Since 1997 I work in organic chemistry laboratories. These were placed in Bydgoszcz, Toruń, Zurich, Graz.

Below a short story of my past and current research activity:

• Schiff bases exhibiting charge transfer

During my MSc thesis work I have synthesised several Schiff bases that were studied by the absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies. Those were charge transfer dyes with a relatively large Stokes shift. Unfortunately, some of them were unstable and hydrolysed - see the link for mechanism. However, most of them were stable. I'm sorry but I do not have electronic version of MSc thesis.

• Tautomerism

My PhD work (advisor: R. Gawinecki) was focused on the substituent influence of tautomeric equilibrium in CH-acids. The said acids were 2-phenacylpyridines and its benzo derivarives (quinolines, isoquinolines and phenantridines). During my PhD research I have granted FNP (Foundation for Polsih Science) START stipend with extension for two years.

• Computational chemistry adventure

I have received a funding from FNP (KOLUMB programme) for one year post-doc stay in research groups guided by Jay Siegel and Kim Baldridge. It was a great time in the Organic Chemistry Institute at University of Zurich. I have learned to use computers in studies of hydrogen bonded complexes.

• Supramolecular chemistry 

Supramolecular chemistry has inspired me to study the substituent effects in intermolecular interactions. While, it looks that most of those can be easily predicted it turned out it is not the case for all molecules (example). Together with my PhD students we have searched for electronic and steric influence on association and on rotational equilibria (here and here) in supramolecular complexes.

Grant from MNiSW (Ministry of Science and Higher Education) "Intermolecular interactions of pyridine and naphthyridine derivatives. The influence of weak interactions, enviroment, of number of hydrogen bonds and other substances on self-organisation of molecules" (2010-2013)

Grant from MNiSW "Intermolecular interactions with diazines" (2011-2013)

• Fluorescent dyes (BF2-carrying molecules)

This project is under progress (see our publications no. 68, 71 and next). The research was supported from National Science Centre in Kraków, Poland:

Grant Opus "Unsymmetric difluoroboranes - synthesis, spectral and theoretical studies of new fluorescent probes" (2013-2017).

Grant Harmonia "Boron-based Fluorophores - functionalisation, properties and their tests for versatile usage".

Grant Opus "Development of new class of fluorophores based on boron centre with tailored photophysical properties" (currently)

Grant Opus "New two-photon absorbers with dipolar and quadrupolar architecture: from synthesis to applications" (currently)

A brief description of the structural modification of the previous fluorophores we were working on is given in the picture below.

Grant Opus "Three-photon absorption of organic fluorescent dyes" (10.2024-10.2028)

The project is realized in a consortium where the leader is Wroclaw Uniwersity of Science and Technology while the PI is dr. Hans Arvid Ågren.