ProfessorPaul Kruger

Our research interests touch upon all aspects of supramolecular chemistry ranging from organic synthesis and coordination chemistry, through materials and structural chemistry, to host-guest and sensor chemistry. This work is underpinned by structural analysis by single-crystal X-ray diffraction which is complimented by a range of spectroscopic techniques.

Our research into coordination polymers and porous metal-organic frameworks involves transition and lanthanide metal ions and poly-carboxylate-poly-pyridine ligands. We are also interested in the coordination chemistry of clusters as structural and functional bio-models and their potential to behave as single molecule magnets.

Our work in Supramolecular Chemistry ranges from anion coordination chemistry and sensing, involving the development of naked-eye sensors for anions in aqueous media; to the supramolecular coordination chemistry of helical complexes, incorporating metallo- helicate synthesis and anion directed synthesis of helical species. Recent work looks to marry Fe(II)-based spin-crossover (SCO) phenomena into helicate systems in an attempt to form sensor molecules who output derives from SCO associated colour changes.