Research in the Warmuth group is multidisciplinary, combining organic chemistry, physical organic chemistry and biochemistry. We synthesize specifically designed molecules in order to investigate important problems in physical organic chemistry and biochemistry.
Most conventional chemistry takes place in bulk phases.
However, in our research group we study molecules in the unique inner phase of molecular container compounds which can be regarded as reaction vessels on the molecular scale. We focus on the development of a new class of molecular container compounds which are built up from two cyclodextrins, covalently linked together. The surrounding host serves as a protective skin, preventing the self-destruction of the incarcerated reactive intermediate by dimerization or by reaction with bulk phase reactants. We wish to extend this new method of stabilization to various reactive molecules with strained multiple bonds which are important to structural theory in organic chemistry. We photochemically generate the reactive intermediates from stable precursor molecules in the inner phase and study them in solution by NOR spectroscopy to obtain information on the structural and electronical properties.