Principal investigator

Research Overview

The research program of the group is focused on the development of advanced hybrid materials for energy conversion and storage based on catalytic transformations as well as fine chemical synthesis.

The hybrid materials are developed from well-defined organometallic and metal complexes. The approach for such applications is divided on three different research lines: i) Organometallic and coordination chemistry: design, characterisation and properties of new catalysts ii) Catalytic applications in processes related to hydrogenation and dehydrogenation. iii) New materials: development and study of the properties and applications of 2D materials (graphene derivatives, C3N4, MoS2, etc) for energy conversion and storage.

Group's research interests

  • Rationale design of advanced materials: From molecular complexes to nanoparticles.

  • Ligand design for the heterogenization of metal complexes and nanoparticles.

  • Development of materials as electrodes for electrocatalytic transformations.

  • Fundamental and applied study of catalytic hydrogenation and dehydrogenation processes.

  • Valorisation of CO2 through chemical transformations and usage as hydrogen storage.

  • Development of materials for the storage of hydrogen in the liquid form using “Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers (LOHCs).

Members

Jose Mata's picture
Jose Mata

Principal Investigator
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Iván Sorribes's picture
Iván Sorribes

Principal Investigator
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Lidón Arroyas's picture
Lidón Arroyas

Doctoral Candidate
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Cristian Bachmann's picture
Cristian Bachmann

Doctoral Candidate
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Laura Ibáñez Ibáñez's picture
Laura Ibáñez Ibáñez

Doctoral Candidate
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Markel Letona's picture
Markel Letona

Doctoral Candidate
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Judith Medina's picture
Judith Medina

Doctoral Candidate
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Rebeca Molina Bueno's picture
Rebeca Molina Bueno

Doctoral Candidate
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David Ruiz's picture
David Ruiz

Doctoral Candidate
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Susana Pérez García's picture
Susana Pérez García

Administration
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Publications

2025

  1. Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers, 2025,

    Havelka, O.; Thomas, A.; Rodenes, M.; Cvek, M.; Ukowiek, D.; Sorribes, I.; Torres-Mendieta, R.

    Nested NiPd nanocatalysts fabricated by reactive laser ablation in liquids: A breakthrough in selective nitroarene reduction to anilines.

    Article page: https://doi.org/10.1039/D5QI01093D

  2. ChemSusChem, 2025, 18, e202500343.

    Rodenes, M.; Oštrić, D.; Martín, S.; Concepción, P.; Corma, A.; Sorribes, I.

    Alloying Engineering of Defective Molybdenum Sulfide Basal Planes for Enhanced Borrowing Hydrogen Activity in the Thioetherification of Alcohols.

    Article page: https://doi.org/10.1002/cssc.202500343

  3. ACS Applied Nano Materials, 2025, 8, 12342−12352.

    Ruiz-Almoguera, D.; Martín, S.; Sorribes, I.; Mata, J.A.

    Recycling Properties of Iridium Nanoparticles Anchored on Graphene as Catalysts in Alcohol Oxidation.

    Article page: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.5c02235

  4. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 2025,

    Solera-Rojas, J.; Forés, C.; Beltrán-Gargallo, G.; Fabregat-Santiago, F.; Mata, J.A.; Mejuto, C.; Mas-Marzá, E.

    Electrohydrogenation of Benzonitrile into Benzylamine under Mild Aqueous Conditions.

    Article page: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acssuschemeng.5c02168

  5. ChemCatChem, 2025, 17, e202500490.

    Medina-Vargas, J.; Mollar-Cuni, A.; Martín, S.; Sorribes, I.; Mata, J.A.

    Graphene as a Suitable Support for Nickel Nanoparticles Functionalized with NHC Ligands in Dehydrogenation of Alcohols.

    Article page: https://chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cctc.202500490

  6. Journal of Catalysis, 2025, 448, 116134.

    Ibáñez-Ibáñez, L.; Guisado-Barrios, G.; Mata, J.A.

    Photodehydrogenation of alcohols catalysed by a single ruthenium N-Heterocyclic carbene complex.

    Article page: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcat.2025.116134

2024

  1. Chemistry - A European Journal, 2024,

    Ruiz-Almoguera, D.; Ventura-Espinosa, D.; Pérez-Bitrián, A.; Martín, A.; Mata, J.A.; Baya, M.

    Gold trifluoromethyl complexes as efficient regioselective catalysts in alkyne hydration.

    Article page: https://chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/chem.202401753

  2. Green Chemistry, 2024, 26, 8768.

    Guenani, N.I.; Solera-Rojas, J.; Carvajal, D.; Mejuto, C.; Mollar-Cuni, A.; Guerrero, A.; Fabregat-Santiago, F.; Mata, J.A.; Mas-Marzá, E.

    Room temperature hydrogen production via electrodehydrogenation of amines into nitriles: advancements in Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers.

    Article page: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2024/GC/D4GC01275E

  3. 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. ChemCatChem, 2023, 15,

    Gutierrez-Blanco, A.; Stein, C.A.M.; Alfonso, C.; Guillamón, E.; Safont, V.S.; Sorribes, I.; Junge, H.; Beller, M.; Llusar, R.

    Selective Dehydrogenation of Formic Acid Catalyzed by Air-Stable Cuboidal PN Molybdenum Sulfide Clusters.

    Article page: https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.202300740

  2. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 2023, 11, 12265-12279.

    Rodenes, M.; Dhaeyere, F.; Martín, S.; Concepción, P.; Corma, A.; Sorribes, I.

    Multifunctional Catalysis of Nanosheet Defective Molybdenum Sulfide Basal Planes for Tandem Reactions Involving Alcohols and Molecular Hydrogen.

    Article page: https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c01489

  3. Chemistry of Materials, 2023, 35, 8483-8493.

    Gonell, F.; Rodenes, M.; Martín, S.; Boronat, M.; Sorribes, I.; Corma, A.

    From Well-Defined Clusters to Functional Materials: Molecular Engineering of Amorphous Molybdenum Sulfides for Hydrogen Evolution Electrocatalysis.

    Article page: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.3c01260

  4. 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

  5. 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
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