My former and present colleagues, coworkers and students whose contribution to the research in organosilicon 
    electrochemistry and to the great atmosphere in our group is really invaluable

C. Martineau (ATER) R. Keyrouz (PhD, Lebanon) Ch. Grogger (CNRS, Austria) B.M. Liza (PhD, Spain) M. Mellah (Postdoc) I. Fechete (ATER, Romania) J. Zeitouny (MS stud., Lebanon) S. Neuhold (MS stud., Austria) K.N. Singh (Visiting Prof, India) A. Marcu (PhD, Romania) V.I. Morozov (Asd Res. Russia)

A. Zizumbo (Inv. MdC, Mexico) B. Nehmeh (PhD, Lebanon) S. Soualmi (PhD, Algeria) K-R. Igondjo (Student) K. Guerin (Oryl Industry) A. Le Regent (Student) G. Povie (Student) A. Puchet (Student) B. Hery (Student) L. Lory (Student) T. Le Floch (Student)

D. Pélégry (Student) T. Dhenin (Student) M. Dieng (PhD, Senegal) Y. Wang (PhD, China) B. Villebonnet (Student) M. Syroeshkin (Postdoc) M. Cheul (Student) P. De La Motte Rouge (Student)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr Arturo Zizumbo Lopez Visiting professor from Tijuana Institute of Technology (Mexico). He was one of the first to start silicon electrochemistry in Mexico. Although his visit happened to coincide with the laboratory moving to another building, he fulfilled a nice research on electrogeneration and reactivity of carbocations in liquid SO2 and direct electro-synthesis of carbosilanes from elemental silicon. And yes, his help in the laboratory installation was really invaluable! His calm, large knowledge in any area would it be chemistry, computing or networking, electrical or mechanical problems, - they always help out to find a solution.

 

 

 

Aude Le Regent Third year chemistry student, Aude spent with us two months and started the long story of the multistep synthesis of Bmt, a bulky ligand for kinetically stabilized silanone precursors. A very modest and extremely responsible hard-(and well !)-working girl. Aude left from the UofR but we still find a lot of useful data in her lab book.

 

 

 

Benoit Villebonnet Fourth year chemistry student, Benoit spent with us two months and started the long story of the multistep synthesis of triptich amines, a six-functional precursor and corner stone for the synthesis of bis- and poly- metallatranes. A very autonomous and inventive guy, Benoit has a great chemical erudition that any researcher would be proud of but on some reason, he want to apply his qualities in high school teaching.

 

 

 

 

Bilal Nehmeh Started his PhD program on building Si=Si and related double bonds to silicon by electrochemical methods. The work is going on and certainly we shall tell you more interesting things soon.

 

 

 

 

Bruno Martiz Lisa PhD visitor from the University of Murcia (Spain), has done an excellent work on electrochemical kinetics of interaction of electrogenerated superoxide anions with various (extremely moisture and air sensitive!) silanone precursors and on the use of ionic liquids for electrosynthesis using silanones.

 

 

 

 

Christa Grogger Visiting CNRS researcher from Technical University of Graz (Austria). She was at the beginning of silicon electrochemistry in Austria in the group of Prof. E. Hengge. She performed an excellent work on electro- chemical reactivity of thio and dithio derivatives of triazinetriones (electrochemically very unfriendly). For the first time, she detected and characterized by voltammetry, UV and EPR the products arising from one-electron redox processes of doubly-bonded Si and Ge compounds prepared in the group of Prof.M. Weidenbrouch (University of Oldenburg, Germany). She has shown that not only cation radicals of disilenes and digermenes are stable but also their anion radicals and even dianions! Our collaboration is still on, so to be continued.

 

 

 

 

 

Joceline Zeitouny During the work at her Master diploma, she started the study on electrogeneration of silyl radicals using both electro- and nucleophilic silicon precursors. She fulfilled a very nice work on Na/K reductions, dropwise continuous flow electrolysis, reverse ECE-mode electrolysis and coupled EPR-electro- chemical monitoring of formation of R3Si• species directly and by spin trapping. A punctual but very fruitful contribution to the electrosynthesis of polyaromatics in ionic liquids. She got her PhD since then and is doing the post-doc at UCDavis.

 

 

 

 

Dr Krishna Nand Singh Visiting professor from Banaras Hindu University (Varanasi, India). He explored electrochemical activation of small molecules (O2/CO2) in view of their use for introducing carboxy function into silicon organic compounds. His very positive life attitude, extraordinary human qualities and endless patience have helped to solve many problems.

 

 

 

 

Dr Mohammed Mellah Postdoctoral fellow, started pioneering works on electrosynthesis of molecular products in ionic liquids - reductive self-coupling of halogenated compounds catalyzed by Ni(II)/Ni(0) couple and via direct anodic dimerization of aromatic cation radicals. His ever up beat attitude was a great factor in the laboratory atmosphere and his inexhaustible energy helped to solve a lot of difficulties. Presently he is an Assistant Professor at the University Paris Sud (Orsay).

 

 

 

 

Mamadou Dieng PhD student from the University of Dakar, Senegal, Mamadou started his work as a co-tutelle doctoral student working on hypervalent silicon compounds complexed with electroactive ligands. It turned out to be a tricky chemistry but with the strong motivation of Mamadou the work was greatly advanced in a surprisingly short time. In fact, he even discovered a new way of generating silyl radicals and grafting them to glassy carbon. We shall certainly develop this topic!

 

 

 

 

Mikhail Syroeshkin Postdoctoral fellow from Zelinskii Institut of Organic Chemistry in Moscow. During his stay wit us, Misha synthesized a series of F-encapsulating silsesquioxanes and studied their electrochemical properties. These new systems revealed to be very interesting non-complexating supporting electrolytes, especially suitable for organosilicon electro-chemistry. We shall certainly develop this great work, but Misha, learn some French!

 

 

 

 

Robert Keyrouz During his PhD program (2001-2004), he explored electrochemical generation of transient diorganylsilanones from different presursors with two labile valencies: dichloro-, dialkoxy and dithiodiorgano- silanes. A great deal of work on the electrosynthesis of functional siloxanes has thus been fulfilled. Besides, he developed an efficient gas-diffuse electrode system for this process and successfully transposed it to ionic liquids. He is presently teaching chemistry at the university of Lebanon.

 

 

 

 

Dr Ioana Fechete Hold one-year assistant professor position. She performed a very elegant work on electroreductive decarbonylation of phthalimide to obtain isoindoline, the tricky task only she could fulfill. She also proved the possibility of redox-mediated cathodic coupling of chlorosilanes to form Si-Si and Si=Si bonds which is now being extensively studied in the laboratory. An extremely hard working researcher and extraordinarily responsible and reliable colleague, appreciated with no exception by everyone in the laboratory. Her involvement in organolithium syntheses of bulky chlorosilanes and encumbering substituents allowed to advance a large block of work. A great pedagogue and an extraordinary personality.

 

 

 

 

Saida Soualmi Teacher at the university of Setif (Algeria), she spent  her research sojourn in Rennes working on the electrochemistry of germatranes. New and exciting results came our of her work that triggered an entire new branch of metallatranyl electrochemistry. Great work, indeed! Saida also carried out a lot of voltammetry on hypervalent silicon compounds, she studied redox catalyzed reduction of chlorosilanes, - so many topics during such a short time.

 

 

 

Susanna Neuhold Master student from Austria. She started her work when being a second year student. By the graduation, she already accomplished a lot in silicon electrochemistry - cathodic carboxylation of silanes, synthesis and reactivity of heteroatom-locked cyclopolysilanes, electrosynthesis and kinetics of formation of bis-siylperoxides, synthesis of bulky dichlorosilanes for silanone generation and other topics. Now Susi finished her PhD program and is doing postdoctoral training at Argonne National Laboratories. I am sure we shall hear about her new achievements in the future.

 

 

 

 

Dr Vladimir Morozov Associated researcher from Russian Academy of Sciences (Kazan, Russia). One of the best Russian specialists on Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy. His contribution was indeed invaluable in developing a complex technique for EPR-voltammetry experiments and observation of transient silyl radicals produced electrochemically. He is full of interesting ideas and vivid interest for life. Everyone who knew Vladimir says he is extraordinarily friendly and always ready to help with any your problem (attention! not to abuse).

 

 

 

 

 

Yu Wang Yu is fulfilling her PhD program in a very multifaceted topic including organic and organometallic synthesis, voltammetry and spectroelectrochemical study of synthesized compounds, their derivatization and probing their specific physico-chemical properties by various kinds of spectroscopy. She is very efficient and organized as nobody, we are sure to have a great scientific production from her work.

 

 

 

 

Ke-Raan Igondjo L3 student who came for the training at the last moment, when we were in extremely restricted space  conditions (lab renovation) and brought in the group his inexhaustible optimism and always up-beat spirit. Ke-Raan worked at organolithium syntheses of bulky terphenyl substituents for the silanone and disilene projects. After a year in the UK and Australia, he is presently finishing his master program at Bordeaux University. Good luck Ke-Raan, and good continuation!

 

 

 

 

Bathylle Hery Bathylle was a student of "Magistere de Materiaux" when she and Laurianne joined our group to work on the elaboration of new catalytic cathodic materials for direct one-electron reduction of chlorosilanes. T'was a tough task, huh? :-)

 

 

 

 

Laurianne Lory Laurianne was a student of "Magistere de Materiaux" when, with Bathylle, she joined our group to work on elaboration of new catalytic cathodic materials for direct one-electron reduction of chlorosilanes. How did you like electrochemistry, Laurianne? :-)

 

 

 

 

Pierre De La Motte Rouge Pierre was second youngest, after Melanie, student who joined our group at his L2 year. Together, they followed the whole way of the synthesis of new all-six  phenyl silatrane with merged aryl groups in the side chains. Again, it is not every day that one can afford to make a new class of compounds. Bravo, Pierre, and good continuation!

 

 

 

 

 

Melanie Cheul Melanie found us when she was at 1st year of BTS in Angers. Very shy at the beginning, she fast got confidence in herself and fulfilled, together with Pierre, a really great work on the synthesis of the first member of new  family of all-six silatranes that we designed together. It is not every day that one makes a new class of compounds, especially at first year of the university. Bravo, Melanie!