Publications

Cross-disciplinary research settings are highly challenging for young scientists. In our research centre, Ph.D. candidates with various disciplinary backgrounds are expected to cooperate. To support cooperation, we designed a Ph.D. programme that fosters cross-disciplinary communication. The programme uses an innovative teaching format that aims to broaden the participants’ understanding of technical basics and to improve their academic teaching skills. Being faced with dissatisfaction among the Ph.D. candidates at first, we introduced a targeted feedback process that paved the way for successful cross-disciplinary communication and cooperation.

Metal-containing ionic liquids (ILs) are of interest for a variety of technical applications, e.g., particle synthesis and materials with magnetic or thermochromic properties. In this paper we report the synthesis of, and two structures for, some new tetrabromidocuprates(II) with several “onium” cations in comparison to the results of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic analyses. The sterically demanding cations were used to separate the paramagnetic Cu(II) ions for EPR measurements. The EPR hyperfine structure in the spectra of these new compounds is not resolved, due to the line broadening resulting from magnetic exchange between the still-incomplete separatedparamagneticCu(II)centres. Forthemajorityofcompounds,theprincipalgvalues(g∥ and g⊥) of the tensors could be determined and information on the structural changes in the [CuBr4]2´ anions can be obtained. The complexes have high potential, e.g., as ionic liquids, as precursors for the synthesis of copper bromide particles, as catalytically active or paramagnetic ionic liquids.