Welcome to the Eckhardt Lab!

Our research focuses on the preparation, characterization and reactivity of small reactive intermediates and molecules related to interstellar media and prebiotic chemistry. For the preparation and spectroscopic characterization of these molecules we employ (in)organic synthesis, photolysis or high-vacuum flash pyrolysis in combination with cryogenic matrix isolation spectroscopy (IR, UV/Vis and EPR). All prepared molecular structures are validated by comparison of experimental and quantum chemical calculated properties.

Open Positions

We are looking for highly motivated Bachelor and Master students interested in (in)organic synthesis, matrix isolation spectroscopy and/or computational chemistry to join our research group. Please contact André directly via E-Mail.

Fully funded PhD position available! Please contact André directly via E-Mail.

You are a postdoctoral researcher and interested in joining the group? We are happy to support you in your grant application at funding agencies such as Alexander von Humboldt Foundation or the Marie Skłodowska-Curie program (Deadline: 13 September 2023).

News
April 2023

Shubham Sawle joined the group for an international internship funded by RESOLV. He will learn more about solvation science in the next six months.
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April 2023

Adam Hasso joined the group for an in-depth practical. He will synthesize a new precursor for our imine chemistry.
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March 2023

Luciana Herbeck joined the group for an in-depth practical. She will learn more about organic synthesis and computational chemistry.
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March 2023

In a collaborative project with the Kaiser and Mebel groups we found first evidence for the existence of oxirene! Our findings are now published in Science Advances!
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February 2023

Thank you Angewandte for publishing André's introducing author profile! Learn more about André here!
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January 2023

Our paper about glycine imine is now published in Angewandte! Check out our work about glycine imine as the reactive intermediate in amino acid synthesis here! More about other imino acids is coming soon.
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September 2022

Our proposal for a PhD position got funded by RESOLV! We will investigate solvation effects in the future.
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September 2022

Vladimir D. Drabkin joined the group for his PhD studies. He will investigate the cryosolvation of interstellar relevant molecules using matrix isolation spectroscopy and computational chemistry!
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August 2022

Viktor Paczelt joined the group for an in-depth practical. He will have fun in the lab doing organic synthesis, matrix isolation spectroscopy and computational chemistry!
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July 2022

First paper of the group published in Chem. Commun.! Check out our work about the explosive decomposition of 1,2-diazidoethane, spectroscopic identification of 1,2-diiminoethane and imidazole synthesis here!
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July 2022

Official start of the group. We gratefully acknowledge the Fonds der Chemischen Industrie for funding.
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