This talk will present the development of new catalytic strategies for organic synthesis based on transition metals and readily available feedstock functional groups. The work addresses key challenges in sustainable synthesis through two complementary approaches. First, light-induced intramolecular electron transfer is exploited to enable iron-photocatalyzed transformations of carboxylic acids, alkenes, and aliphatic C–H bonds into value-added products^.[1] Second, π-complexation of aromatic systems with earth-abundant transition metals is employed to achieve site-selective arene functionalization.^[2]Although these strategies target distinct regions of chemical space, aliphatic versus aromatic domains, they are unified by a strong emphasis on mechanistic understanding. Detailed mechanistic studies guide catalyst design and reaction optimization in an iterative manner, enabling improved selectivity, broader substrate scope, and expanded reaction diversity.

[1]  L. M. Denkler, M. Aladahalli Shekar, T. S. J. Ngan, L. Wylie, D. Abdullin, M. Engeser, G. Schnakenburg, T. Hett, F. H. Pilz, B. Kirchner, O. Schiemann, P. Kielb, A. Bunescu, Angew Chem Int Ed 2024, 63, e202403292; bA. Chaudhuri, L. M. Denkler, Q. Zhuo, A. Mandal, A. Bunescu, Chemistry – A European Journal 2025, 31, e02185; cL. M. Denkler, M. A. Shekar, A. Bunescu, Synlett 2025.
[2]  aA. Mandal, C. Maurer, C. Plett, K. R. K. Chandramohan, R. Fleischer, G. Schnakenburg, S. Grimme, A. Bunescu, J Am Chem Soc 2025, 147, 15281-15293; bC. Maurer, R. Fleischer, A. Mandal, K. R. K. Chandramohan, F. C. Herpell, C. H. Köhler, D. Cetin, G. Schnakenburg, A. Bunescu, Chem Asian J 2025, 20, e202500139.