The art of building small
The research program of the Feringa group is focussed on synthetic and physical organic chemistry. Inspired by Nature's principles of molecular assembly, recognition, transport, motion and catalysis, the goal is to exploit the full potential of synthetic chemistry to create new structures and functions. A major part of the research is directed towards dynamic molecular systems. The focus is on molecular nanoscience, novel responsive materials and photo-pharma exploring biohybrid systems, self-assembly, molecular switches and motors. A second part of the program deals with the development (and application in chemical biology) of novel stereoselective synthesis methods and asymmetric catalysis. Chirality is a leading theme and over the years a unique and broad expertise in fundamental aspects of stereochemistry has been acquired including chiroptical phenomena, chiral amplification and origin of chirality.
Collaboration and Embedding
Ben L. Feringa
Prof. Ben L. Feringa obtained his PhD. at the University of Groningen, where he was appointed full professor in 1988, after working as research scientist for Shell. Under his guidance the Feringa group has developed extensive expertise in the fields of organic chemistry, nanotechnology, asymmetric catalysis. His discovery of the molecular motor ranks highly among the many discoveries made over the years.
We gratefully acknowledge the following funding agencies: ERC, ARC CBBC, Ubbo Emmius Foundation, China Scholarship Foundation, Solvay, FNRS-FWO, NWO
Most recent publications
- The Development of a Smart Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer Contrast Agent for the Imaging of Sulfatase Activity, Ilse M. Welleman, Friederike Reessing, Hendrikus H. Boersma, Rudi A. J. O. Dierckx, Ben L. Feringa and Wiktor Szymanski, Pharmaceuticals, 16, 10, 1439 (DOI: 10.3390/ph16101439)
- Dynamic Control of Multiple Optical Patterns of Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Microdroplets by Light-Driven Molecular Motors, Jiaqin Li, Shuting Xie, Yuying Liu, Qi Zhan, Yang Zhang, Lingling Shui, Guofu Zhou, Ben L. Feringa and Jiawen Chen, CCS Chem. 2023, Just Published (DOI: 10.31635/ccschem.023.202303171)
- Construction of a three-state responsive framework from a bistable photoswitch, Jinyu Sheng, Jacopo Perogo, Wojciech Danowski, Silvia Bracco, Shaoyu Chen, Xiaotian Zhu, Charl X. Bezuidenhout, Simon Krause, Wesley R. Browne, Piero Sozzani, Angiolina Comotti and Ben L. Feringa, Chem 2023, 9, 2701-2716 (DOI: 10.1016/j.chempr.2023.08.004)
