MehtaLab

A comparison of three nitrogen–phosphorus or nitrogen–carbon species across time. On the left is Griefs’ 1858 cationic diazide‑type structure with a chloride counterion. In the middle is Niecke’s 1988 imidophosphine structure featuring an N=P bond. On the right, a highlighted box shows the compounds reported in this work: monomeric P=P–X species where X = Cl, Br, or I. A bullet list to the right summarizes their properties: crystalline, monomeric, thermally robust, fully characterized, and investigated in reactivity studies.

First crystalline aryl‑P=P–X compounds unlock new frontiers in low‑coordinate P chemistry!

"Isolation of arylhalodiphosphenes: periodic trends in R–P=P–X bonding (X = Cl, Br, I)"

Read this HOT article from John Wegner, Meera Mehta and colleagues for free: doi.org/10.1039/D6SC...

Thinking of doing a PhD in synthetic inorganic chemistry? Apply with the Mehta group. UK students only. Email me.

Series of stable nitrogen radical chains synthesised These compounds may find uses as nitrene precursors

Such compounds could act as nitrene precursors, useful to activate C-H bonds for drug synthesis, for example.

Isolation of arylhalodiphosphenes: periodic trends in R–PP–X bonding (X = Cl, Br, I) For over a century, aryldiazonium halides have served as widely used building blocks within synthetic chemistry. They are vital intermediates in converting simple anilines to high-value products, incl...

Check out recent work from the Mehta group looking at structure of Ar-P=P-X molecules, the compositional all P analogue of aryldiazonium halides. Published in @chemicalscience.rsc.org Thanks @ukri.org @erc.europa.eu for funding!
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...

Series of stable nitrogen radical chains synthesised These compounds may find uses as nitrene precursors

It sounds implausible but chains of 4 nitrogen atoms that are stable at room temperature for weeks have been created.

Nice! Congrats to you and Laura!

Great work Clare and team! Congratulations 🎉

Matt, Imogen and Mickey’s paper detailing the synthesis and reactivity of the first neutral Al(I) trimer is out now in @natcomms.nature.com! Check it out here along with @mattdv-t.bsky.social’s ‘behind the paper’ article!

A neutral cyclic aluminium (I) trimer - Nature Communications Low oxidation state aluminium complexes have gained wide recognition as discrete and versatile 2-electron reductants, but neutral trimeric structures remain elusive. Here the authors report the synthe...

Absolutely thrilled to see our ( @bakewellgroup.bsky.social ) paper "A neutral cyclic aluminium (I) trimer" has been published in @natcomms.nature.com in its full typeset version! www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Congrats Matt!!! Great to see this out! 🎉

Making anions containing chains of nitrogen

🔬 Oxford Chemistry achieves a breakthrough in nitrogen chemistry

Published today in Nature Chemistry @natchem.nature.com @nature.com 

Making anions containing chains of nitrogen

Thanks @oxfordchemistry.bsky.social for highlighting our recent @natchem.nature.com.
www.chem.ox.ac.uk/article/maki...

Over 2.5 years @reecelisterroberts.bsky.social has been working on isolating a range of 4-atom nitrogen chain radical anions! Now published in @natchem.nature.com! @oxfordchemistry.bsky.social @manchester.ac.uk @ukri.org @erc.europa.eu www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Registration is now open for the 2026 RSC (@rsc.org) Main Group Interest Group Conference:

www.rsc.org/events/detai...

The meeting will be taking place on the 8-9th April 2026 at the University of Edinburgh, showcasing a breadth of inorganic/main group chemistry- We would love to see you there.

Computational Studies of Functionalized [Pn7] (Pn = P, As) Clusters for the Catalyzed Hydroboration of Pyridine; Exploration of the Treatment of Entropy Zintl clusters have recently emerged as competent catalysts for a variety of organic transformations. Herein, we report the mechanism of functionalized Zintl-cluster-catalyzed hydroboration of pyridin...

Congrats to Daniel on this first 'first-author' paper! A collaborative computational piece with Nik K @manchester.ac.uk @oxfordchemistry.bsky.social Thanks to the UKRI @ukri.org published in Inorg Chem!

pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....

Isolation of Potassium Bis(amido)diazadipnictogenide Salts The reaction of Zintl phases K3As7 and K3P7 were investigated with 1-azido-4-bromobenzene (4-BrC6H4N3) and found to yield potassium salts of substituted diazadipnictogen rings (general molecular fragm...

Check out recent work from Reece looking at monomer-dimer equilibrium of {N2Pn2} ring structures! .. more work from Reece coming soon... @oxfordchemistry.bsky.social @organometallic.bsky.social @reecelisterroberts.bsky.social

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Congrats Paul! And thanks to SCGC for supporting our science. Looking forward to all the cool stuff we’ll be able to do in the lab!

The group will soon be advertising a 3-year PDRA position @imperialchemistry.bsky.social. The successful candidate will research the synthesis and reactivity of complexes with alkaline earth-metal bonds. Start date: 03/26. Please get in touch for infomal inquries.

The Main Group Committee is looking for nominations for the RSC Main Group PhD Lectureship Prize (@rsc.org). Both Self and External Nominations welcome. Extra details provided on the flyer below:

We're Hiring! If you are interested in a PDRA post with the Mehta group, please apply! @ox.ac.uk @oxfordchemistry.bsky.social

my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...

Cute!🥰

ACS wishes you a Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!🎊
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Nice work! Well done.

Wishing a happy Hanukkah to all those celebrating — at this time we hold close the light of community and peace.

#Hanukkah

Dynamic Behavior of the P73– Cluster and Its Derivatives with Main-Group and Transition Metal Fragments The mobility of main-group and transition metal fragments on the surface of a phosphorus cluster, P73–, has been explored using density functional theory. The naked P73– cluster undergoes rapid exchan...

Check out this computational work on understanding [P7] cluster dynamics!
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Reductive radical chain initiation through the thermal generation of carbon dioxide radical anion - Nature Synthesis Radical chain initiation strategies are fundamental to the synthesis of small molecule drugs and macromolecular materials. Here a general, thermally driven and scalable method for reductive initiation...

Great to see this collaborative work out in @natureportfolio.nature.com , led by Michael James @manchester.ac.uk and James Douglas @astra-zeneca.bsky.social

Congrats to Ethan Lim and everyone involved!

www.nature.com/articles/s44...

#Chemistry #Collaboration #AcademicIndustry #compchem

Congrats!!!! 🎉

Thrilled to share the work of @clarencetankl.bsky.social and @antorna.bsky.social on elevating #sodium mediated deprotonative #borylation to #catalytic regimes with an insightful #mechanistic study in collaboration with Max Garcia Melchor @pubs.acs.org @unibe.ch

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Congratulations 🥳

[FSE Bicentenary PhD] New Electrosynthetic Strategies to Nitrile Covalent Warheads, and Their Application to the Development of Electrochemically-Activated Prodrugs for Targeted Drug-Delivery at The ... PhD Project - [FSE Bicentenary PhD] New Electrosynthetic Strategies to Nitrile Covalent Warheads, and Their Application to the Development of Electrochemically-Activated Prodrugs for Targeted Drug-De...

We are seeking a motivated candidate to apply for the prestigious Bicentenary PhD Scholarship at the University of Manchester👩‍🔬🧑‍🔬

Interested applicants should contact me at giacomo.crisenza@manchester.ac.uk. We welcome applications from the UK and worldwide🗺️

Info: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...