Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry

Donor-Acceptor Interactions Research Group

Study of structures and reactivity of donor-acceptor compounds in condensed, liquid and gaseous phases.

Group leader: Professor Alexey Y. Timoshkin, Ph.D. Acting head of the General and Inorganic Сhemistry department. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The author and supervisor of online courses:

  • Inorganic chemistry: Introduction to chemistry of the elements” on Coursrera, on Stepik, on NPOO;
  • Structure of matter: atoms, molecules, nanomaterials” on Coursrera.

Group Members

onh Timoshkin AYu

Group leader

Professor Alexey Yu. Timoshkin, Ph.D. Acting head of the Inorganic Сhemistry Department

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007-812-4284071
Audience 3154

Group members

onh Davidova EI

Davydova Elena I., Ph.D, Associate Professor

Audience 3149, 3151, 3153, 3156

007-812-4284071

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onh Pomogaeva AV

Pomogaeva Anna V., Ph.D, senior researcher

Audience 3156

007-812-4284071

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onh Lisovenko AS

Lisovenko Anna S., Ph.D, senior researcher

Audience 3156

007-812-4284071

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onh Kondratev YuV

Kondrat’ev Yurii V. Ph.D, Associate Professor

Audience 113

007-812-4284071

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onh Kazakov IV

Kazakov Igor V., Ph.D, senior researcher

Audience 113, 3149, 3151, 3153, 3156

007-812-4284071

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onh Doynikov DA

Doinikov Dmitriy A., senior researcher

Audience 113, 3149, 3151, 3153, 3156

007-812-4284071

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Ph.D students

onh Butlak AV

Butlak Alina V., post-graduate student

Audience 3149, 3151, 3153, 3156

007-812-4284071

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onh Zavgorodniy AS

Zavgorodnii Artem S., post-graduate student

Audience 113, 3149, 3151, 3153, 3156

007-812-4284071

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onh Chernisheva AM

Chernysheva Anna M., post-graduate student

Audience 113, 3149, 3151, 3153, 3156

007-812-4284071

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Gugin Nikita Yurevich

Gugin Nikita Yu., post-graduate student

Audience 113, 3149, 3151, 3153, 3156

007-812-4284071

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Students

Parfenyuk Tatyana Nikolaevna

Parfenyuk Tatyana N., master student

Audience 3149, 3151, 3153, 3156

007-812-4284071

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Rastorguev Nikita Sergeevich

Rastorguev Nikita S., bachelor student

Audience 3149, 3151, 3153, 3156

(812) 428 40 71

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Positions available

For participation in the post-position contest of St. Petersburg State University, contact the head of the research group A.Y. Timoshkin (E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Partners

  • Prof. M. Scheer (University of Regensburg),
  • Prof. J. Beckmann (University of Bremen),
  • Prof. F. Dielmann (University of Münster)
  • Prof. G. Frenking (Philipps-Universität Marburg),
  • Prof. J. Pinkas (University of Brno).

Current Research Topics

  • Synthesis and characterization of donor-acceptor compounds by X-ray structural analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopy; study of their thermal stability and vaporization by tensimetry and mass-spectrometry methods; reactivity studies of complexes in non-aqueous solutions and in the gas phase.
  • Quantum chemical computations of structural and thermodynamic characteristics of donor-acceptor complexes, studying of the reaction mechanisms.
  • Development of structural-thermodynamic approach in high temperature chemistry of coordination compounds.
  • Application of donor-acceptor compounds in catalysis, chemical vapor deposition and as precursors for the composite materials.
  • Donor-acceptor stabilization of reactive inorganic hydrides and study of their decomposition mechanisms.

Grants, Scholarships and Awards

Research grants for the past 5 years

  • Grant RSF-DFG 21-43-04404 "Mixed main group compounds of p block elements", 2021-2023.
  • RSF Grant 18-13-00196 "Acidity scales of Lewis acids and superacids", 2018-2020.
  • Grant SPSU-DFG "Donor-stabilized monomeric pnictidoalanes and gallanes", 2017-2019. (12.65.44.2017)
  • RSF Grant 14-13-00151 "Amidoboranes of main group metals: thermal stability and decomposition mechanisms", 2014-2016. (12.53.1173.2014)
  • SPSU Grant "Reactivity of group 13-15 inorganic heterocycles", 2014-2016. (12.38.255.2014)

Scholarships and Awards

  • Artem Zavgorodnii — SPSU-DAAD scholarship “Dmitrij Mendeleev” 2018
  • Anna Chernysheva — Scholarship from Saint Petersburg government 2018–2019
  • Anna Chernysheva — Won a competitive SPSU grant (28875246) for the internship in Germany. Project: “Synthesis and characterization of monomeric phosphanylalanes and phosphanylgallanes, stabilized by N-heterocyclic carbenes” 2018.
  • Anna Chernysheva — Won a competitive SPSU grant (12.42.719.2017) for the internship in Germany. Project: “Synthesis and characterization of donor-acceptor stabilized phosphanylalanes DH2AlPR2W(CO)5 (D = NHC(IPr), R = H, CH3)” 2017
  • Gugin Nikita — The winner of the XXVIII Mendeleev competition of students-chemists (13–18 may 2018, Novosibirsk)
  • Anna Chernysheva — The winner of the XVI Conference of Young Scientists “Actual problems of inorganic chemistry: from fundamental research to modern technology”, Moscow, Russia, 2017
  • Nadejda Scherbina — The winner of the nomination "Best Start" of the II School-Conference “Directed design of substances and materials with specified properties", Saint-Petersburg, 2017.

Publications

Representative publications

10.1002 ejic.201900817A. V. Butlak, I. V. Kazakov, A. Stauber, O. Hegen, M. Scheer, A. V. Pomogaeva, A. Y. Timoshkin Thermal decomposition of donor-stabilized phosphinoborane PH2BH2NMe3: a tensimetry study Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2019, N. 35, P. 3885-3891. DOI: 10.1002/ejic.201900817

10.1039 C9DT04698DA.M. Chernysheva, M. Weinhart, M. Scheer, A. Y. Timoshkin Normal to abnormal ItBu•AlH3 isomerization in solution and in the solid state. Dalton Trans., 2020, Vol. 49, N. 15, P. 4665-4668. DOI: 10.1039/C9DT04698D

10.1039 D0CE00541JN. Y. Gugin, A. Virovets, E. Peresypkina, E. I. Davydova, A. Y. Timoshkin Structural Variety of Aluminium and Gallium Coordination Polymers Based on Bis-pyridylethylene: From Molecular Complexes to Ionic Networks. CrystEngComm, 2020, Vol. 22, N. 27, P. 4531–4543. DOI: 10.1039/D0CE00541J

10.1039 c8sc02981dEDGE ARTICLE : J. F. Kögel, A. Y. Timoshkin, A. Schröder, E. Lork, J. Beckmann, Al(OCArF3)3 — A Thermally Stable Lewis Superacid. // Chem . Sci ., 2018, 9, N. 43, 8178-8183. doi.org/10.1039/c8sc02981d

10.1021 jp801609zCENTENNIAL FEATURE ARTICLE: Timoshkin A.Y., Schaefer H.F. From Charge Transfer Complexes to Nanorods. // J. Phys. Chem . C . 2008, Vol. 112, N. 36, P. 13816 - 13836. doi.org/10.1021/jp801609z

REVIEW: Davydova E.I., Sevastianova T.N., Suvorov A.V., Timoshkin A.Y. Molecular complexes formed by halides of group 4,5,13-15 elements and the thermodynamic characteristics of their vaporization and dissociation found by the static tensimetric method. // Coord. Chem. Rev. 2010, Vol. 254, N. 17-18, P. 2031-2077. doi.org/10.1016/j.ccr.2010.04.001

REVIEW: Timoshkin A.Y. Group 13 imido metallanes and their heavier analogs [RMYR’]n (M=Al,Ga,In; Y=N,P,As,Sb). // Coord. Chem. Rev. 2005, Vol. 249, N. 19-20, P.2094-2131. doi.org/10.1016/j.ccr.2005.03.016

REVIEW: Davydova E. I., Sevastianova T.N., Timoshkin A. Y. Molecular complexes of group 13 element trihalides, pentafluorophenyl derivatives and Lewis superacids. Coord. Chem. Rev., 2015, Vol. 297-298, P. 91-126. doi.org/10.1016/j.ccr.2015.02.019

Mück L.A., Timoshkin A.Y., von Hopffgarten M., Frenking G. Donor Acceptor Complexes of Noble Gases. // J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009, Vol. 131, № 11, P. 3942–3949. dx.doi.org/10.1021/ja805990h

Timoshkin A.Y., Suvorov A.V., Bettinger H.F., Schaefer H.F. Role of the Terminal Atoms in the Donor-Acceptor Complexes MX3-D (M=Al,Ga,In; X=F,Cl,Br,I; D=YH3, YX3, X-; Y=N,P,As) // J. Am. Chem . Soc ., 1999, V. 121, N. 24, P. 5687-5699. doi.org/10.1021/ja983408t

Timoshkin A.Y., Bettinger H.F., Schaefer H.F. // The Chemical Vapor Deposition of Aluminum Nitride: Unusual Cluster Formation in the Gas Phase. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1997, V. 119, N. 24, P. 5668-5678. doi.org/10.1021/ja964163s


Main publications of the group for the past 5 years

  • A. V. Butlak, I. V. Kazakov, A. Stauber, O. Hegen, M. Scheer, A. V. Pomogaeva, A. Y. Timoshkin Thermal decomposition of donor-stabilized phosphinoborane PH2BH2NMe3: a tensimetry study. Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2019, N. 35, P. 3885-3891. https://www.doi.org/10.1002/ejic.201900817
  • A.M. Chernysheva, M. Weinhart, M. Scheer, A. Y. Timoshkin Normal to abnormal ItBu•AlH3 isomerization in solution and in the solid state. Dalton Trans., 2020, Vol. 49, N. 15, P. 4665-4668. https://www.doi.org/10.1039/C9DT04698D
  • N. Y. Gugin, A. Virovets, E. Peresypkina, E. I. Davydova, A. Y. Timoshkin Structural Variety of Aluminium and Gallium Coordination Polymers Based on Bis-pyridylethylene: From Molecular Complexes to Ionic Networks. CrystEngComm, 2020, Vol. 22, N. 27, P. 4531–4543. https://www.doi.org/10.1039/D0CE00541J
  • O. Hegen, J. Braese, A. Y. Timoshkin, M. Scheer, Bidentate Phosphanyl- and Arsanylboranes. Chem. Eur. J., 2019, Vol. 25, N. 2. P. 485-489. https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.201804772
  • E. I. Davydova, A. Virovets, E. Peresypkina, A. V. Pomogaeva, A. Y. Timoshkin, Crystal Structures of Antimony(III) Chloride complexes with Pyridine. Polyhedron, 2019, Vol. 158, P. 97-101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.poly.2018.10.056
  • A. V. Pomogaeva, A. Y. Timoshkin, M. Scheer, Why do B-P and Al-P polymers differ? Structures, stability and electronic properties of chain and ring [H2PEH2]n oligomers (E = B, Al; n = 1-15). Chem. Eur. J., 2018, V. 24, N. 64, P. 17046-17054. https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.201803008
  • O. Hegen, A. V. Virovets, A. Y. Timoshkin, M. Scheer, The Lewis base stabilized diphenylsubstituted Arsanylborane – A versatile building block for arsanylborane oligomers. Chem. Eur. J., 2018, V. 24, N. 62, P. 16521-16525. https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.201804341
  • J. F. Kögel, A. Y. Timoshkin, A. Schröder, E. Lork, J. Beckmann, Al(OCArF3)3 - A Thermally Stable Lewis Superacid. Chem. Sci., 2018, 9, N. 43, 8178-8183. https://doi.org/10.1039/c8sc02981d
  • J. Braese, A. Schinabeck, M. Bodensteiner, H. Yersin, A. Y. Timoshkin, M. Scheer, Gold(I) Complexes Containing Phosphanyl- and Arsanylborane Ligands. Chem. Eur. J., 2018, 24, 10073-10077. https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.201802682
  • Kondrat'ev, Yu. V., Butlak, A. V., Kazakov, I. V., Krasnova, I. S., Chislov, M. V., Timoshkin, A. Yu., Heat Effects of the Thermal Decomposition of Amidoboranes of Potassium, Calcium, and Strontium, Russ. J. Phys. Chem. A 2018, Vol. 92, № 4, pp 640–645. http://dx.doi.org/10.1134/S0036024418040143
  • S. Heinl, A. Y. Timoshkin, J. Müller, M. Scheer, Unexpected differences in the reactivity between the phosphorus and arsenic derivatives [(CpBIGFe)2(µ,η4:4-E4)] (E = P and As). Chem. Commun. 2018, Vol. 54, N. 18, P. 2244-2247. https://doi.org/10.1039/c7cc09730a
  • C. Marquardt, O. Hegen, A. Vogel, A. Stauber, M. Bodensteiner, A. Y. Timoshkin, M. Scheer, Depolymerization of Poly(phosphinoboranes): From Polymers to Lewis Base Stabilized Monomers. Chem. Eur. J. 2018, Vol. 24, N. 2, P. 360-363. https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.201705510
  • Doinikov, D. A., Kazakov, I. V., Krasnova, I. S., Timoshkin, A. Yu., An automatic digital tensimeter with a membrane zero-​manometer. Russ. J. Phys. Chem. A 2017, 91, 1603–1608. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0036024417080088
  • Kazakov I.V., Butlak A.V., Shelyganov P.A., Suslonov V.V., Timoshkin A.Y. Reversible structural transformations of Rubidium and Cesium amidoboranes . Polyhedron, 2017, Vol. 127, P. 186-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.poly.2017.01.062
  • O. Hegen, C. Marquardt, A. Y. Timoshkin, M. Scheer. A convenient Route to mixed Pnictogenylboranes. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2017, Vol. 56, N. 41, p. 12783–12787. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201707436
  • Pomogaeva A.V., Timoshkin A.Y. The effect of terminal substituents on the electronic properties of rod-shaped [HGaNH]n oligomers. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2016, Vol. 18, N. 29, P. 19859-19865. https://doi.org/10.1039/c6cp02576e
  • El Hamdi M., Solà M., Poater J., Timoshkin A. Y. Complexes of adamantane-based group 13 Lewis acids and superacids: bonding analysis and thermodynamics of hydrogen splitting. J. Comput. Chem. 2016, Vol. 37, N. 15., P. 1355-1362. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcc.24328
  • Pomogaeva A.V., Morokuma K, Timoshkin A.Y. Trimeric cluster of lithium amidoborane - the smallest unit for the modeling of hydrogen release mechanism. J. Comput. Chem., 2016, Vol. 37, N. 14, P. 1259-1264. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcc.24316
  • Doinikov D.A., Kollhammerova I., Löbl J., Necas M., Timoshkin A.Y , Pinkas J. Alumazene adducts with acetonitrile: structure and thermal stability. J. Organomet. Chem. 2016, Vol. 809, P. 38-44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jorganchem.2016.02.039
  • Kondrat’ev Yu.V, Butlak A.V., Kazakov I.V., Timoshkin A.Y. Sublimation and thermal decomposition of ammonia borane: competitive processes controlled by pressure. Therm. Acta, 2015, Vol. 622, P. 64-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tca.2015.08.021

Equipment

Thermoscientific ISQ mass spectrometer with Direct Insertion Probe (DIP). The compact quadrupole mass spectrometer allows mass spectrometry studies of solid, liquid and gaseous samples. Transfer of solid and liquid samples into the gas phase is carried out using DIP with the implementation of programmable heating of the sample in the temperature range of 30–450 °C. Ionization is effected by electron impact with an electron energy of 70 eV. Data collection and analysis is carried out using the Thermo Scientific Xcalibur software package.

IR spectrometer Shimadzu IR Prestige-21. Allows measurement of the IR spectra of samples in the wavelength range of 250–7800 cm-1 with a resolution of 0.5–1 cm-1 and a signal-to-noise ratio of 40,000:1. IRsolution software is used to collect and analyze data.

Automatic static tensimeter isuniquely designed to enable continuous and long-term measurement of pressure and temperature in a closed glass system. Currently, measurements are possible in the temperature range from -196 °C to 400 °C and pressures of 1–760 torr. The collection and primary analysis of data is carried out on the basis of the software developed in the laboratory based on the LabView programming language. Analysis of the results of the conducted research allows us to draw conclusions about the thermal stability of compounds, the thermodynamic characteristics of the processes of dissociation, sublimation and evaporation, and the kinetics of the processes.

Differential automatic evaporation calorimeter DAK1-1a is used to directly determine the thermal effects of the processes of sublimation, evaporation and dissociation in the temperature range of 25–210 °C.

For work with compounds sensitive to moisture and oxygen, the laboratory is equipped with an InertLab 2GB glove box with an atmosphere of high-purity argon (residual moisture and oxygen content less than 0.1 ppm). The glove box is equipped with a freezer (up to -35 °C) and analytical balance, which allows for a full range of synthetic work and sample preparation for subsequent characterization. Schlenk lines are also used for work in an argon atmosphere.

The laboratory has a glass-blowing workshop for the performance of synthetic works in wholeglass vacuumed systems.

TimoshkinEquipm 7