-System N Meitinger, S Mandal, D Sorsche, A Pannwitz, S Rau Molecules 28 (4), 1905 , 2023 2023 Citations: 5
Mechanistic insights into template-driven polyoxovanadate self-assembly: the role of internal and external templates S Repp, KL Junginger, D Sorsche, T Zorn, AC Pöppler, Y Kikukawa, ... Dalton Transactions 52 (13), 4002-4007 , 2023 2023 Citations: 7
A Triad Photoanode for Visible Light‐Driven Water Oxidation via Immobilization of Molecular Polyoxometalate on Polymeric Carbon Nitride R Gong, D Mitoraj, D Gao, M Mundszinger, D Sorsche, U Kaiser, C Streb, ... Advanced Sustainable Systems 6 (5), 2100473 , 2022 2022 Citations: 25
Cation-controlled capture of polyoxovanadate-based organic–inorganic 1D architectures S Repp, M Steiner, M Anjass, D Sorsche, C Streb Chemical Communications 58 (96), 13397-13400 , 2022 2022 Citations: 5
Self-activation of a polyoxometalate-derived composite electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction R Gong, D Gao, R Liu, D Sorsche, J Biskupek, U Kaiser, S Rau, C Streb ACS Applied Energy Materials 4 (11), 12671-12676 , 2021 2021 Citations: 44
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Optical sensing of anions via supramolecular recognition with biimidazole complexes SA Rommel, D Sorsche, M Fleischmann, S Rau Chemistry–A European Journal 23 (72), 18101-18119 , 2017 2017 Citations: 48
Rational design of a catalyst for the selective monoborylation of methane S Ahn, D Sorsche, S Berritt, MR Gau, DJ Mindiola, MH Baik ACS Catalysis 8 (11), 10021-10031 , 2018 2018 Citations: 46
Self-activation of a polyoxometalate-derived composite electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction R Gong, D Gao, R Liu, D Sorsche, J Biskupek, U Kaiser, S Rau, C Streb ACS Applied Energy Materials 4 (11), 12671-12676 , 2021 2021 Citations: 44
Unusual dinitrogen binding and Electron storage in dinuclear Iron complexes D Sorsche, ME Miehlich, K Searles, G Gouget, EM Zolnhofer, S Fortier, ... Journal of the American Chemical Society 142 (18), 8147-8159 , 2020 2020 Citations: 44
Synthesis and characterization of ruthenium and rhenium dyes with phosphonate anchoring groups M Braumüller, M Schulz, M Staniszewska, D Sorsche, M Wunderlin, ... Dalton Transactions 45 (22), 9216-9228 , 2016 2016 Citations: 31
Supramolecular activation of a molecular photocatalyst MG Pfeffer, C Pehlken, R Staehle, D Sorsche, C Streb, S Rau Dalton transactions 43 (35), 13307-13315 , 2014 2014 Citations: 30
Synthesis and characterization of an immobilizable photochemical molecular device for H 2-generation M Braumüller, M Schulz, D Sorsche, M Pfeffer, M Schaub, J Popp, ... Dalton transactions 44 (12), 5577-5586 , 2015 2015 Citations: 29
Metal–ligand cooperativity promoting sulfur atom transfer in ferrous complexes and isolation of a sulfurmethylenephosphorane adduct D Sorsche, ME Miehlich, EM Zolnhofer, PJ Carroll, K Meyer, DJ Mindiola Inorganic Chemistry 57 (18), 11552-11559 , 2018 2018 Citations: 26
Oxygen‐Dependent Photocatalytic Water Reduction with a Ruthenium (imidazolium) Chromophore and a Cobaloxime Catalyst L Petermann, R Staehle, M Pfeifer, C Reichardt, D Sorsche, M Wächtler, ... Chemistry–A European Journal 22 (24), 8240-8253 , 2016 2016 Citations: 26
A Triad Photoanode for Visible Light‐Driven Water Oxidation via Immobilization of Molecular Polyoxometalate on Polymeric Carbon Nitride R Gong, D Mitoraj, D Gao, M Mundszinger, D Sorsche, U Kaiser, C Streb, ... Advanced Sustainable Systems 6 (5), 2100473 , 2022 2022 Citations: 25
Visible-light sensitized photocatalytic hydrogen generation using a dual emissive heterodinuclear cyclometalated iridium (III)/ruthenium (II) complex SA Rommel, D Sorsche, S Schönweiz, J Kübel, N Rockstroh, B Dietzek, ... Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 821, 163-170 , 2016 2016 Citations: 25
Silica Supported Organometallic Ir I Complexes Enable Efficient Catalytic Methane Borylation O Staples, MS Ferrandon, GP Laurent, U Kanbur, AJ Kropf, MR Gau, ... Journal of the American Chemical Society 145 (14), 7992-8000 , 2023 2023 Citations: 23
Protonation‐Dependent Luminescence of an Iridium (III) Bibenzimidazole Chromophore SA Rommel, D Sorsche, N Rockstroh, FW Heinemann, J Kübel, ... European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry 2015 (22), 3730-3739 , 2015 2015 Citations: 22
Optimized synthesis of a tert-butyl-phenyl-substituted tetrapyridophenazine ligand and its Ru (II) complexes and determination of dimerization behaviour of the complexes … K Ritter, C Pehlken, D Sorsche, S Rau Dalton Transactions 44 (19), 8889-8905 , 2015 2015 Citations: 22
Beyond the First Coordination Sphere─ Manipulating the Excited-State Landscape in Iron (II) Chromophores with Protons K Witas, SS Nair, T Maisuradze, L Zedler, H Schmidt, P Garcia-Porta, ... Journal of the American Chemical Society 146 (29), 19710-19719 , 2024 2024 Citations: 21
Efficient Access to 5‐Bromo‐and 5, 6‐Dibromophenanthroline Ligands A Stumper, TD Pilz, M Schaub, H Görls, D Sorsche, K Peuntinger, D Guldi, ... European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry 2017 (32), 3799-3810 , 2017 2017 Citations: 21
Shifting the MLCT of d6 metal complexes to the red and NIR D Sorsche, MAL Lima, N Meitinger, K Prasad, S Mandal, KD Glusac, ... Coordination Chemistry Reviews 530, 216454 , 2025 2025 Citations: 20
A supramolecular H-bond driven light switch sensor for small anions SA Rommel, D Sorsche, S Rau Dalton Transactions 45 (1), 74-77 , 2016 2016 Citations: 18
Ruthenium Imidazophenanthrolinium Complexes with Prolonged Excited‐State Lifetimes R Staehle, C Reichardt, J Popp, D Sorsche, L Petermann, K Kastner, ... European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry 2015 (23), 3932-3939 , 2015 2015 Citations: 18
Synthesis and Characterization of a Trisheteroleptic Ru II ‐Based Molecular Switch K Monczak, K Peuntinger, D Sorsche, FW Heinemann, DM Guldi, S Rau Chemistry–A European Journal 20 (47), 15426-15433 , 2014 2014 Citations: 18
