The research program is focused in the development advanced multifunctional materials for energy conversion and storage based on catalytic transformations. The hybrid materials developed in are composed of organometallic complexes and graphene derivatives. The approach for such applications is divided on three different research lines: i) Organometallic chemistry: design, characterisation and properties of new catalysts ii) Catalytic applications in processes related to hydrogenation and dehydrogenation. iii) New materials: study of the properties and applications of organometallic compounds supported in graphene derivatives for energy conversion and storage.

Short biography of Dr. Mata

Jose A. Mata was born in Vila-real, Castellón, in 1974. He received a B. S. in chemistry from University of Valencia (1997) and completed his Ph. D. with honors at University Jaume I. The research was focused on development of functionalized ferrocenes with non-linear optical properties (NLO). He was a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University with Prof. Robert Crabtree (2002 – 2003) working on rhodium complexes with N-heterocyclic carbene ligands. In 2004 he moved to Toulouse as a postdoctoral fellow at the Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination (CNRS) with Prof. Rinaldo Poli and worked on atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). He returned to University Jaume I with the “Ramón y Cajal” program (2005 - 2008) and became assistant professor of chemistry in 2008.

His research interests are focused in the development of new catalytic processes for energy conversion and storage using hybrid systems based on metal complexes and 2D carbonaceous materials. He has authored more than 80 international papers which received more than 3700 cites.

Publications

2024

  1. Electrochimica Acta, 2024, 475, 143676.
    Carvajal, D.; Bolos-Sánchez, V.; Solera-Rojas, J.; Mejuto, C.; Fabregat-Santiago, F.; Mas-Marzá, E.         Electrochemical reduction of HMF to synthesize added value compounds using CuAg electrodes.
    Article page: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013468623018443?utm_campaign=STMJ_219742_AUTH_SERV_PA&utm_medium=email&utm_acid=279589369&SIS_ID=&dgcid=STMJ_219742_AUTH_SERV_PA&CMX_ID=&utm_in=DM438010&utm_source=AC_
  2. Dalton Transactions, 2024, 53, 656-665 .
    Ibáñez-Ibáñez, L.; Mollar-Cuni, A.; Apaloo-Messan, E.; Sharma, A.K.; Mata, J.A.; Maseras, F.; Vicent, C.         Ion mobility mass spectrometry uncovers regioselectivity in the carboxylate-assisted C–H activation of palladium N-heterocyclic carbene complexes.
    Article page: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2024/DT/D3DT02793G

2023

  1. Journal of Catalysis, 2023, 428, 115155.
    Ibáñez-Ibáñez, L.; Lázaro, A.; Mejuto, C.; Crespo, M.; Vicent, C.; Rodríguez, L.; Mata, J.A.         Visible light harvesting alkyne hydrosilylation mediated by pincer platinum complexes.
    Article page: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcat.2023.115155
  2. Carbon, 2023, 206, 314 – 324.
    Mollar-Cuni, A.; Martín, S.; Guisado-Barrios, G.; Mata, J.A.         Dual role of graphene as support of ligand-stabilized palladium nanoparticles and carbocatalyst for (de)hydrogenation of N-heterocycles.
    Article page: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0008622323000842?via%3Dihub#undfig1

2022

  1. Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry , 2022, 33, 2291 – 2300.
    Mollar-Cuni, A.; Ibáñez-Ibáñez, L.; Guisado-Barrios, G.; Mata, J.A.; Vicent, C.         Introducing Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry to Identify Site-Selective C–H Bond Activation in N-Heterocyclic Carbene Metal Complexes..
    Article page: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jasms.2c00257
  2. ACS Catalysis, 2022, 12, 6238 – 6245 .
    Mejuto, C.; Ibáñez-Ibáñez, L.; Guisado-Barrios, G.; Mata, J.A.         Visible-Light Promoted Iridium(III) Catalyzed Acceptorless Dehydrogenation of N-heterocycles at Room Temperature..
    Article page: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acscatal.2c01224
  3. Dalton Transactions, 2022, 21, 5250-5256 .
    Martínez-Laguna, J.; Mollar-Cuni, A.; Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Martín, S.; Caballero, A.; Mata, J.A.; Pérez, P.J.         Gold nanoparticles-catalysed functionalization of carbon-hydrogen bonds by carbene transfer reactions..
    Article page: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2022/dt/d1dt04351j
  4. Green Chemistry, 2022, 24, 2036 – 2043 .
    Porcar, R.; Mollar-Cuni, A.; Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Luis, S.V.; García-Verdugo, E.; Mata, J.A.         A simple, safe and robust system for hydrogenation “without gases” under batch and flow conditions using a liquid organic hydrogen carrier.
    Article page: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2022/gc/d1gc03850h
  5. Catalysis Science & Technology, 2022, 4, 1257 – 1270.
    García-Zaragoza, A.; Cerezo-Navarrete, C.; Mollar-Cuni, A.; Oña-Burgos, P.; Mata, J.A.; Corma, A.; Martínez-Prieto, L.M.         Tailoring graphene-supported Ru nanoparticles by functionalization with pyrene-tagged N-heterocyclic carbenes.
    Article page: https://doi.org/10.1039/D1CY02063C

2021

  1. Journal of Chemical Education, 2021, 98, 2638.
    Mollar-Cuni, A.; Mejuto, C.; Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Borja, P.; Mata, J.A.         Introducing Catalysis to Undergraduate Chemistry Students: TestingaRu−NHC Complex in the Selective Dehydrogenative Coupling ofHydrosilanes and Alcohols.
    Article page: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jchemed.1c00032?ref=PDF
  2. ACS Catalysis, 2021, 11, 14688 – 14693 .
    Mollar-Cuni, A.; Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Martín, S.; García, H.; Mata, J.A.         Reduced Graphene Oxides as Carbocatalysts in Acceptorless Dehydrogenation of N-Heterocycles.
    Article page: https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.1c04649
  3. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 2021, 9, 2912–2928.
    Sorribes, I.; Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Assis, M.; Martín, S.; Concepción, P.; Bettini, J.; Longo, E.; Mata, J.A.; Andrés, J.         Unraveling a Biomass-Derived Multiphase Catalyst for the Dehydrogenative Coupling of Silanes with Alcohols under Aerobic Conditions.
    Article page: https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c08953
  4. Journal of Catalysis, 2021, 394, 113 - 120.
    Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Martín, S.; García, H.; Mata, J.A.         Ligand effects in the stabilization of Gold nanoparticles anchored on the surface of graphene: Implications in catalysis..
    Article page: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcat.2020.12.027

2020

  1. European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, 2020, 45, 4254 – 4262 .
    Mollar-Cuni, A.; Borja, P.; Martín, S.; Guisado-Barrios, G.; Mata, J.A.         A Platinum molecular complex immobilised on the surface of graphene as active catalyst in alkyne hydrosilylation.
    Article page: https://doi.org/10.1002/ejic.202000356
  2. ChemCatChem, 2020, 12, 3746 – 3752.
    Mollar-Cuni, A.; Byrne, J.P.; Borja, P.; Vicent, C.; Albrecht, M.; Mata, J.A.         Selective conversion of various monosaccharaides into sugar acids by additive-free dehydrogenation in water..
    Article page: https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.202000544

2019

  1. Chemistry - A European Journal, 2019, 25, 9534 – 9539.
    Ballestin, P.; Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Martín, S.; Caballero, A.; Mata, J.A.; Pérez, P.J.         Improving Catalyst Activity in Hydrocarbon Functionalization by Remote Pyrene-Graphene Stacking.
    Article page: https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.201900964
  2. Journal of Catalysis, 2019, 375, 419 – 426.
    Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Martín, S.; Mata, J.A.         The non-innocent role of graphene in the formation/immobilization of ultra-small gold nanoparticles functionalized with N-heterocyclic carbene ligands..
    Article page: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021951719302593?via%3Dihub
  3. Chemistry - A European Journal, 2019, 25, 9534 – 9539.
    Ballestin, P.; Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Martín, S.; Caballero, A.; Mata, J.A.; Pérez, P.J.         Improving Catalyst Activity in Hydrocarbon Functionalization by Remote Pyrene-Graphene Stacking.
    Article page: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/chem.201900964

2018

  1. ScienceDirect, 2018, 1, 121 – 126.
    Barreneche, C.; Mondragon, R.; Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Mata, J.A.; Cabeza, L.F.; Fernández, I.; Julià, E.         Influence of nanoparticle morphology and its dispersion ability regarding thermal properties of water used as Phase Change Material.
    Article page: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1359431117303320
  2. ACS Omega, 2018, 3, 11, 15217–15228.
    Mollar-Cuni, A.; Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Martín, S.; Mayoral, A.; Borja, P.; Mata, J.A.         Stabilization of nanoparticles produced by hydrogenation of Palladium-NHC complexes on the surface of graphene and implications in catalysis.
    Article page: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.8b02193
  3. Green Chemistry, 2018, 20, 4094 – 4101.
    Borja, P.; Vicent, C.; Baya, M.; Garcia, H.; Mata, J.A.         Iridium complexes catalysed selective dehydrogenation of glucose to gluconic acid in water.
    Article page: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2018/gc/c8gc01933a#!divAbstract
  4. ACS Catalysis, 2018, 8, 2558−2566.
    Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Sabater, S.; Carretero-Cerdán, A.; Baya, M.; Mata, J.A.         High Production of Hydrogen on Demand from Silanes Catalyzed by Iridium Complexes as a Versatile Hydrogen Storage System.
    Article page: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acscatal.7b04479

2017

  1. Chemistry - A European Journal, 2017, 23, 10644-10651.
    Mejuto, C.; Escobar, L.; Guisado, G.; Gussev, D.; Ballester, P.; Peris, E.         Self-Assembly of Di-N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Gold-Adorned Corannulenes on C-60.
    Article page: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/chem.201701728/epdf
  2. Journal of Catalysis, 2017, 352, 498 – 504.
    Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Sabater, S.; Mata, J.A.         Enhancement of gold catalytic activity and stability by immobilization on the surface of graphene.
    Article page:
  3. Chemistry - A European Journal, 2017, 45, 10815 – 10821.
    Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Carretero-Cerdán, A.; Baya, M.; Garcia, H.; Mata, J.A.         Catalytic dehydrogenative coupling of hydrosilanes with alcohols for the production of hydrogen on-demand: Application of the pair silane/alcohol as liquid organic hydrogen carrier..
    Article page:

2016

  1. European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, 2016, 17, 2667 – 2675.
    Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Mata, J.A.         Multiple-Metal (De-)Hydrogenation-Catalysed Processes.
    Article page:
  2. Scientific Reports, 2016, 6, 1-9.
    Torres-Mendieta, R.; Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Sabater, S.; Lancis, J.; Minguez-Vega, G.; Mata, J.A.         In situ decoration of graphene sheets with gold nanoparticles synthetized by pulsed laser ablation in liquids.
    Article page:
  3. Chemistry - A European Journal, 2016, 22, 17758 – 17766.
    Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Marza-Beltran, A.; Mata, J.A.         Catalytic hydrogen production by ruthenium complexes from the conversion of primary amines to nitriles: Potential application as liquid organic hydrogen carrier..
    Article page:
  4. Catalysis Science & Technology, 2016, 6, 8024-8035.
    Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Vicent, C.; Baya, M.; Mata, J.A.         Ruthenium molecular complexes immobilized on graphene as active catalysts for the synthesis of carboxylic acids from alcohol dehydrogenation..
    Article page: