Dr. P.J. van Koningsbruggen is an inorganic chemist with a specialisation in the field of coordination chemistry.

Dr. P.J. van Koningsbruggen is an experimental inorganic chemist with a specialisation in the field of coordination chemistry. Since 1985 I have been focusing on various aspects of compounds of first-row transition metal ions (Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn). In particular, the relation between synthetic procedures, structural features of the compounds and their physical (e.g. magnetic and electronic) properties has attracted my attention. In my research I have used a strategic and systematic approach to the design and obtaining of various types of functional materials and I have found this to be extremely worthwhile in unravelling structure-property relationships. I am convinced that the thus obtained knowledge is an essential pre-requisite for the on-going design and obtaining of materials with pre-determined and tuneable functional magnetic, electronic and/or optical properties.

       The synthetic approach that I use takes advantage of building blocks (metal fragments, anions, ligands etc.) which are assembled using tools from coordination chemistry (stereochemical preferences of the metal ion, coordination geometry etc.), as well as crystal packing efficiency considerations (stacking-, hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interactions etc.). Insight in these parameters is the key to understanding and tuning the physical behaviour and/or reactivity of these transition metal compounds. In addition, the versatility of organic synthesis and the possibility of associating organic and inorganic components on the molecular scale make it possible to propose the additional challenge of engineering multi-property materials which may display synergy between a combination of physical properties.

 

 

 

My teaching activities involve delivering modules in General and Introductory Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Coordination Chemistry, Organometallic Chemistry, Physical and Analytical Chemistry and Catalysis to all the chemistry, chemical Engineering and CEAC programmes. This encompasses lectures, tutorials, supervision of experimental research projects and literature projects, and inorganic chemistry laboratory classes.

 

 

 

Modules

 

CH1111 – Inorganic Chemistry I - General and Introductory Chemistry

 

CH2126 – Inorganic Chemistry II – Coordination Chemistry

 

CH3117 – Literature Research Project

 

CE4011 – Chemical Engineering Master’s student research project

 

CH3011 – BSc Applied Chemistry student reserach project

 

 28/10/1988: Master's degree in Chemistry

Leiden University (Leiden, the Netherlands)

15/06/1994: Ph.D. degree

Leiden University (Leiden, the Netherlands), Supervisor: Prof. dr. J. Reedijk                                                     (Leiden University, the Netherlands)

Title of Ph.D. thesis: “The structures and magnetic  properties of polynuclear copper(II) coordination compounds. 1,2,4-triazoles and acylamidrazones as ligands.”

  Teaching qualifications

 -          15 February 2012:Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Practice in Higher Education       (PGCPP)

-          16 April 2012: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

-     01/1995 – 07/1995 :        Post-doctoral researcher

                                              Johannes-Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Germany

                                              Research group of Prof. dr. P. Gütlich                   

-     10/1995 – 08/1997:         Post-doctoral researcher

                                              Université de Bordeaux, France

                                              Research group of Prof. dr. O. Kahn

-     09/1997 – 08/1998:         Post-doctoral researcher

                                              University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA

                                              Research group of Prof. dr. J. S. Miller

-     10/1998 – 02/2000:         Research collaborator

                                              Johannes-Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Germany

                                              Research group of Prof. dr. P. Gütlich

-     03/2000 - 12/2003:          Lecturer

                                              Johannes-Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Germany

-     01/2004 - 2010:               Assistant Professor (Rosalind Franklin Fellow)

                                              University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

-          Since June 2010        Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry, Aston University

• Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry

·         Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Phone number: 0121 204 3917 
Email: [email protected] 

PhD supervision for research projects in the following areas:

Materials’ properties and applications:

• Materials that can be implemented in electronic devices, e.g. for information storage and as displays.
• Magnetic materials
• Optical materials
• Photomagnetic materials
• Catalysts e.g. double metal cyanide catalysts in epoxide and epoxide/CO₂ polymerisation to produce the industrially important polymers poly(ether polyol)s and poly(propylene carbonate)s
• Metal compounds that display antimicrobacterial activity.