Josef Boronski
@josefboronski.bsky.social
Organometallic Chemistry ｜ Metal-Metal Bonding ｜ Assistant Professor at Imperial College London｜Royal Society University Research Fellow ｜https://www.imperial.ac.uk/boronski-group/
Pinned
Josef Boronski
@josefboronski.bsky.social
· Dec 13
A Crystalline NiX6 Complex
High-valent nickel species are implicated as intermediates in industrially relevant chemical transformations and in the catalytic cycles of metalloenzymes. Although a small number of tetravalent NiX4 ...
pubs.acs.org
We report the first stable hexavalent nickel complex! It's formed by reductive addition of three Be-Be bonds at nickel(0), producing Ni(BeCp)6
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Reposted by Josef Boronski
📣Our new paper is out in @jacs.acspublications.org (our very first one)!🥳
We show how a redox-active ligand unlocks C–X bond scission at an ambiphilic T-shaped Bi(III) compound. A big collaborative effort with my brilliant colleagues from Berlin.
👉 pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
We show how a redox-active ligand unlocks C–X bond scission at an ambiphilic T-shaped Bi(III) compound. A big collaborative effort with my brilliant colleagues from Berlin.
👉 pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Ambiphilic Reactivity and Switchable Methyl Transfer at a T-Shaped Bi(NNN) Complex Enabled by a Redox-Active Pincer Ligand
We report the transition-metal-like reactivity of a geometrically constrained, ambiphilic bismuth(III) trisamide. Planarization of the Bi(III) center unlocks Bi–C bond formation when reacted with mild...
pubs.acs.org
January 7, 2026 at 10:06 AM
📣Our new paper is out in @jacs.acspublications.org (our very first one)!🥳
We show how a redox-active ligand unlocks C–X bond scission at an ambiphilic T-shaped Bi(III) compound. A big collaborative effort with my brilliant colleagues from Berlin.
👉 pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
We show how a redox-active ligand unlocks C–X bond scission at an ambiphilic T-shaped Bi(III) compound. A big collaborative effort with my brilliant colleagues from Berlin.
👉 pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Reposted by Josef Boronski
Just out over the holidays. The latest from the group and first author Alexis Bauer on some fun iron-silyl chemistry. Check it out.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Synthesis and Characterization of Unusual S=1 Fe(0)‐Silyl Complexes Supported by Styrene Ligands
Despite the long-standing importance of iron-silicon bonds as related to catalysis, high-spin Fe(0)-silyl complexes remain a historical synthetic challenge in the field. Herein, we report the first s...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
January 5, 2026 at 8:56 AM
Just out over the holidays. The latest from the group and first author Alexis Bauer on some fun iron-silyl chemistry. Check it out.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Josef Boronski
Here's our first preprint of 2026. Selective, catalytic hydroboration of carbon–carbon bonds of strained cyclobutanes with magnesium complexes. chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr.... Some interesting mechanistic twists in this one. Congrats to @upwinder.bsky.social Joe Parr and Esther Raga.
January 5, 2026 at 9:16 AM
Here's our first preprint of 2026. Selective, catalytic hydroboration of carbon–carbon bonds of strained cyclobutanes with magnesium complexes. chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr.... Some interesting mechanistic twists in this one. Congrats to @upwinder.bsky.social Joe Parr and Esther Raga.
Reposted by Josef Boronski
Liverpool is hiring for a Professor who would also be Head of Chemistry. Application deadline Jan 4th. Interviews Feb 5th. I really like it here; maybe you would, too. www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPQ019/p...
Professor and Head of Department of Chemistry at University of Liverpool
Recruiting now: Professor and Head of Department of Chemistry on jobs.ac.uk. Click for details and explore more academic job opportunities on the top job board
www.jobs.ac.uk
December 3, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Liverpool is hiring for a Professor who would also be Head of Chemistry. Application deadline Jan 4th. Interviews Feb 5th. I really like it here; maybe you would, too. www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPQ019/p...
Incredibly grateful to @royalsociety.org for the award of a URF to support our research on alkaline earth metal-metal bonding!
Meet the new cohort of exceptional researchers who have been awarded more than £83 million worth of early career fellowships by the Royal Society, working on research spanning the sciences: #RSGrants: https://bit.ly/49jMkKx
Exceptional researchers awarded early career fellowships worth more than £83 million | Royal Society
A new cohort of exceptional researchers at have been awarded funding through the Royal Society’s early career schemes, the University Research Fellowship (URF), Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship (DHF) and Ne...
bit.ly
November 14, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Incredibly grateful to @royalsociety.org for the award of a URF to support our research on alkaline earth metal-metal bonding!
Reposted by Josef Boronski
This week's Chemical Science Pick of the Week is "All-Boron Analogue of Planar Benzene on an Osmium Template" by Eluvathingal Jemmis and Sundargopal Ghosh et al. from IIT Madras and IISc Bangalore.
Read it for free here: doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
Read it for free here: doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
November 12, 2025 at 10:36 AM
This week's Chemical Science Pick of the Week is "All-Boron Analogue of Planar Benzene on an Osmium Template" by Eluvathingal Jemmis and Sundargopal Ghosh et al. from IIT Madras and IISc Bangalore.
Read it for free here: doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
Read it for free here: doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
We are advertising for two PhD studentships in organometallic chemistry! Come and work with us @imperialchemistry.bsky.social from October 2026:
Advert 2) www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Advert 2) www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
PhD Studentship in C–H Functionalisation Using Polymetallic Complexes at Imperial College London on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - PhD Studentship in C–H Functionalisation Using Polymetallic Complexes at Imperial College London, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:46 PM
We are advertising for two PhD studentships in organometallic chemistry! Come and work with us @imperialchemistry.bsky.social from October 2026:
Advert 2) www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Advert 2) www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
We are advertising for two PhD studentships in organometallic chemistry! Come and work with us @imperialchemistry.bsky.social from October 2026:
Advert 1) www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Advert 1) www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
PhD Studentship in Organometallic Beryllium Chemistry at Imperial College London on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - PhD Studentship in Organometallic Beryllium Chemistry at Imperial College London, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:32 PM
We are advertising for two PhD studentships in organometallic chemistry! Come and work with us @imperialchemistry.bsky.social from October 2026:
Advert 1) www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Advert 1) www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Reposted by Josef Boronski
It's been one year since my blog on the closure of Hull, which kind of blew up. A thread with some reflections on what's happened since then. 1/ www.michaeloneill.org/blog-1/2024/...
On Hull — Michael O'Neill
A personal reflection on the closure of Hull’s Chemistry Department, where I held my first academic post.
www.michaeloneill.org
October 29, 2025 at 9:39 AM
It's been one year since my blog on the closure of Hull, which kind of blew up. A thread with some reflections on what's happened since then. 1/ www.michaeloneill.org/blog-1/2024/...
Reposted by Josef Boronski
Excited to share our new preprint! 🥳
We developed a modular strategy to access small four-membered biradicaloids by trapping them in Mn and Co complexes. Many congratulations to Stefan and Michi for their successful efforts !
We developed a modular strategy to access small four-membered biradicaloids by trapping them in Mn and Co complexes. Many congratulations to Stefan and Michi for their successful efforts !
chemrxiv.org
November 3, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Excited to share our new preprint! 🥳
We developed a modular strategy to access small four-membered biradicaloids by trapping them in Mn and Co complexes. Many congratulations to Stefan and Michi for their successful efforts !
We developed a modular strategy to access small four-membered biradicaloids by trapping them in Mn and Co complexes. Many congratulations to Stefan and Michi for their successful efforts !
Reposted by Josef Boronski
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/...
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
October 29, 2025 at 6:35 PM
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/...
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Reposted by Josef Boronski
(2/2) ..I increasingly encounter faculty that will not support their own students/postdocs in fellowship applications due to perceived competition on science. Maybe I am just getting old but isn't the idea of our jobs to create great scientists that can go on and do even better science than we have?
October 19, 2025 at 12:03 PM
(2/2) ..I increasingly encounter faculty that will not support their own students/postdocs in fellowship applications due to perceived competition on science. Maybe I am just getting old but isn't the idea of our jobs to create great scientists that can go on and do even better science than we have?
Reposted by Josef Boronski
TIRE CHANGE: First Mg(I) complex with a Cp* ligand enables facile ligand exchange. Reaction with RONa gives (BDI)Mg-MgOR and Cp*Na. This paves the way for syntheses of many new asymmetric Mg(I) complexes. @angew_chem onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
October 17, 2025 at 1:11 PM
TIRE CHANGE: First Mg(I) complex with a Cp* ligand enables facile ligand exchange. Reaction with RONa gives (BDI)Mg-MgOR and Cp*Na. This paves the way for syntheses of many new asymmetric Mg(I) complexes. @angew_chem onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
A privilege to be back in York to deliver the McCamley Lecture. Many thanks to everyone in the Chemistry Department for their hospitality!
October 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM
A privilege to be back in York to deliver the McCamley Lecture. Many thanks to everyone in the Chemistry Department for their hospitality!
Reposted by Josef Boronski
Our group's very first ACIE paper is out!🥳
Awesome work by Soti and a great cooperation with the Bittl group and @franemmerling.bsky.social.
Dedicated to @christianlimberg.bsky.social and Franc Meyer
@humboldtuni.bsky.social @manchester.ac.uk
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Awesome work by Soti and a great cooperation with the Bittl group and @franemmerling.bsky.social.
Dedicated to @christianlimberg.bsky.social and Franc Meyer
@humboldtuni.bsky.social @manchester.ac.uk
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
October 14, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Our group's very first ACIE paper is out!🥳
Awesome work by Soti and a great cooperation with the Bittl group and @franemmerling.bsky.social.
Dedicated to @christianlimberg.bsky.social and Franc Meyer
@humboldtuni.bsky.social @manchester.ac.uk
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Awesome work by Soti and a great cooperation with the Bittl group and @franemmerling.bsky.social.
Dedicated to @christianlimberg.bsky.social and Franc Meyer
@humboldtuni.bsky.social @manchester.ac.uk
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Josef Boronski
First post, first publication!
I’m over the moon to share the first publication from our small research group! 🚀 pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a... @chemcomm.rsc.org
Jan explored a funky P=P-containing heterocycle and its reversible! bond activation chemistry, with DFT insights from Francesco. #newPI
I’m over the moon to share the first publication from our small research group! 🚀 pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a... @chemcomm.rsc.org
Jan explored a funky P=P-containing heterocycle and its reversible! bond activation chemistry, with DFT insights from Francesco. #newPI
September 29, 2025 at 7:55 AM
First post, first publication!
I’m over the moon to share the first publication from our small research group! 🚀 pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a... @chemcomm.rsc.org
Jan explored a funky P=P-containing heterocycle and its reversible! bond activation chemistry, with DFT insights from Francesco. #newPI
I’m over the moon to share the first publication from our small research group! 🚀 pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a... @chemcomm.rsc.org
Jan explored a funky P=P-containing heterocycle and its reversible! bond activation chemistry, with DFT insights from Francesco. #newPI
Reposted by Josef Boronski
20 years of FLPs! Check out this article published together with the pioneer of FLPs himself (Prof. Douglas Stephan) covering some of the highlights of FLP chemistry over the last two decades. pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
A reflection on frustrated Lewis pairs 20 years on: the gift that keeps on giving
This commentary reflects on the remarkably broad impact the concept of “frustrated Lewis pairs” (FLPs) has had over the past 20 years. Since its initial articulation, this concept has found applicatio...
pubs.rsc.org
September 24, 2025 at 12:47 PM
20 years of FLPs! Check out this article published together with the pioneer of FLPs himself (Prof. Douglas Stephan) covering some of the highlights of FLP chemistry over the last two decades. pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
Reposted by Josef Boronski
🔓Don't miss this #OpenAccess Frontier article by Liam P. Griffin and @josefboronski.bsky.social outlining recent advances in heterometallic alkaline earth metals and pathways to future breakthroughs⬇️
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
📍 @manchester.ac.uk, @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social 🧪
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
📍 @manchester.ac.uk, @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social 🧪
Alkaline earth metals: heterometallic bonding
The alkaline earth metals are notorious for their tendency to form ionic compounds of their dications. In recent years, however, chemists have found ways to kinetically skirt around the edges of…
pubs.rsc.org
September 15, 2025 at 9:15 AM
🔓Don't miss this #OpenAccess Frontier article by Liam P. Griffin and @josefboronski.bsky.social outlining recent advances in heterometallic alkaline earth metals and pathways to future breakthroughs⬇️
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
📍 @manchester.ac.uk, @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social 🧪
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
📍 @manchester.ac.uk, @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social 🧪
Reposted by Josef Boronski
Ending the week on a high! Check out our comparison of manganate and magnesiate now published in ChemComm! Great team effort @bathchem.bsky.social with @tobiaskramer.bsky.social in understanding these elusive bimetallics!
A direct comparison of lithium tetra(n-butyl) manganate(II) and magnesiate: structural insights and catalytic hydroamination of styrenes
Previous studies have hinted at the similarities of Mn(II) and Mg alkyl complexes. Advancing this field, here we present a comparative study of tetra(n-butyl) lithium manganate(II) and magnesiate. Com...
pubs.rsc.org
September 5, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Ending the week on a high! Check out our comparison of manganate and magnesiate now published in ChemComm! Great team effort @bathchem.bsky.social with @tobiaskramer.bsky.social in understanding these elusive bimetallics!
Reposted by Josef Boronski
I am happy to share that our latest paper has been published in @science.org. In this work, we report the synthesis of novel tin carbonyl and carbene complexes. Thanks to all collaborators!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@humboldt-foundation.de
@oxfordchemistry.bsky.social
@ox.ac.uk
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@humboldt-foundation.de
@oxfordchemistry.bsky.social
@ox.ac.uk
A main-group metal carbonyl complex: Structure and isomerization to a carbene-stabilized tin atom
In contrast to transition elements, s- and p-block metal compounds that coordinate carbon monoxide (CO) under near-ambient conditions are elusive. Here, we report an isolable, crystalline main-group m...
www.science.org
September 11, 2025 at 6:03 PM
I am happy to share that our latest paper has been published in @science.org. In this work, we report the synthesis of novel tin carbonyl and carbene complexes. Thanks to all collaborators!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@humboldt-foundation.de
@oxfordchemistry.bsky.social
@ox.ac.uk
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@humboldt-foundation.de
@oxfordchemistry.bsky.social
@ox.ac.uk
Reposted by Josef Boronski
Thrilled to share a first publication of the group! We report on cadmium aluminyls that find application as Cd-nucleophiles and(!) Al(I)-Transfer reagents. Now out in @jacs.acspublications.org ! 🥳👍
Thanks a lot to @chemieverband.bsky.social for the generous funding. pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Thanks a lot to @chemieverband.bsky.social for the generous funding. pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Functional Al/Cd Heterometallics─From Controlled Al(I) Transfer to Nucleophilic Transfer of Cadmium Ions
Low-valent cadmium compounds have remained largely unexplored as electron reservoirs, with no precedent for their use in reduction or bond activation chemistry. Here, we address this gap by integratin...
pubs.acs.org
August 25, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Thrilled to share a first publication of the group! We report on cadmium aluminyls that find application as Cd-nucleophiles and(!) Al(I)-Transfer reagents. Now out in @jacs.acspublications.org ! 🥳👍
Thanks a lot to @chemieverband.bsky.social for the generous funding. pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Thanks a lot to @chemieverband.bsky.social for the generous funding. pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Liam Griffin and I have reviewed recent advances in the heterometallic bonding chemistry of the alkaline earth metals @daltontrans.rsc.org. It was fun to put this together, and we hope it's useful!
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
Alkaline earth metals: heterometallic bonding
The alkaline earth metals are notorious for their tendency to form ionic compounds of their dications. In recent years, however, chemists have found ways to kinetically skirt around the edges of these...
pubs.rsc.org
August 11, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Liam Griffin and I have reviewed recent advances in the heterometallic bonding chemistry of the alkaline earth metals @daltontrans.rsc.org. It was fun to put this together, and we hope it's useful!
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
Reposted by Josef Boronski
Reversible C–H Bond Activation of Unactivated Arenes by a Nickel-Silylene Complex - pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
So proud to congratulate first author Leon Gomm for his first paper in JACS. Thanks to Hui Zhu and Stefan Grimme for the ever helpful DFT calculations. @unibonn.bsky.social
So proud to congratulate first author Leon Gomm for his first paper in JACS. Thanks to Hui Zhu and Stefan Grimme for the ever helpful DFT calculations. @unibonn.bsky.social
Reversible C–H Bond Activation of Unactivated Arenes by a Nickel-Silylene Complex
A nickel-silylene complex is shown to reversibly activate benzene via C–H bond activation at ambient temperature. The benzene C–H bond formally adds across the Ni–Si core to form a nickel-silyl comple...
pubs.acs.org
August 8, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Reversible C–H Bond Activation of Unactivated Arenes by a Nickel-Silylene Complex - pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
So proud to congratulate first author Leon Gomm for his first paper in JACS. Thanks to Hui Zhu and Stefan Grimme for the ever helpful DFT calculations. @unibonn.bsky.social
So proud to congratulate first author Leon Gomm for his first paper in JACS. Thanks to Hui Zhu and Stefan Grimme for the ever helpful DFT calculations. @unibonn.bsky.social
Reposted by Josef Boronski
Our groups first foray into heterobimetallic Zn/Al chemistry. Congratulations to Jake, Josef, Avantika, George, Nik and @millsgroupchem.bsky.social.
chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
Janus-Faced Reactivity of Heterobimetallic Al–Zn Complexes
p-Block complexes containing unsupported metal–metal bonds can activate small molecules via mechanisms that complement and contrast with those of d-block metal complexes. Within this compound class, A...
chemrxiv.org
August 4, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Our groups first foray into heterobimetallic Zn/Al chemistry. Congratulations to Jake, Josef, Avantika, George, Nik and @millsgroupchem.bsky.social.
chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...