Sébastien Gauthier

Sébastien Gauthier obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry at the Université Joseph Fournier (UJF) in Grenoble and then pursued his passions for traveling and studying chemistry by starting his master degree at the Université du Québec de Montréal (UQAM) in Canada, where he encountered both the coldest weather ever and the warmest hearty food and maple syrup!

Back on this side of the Atlantic ocean, after completing his master degree at the Université Joseph Fournier, he attended graduate school at l’Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland, where, after working hard under the direction of his mentor, Dr. Kay Severin, but also having fun with other students who become life-long friends, he obtained his Ph.D. in 2006.

He stayed in Switzerland as a post-doctoral researcher in Dr. Hansjörg Grützmacher’s group at l’Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Zürich (ETHZ) for a year before once again crossing the ocean to join Dr. John Gladysz’s group at Texas A&M University (TAMU). After two years not messing with Texas, he headed back to France, where he worked for one year at l’Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Paris (ENSCP) on a project funded by the Pierre Fabre Corporation. 

In 2010, he obtained an Associate Professor position at the Université de Rennes 1 (IUT de Lannion) and joined the Heterocyclic Organometallics group at the Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes at the Université de Rennes 1. In 2013, he returned to TAMU in his former research group as a visiting scholar for three months to initiate a new project on push–pull diacetylide platinum complexes as dye-sensitized solar cells. On 2020, he obtained the Habilitation to Direct Research (HDR) from the Université de Rennes 1.

His research mainly revolves around the development of various π-conjugated heterocyclic push-pull organic and organometallic molecular systems, exhibiting properties, and performances for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs), Non-Linear Optics (NLO) and Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED) applications. 

• 2020: Habilitation to Direct Research (HDR) from the Université de Rennes 1.
• 2013: Visiting scholar (3 months), Texas A&M University, Prof.  John A. Gladysz.’s research group.
• 2010 - Present: Associate Professor at IUT Lannion, Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes, UMR 6226 CNRS, Université de Rennes 1.
• 2009-2010: Post-doctoral Researcher, Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Paris (ENSCP), France. Supervisor: Dr. Virginie Vidal
• 2007-2009: Post-doctoral Researcher, Texas A&M University, USA, Supervisor: Prof. John A. Gladysz
• 2006-2007: Post-doctoral Researcher, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Zürich (ETHZ), Suisse, Supervisor: Prof. Hansjörg Grützmacher
• 2006: Ph.D. in Organometallic Chemistry, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Suisse, Supervisor: Prof. Kay Severin
• 2002: M.S. Chemistry, Université Joseph Fourier Grenoble.
• 2001: One-year Exchange program in the Master of Chemistry Program at Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
• 2000: B.S. Chemistry, Université Joseph Fourier Grenoble France.

Courses taught at IUT de Lannion, Lannion (2010 – present)

• General Chemistry Recitations & Labs (1^st year students)
• Organic Chemistry II Lectures & Labs (2^nd year students)
• Instrumental Analysis Lectures & Labs (2^nd year students)
• Hydrocarbon Chemistry Lectures & Labs (3^rd year students)

Courses taught at Université Catholique de l’Ouest, Guingamp (2011-2015)

• Organic Chemistry Lectures  (1^st year Master students)
• Industrial Chemistry Lectures (3^rd year students) 

• Dr. Alberto Barsella (UMR7604, Univ. Strasbourg): Second Order Non-Linear Optical measurements.
• Dr. Nicolas Le Poul & Laurianne Wojcik (UMR6521, Univ. de Brest) : Cyclic Voltametry measurements.
• Pr. Jean-Yves Saillard & Dr. Samia Kahlal (UMR6226, Univ. Rennes 1): Computational Analyses
• Pr. Denis Jacquemin (UMR 6230, Univ. Nantes) : Computational Analyses
• Dr. Fabrice Odobel & Dr. Yann Pelligrin (UMR 6230, Univ. Nantes): Preparation of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) and measurements of photovoltaic performances.
• Dr Philippe Blanchard & Dr Clément Cabanetos (UMR CNRS 6200, Univ. d'Angers): Preparation of organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices and measurements of photovoltaic performances.
• Dr. Thierry Roisnel & Dr. Vincent Dorcet (UMR6226, Univ. Rennes 1): Single-crystal X-ray Diffraction characterizations.
• Dr Yann Trolez (UMR CNRS 6226, Univ. de Rennes 1): Incorporation of tetracyanobutadiene (TCBD) groups in push-pull chromophores.
• Dr Julien Boixel (UMR CNRS 6226, Univ. de Rennes 1): Incorporation of dithienylethene (DTE) in push-pull platinium complexes.
• Pr. John A. Gladysz (Texas A&M, USA): Synthesis of platinum complexes.
• Pr. Julian Rodriguez-Lopez (Universidad de Casilla-La Mancha, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnologias Quimicas, Spain): Photophysical measurements.
• Dr Michael Nugent (Technological University of Shannon, Ireland) : Polymer processing

Strategic Synthetic, Metal Dialkynyl, Platinium, Ruthenium, Pyranylidene, Diazines, Push-Pull Molecular System, Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs), Second-Order Nonlinear Optics (NLO), Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED)

My research is centered on the development of various π-conjugated heterocyclic push-pull molecular systems for optoelectronics applications (nonlinear optics, luminescence, photovoltaics...). I am particularly interested in the synthesis of D-π-A organic chromophores and D-π-M_n-π-A organometallic systems incorporating one or two metallic centers under linear or V-shaped architecture between the donor (pyranylidene ligand) and variable acceptor groups, and in the study of their properties, and performances dyes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs), and Non-Linear Optics (NLO).

• Organometallic and organic push–pull chromophores for TiO₂ based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs)

This project, new pyranylidene-based organometallic and organic push-pull chromophores are developed as dyes for DSSC applications. Organometallic and organic dyes are synthesized through conventional cross-coupling and Sonogashira reactions, respectively, from the proaromatic pyranylidene group. After full characterization (UV-Visible, Cyclic Voltametry, DT-DFT modelisations), the dyes are evaluated in TiO₂-based DSSCs.The investigation of the photovoltaic performances of these new dyes provided structure-property relationships where their Power Conversion Efficiencies (PCE) could be correlated to structural features, such as the length of the π-conjugated spacer and the nature of the substituents on the pyranylidene electron-donor moiety. The highest photoconversion efficiency (PCE) obtained reached 4.7% for the platinum complexes while their organic analogues exhibit PCE values around 5.5%. However, the PCE of our bis-acetylide platinum complexes is among the highest efficiencies reported for platinum complexes in DSSCs.

Dalton Trans., 2014, 43,11233−11242, Dyes Pigm., 2019, 171, 107747.

• Second-order Non-Linear Optical (NLO) properties of organometallic (Pt & Ru) push–pull chromophores

This project deals with the study of second-order NLO properties of a new series of ruthenium and platinum complexes D-π-M-π-A (M = Pt or Ru) associating pyranylidene electron-donating (D) groups and diazine electron-attracting (A) groups separated by a metal bis-acetylide fragment and π-conjugated linkers. The NLO properties of some of these complexes were compared to those of their metal-free organic counterparts. The incorporation of a metal center in the π-conjugated core of the push–pull chromophores significantly enhanced the second-order NLO responses. The best μβ_{0 EFISH} values have been observed for a ruthenium complex bearing a tert-butyl group on the pyranylidene and a N-methylated vinylpyrimidium fragment on the other side, placing them among the more NLO efficient alkynyl metal complexes reported so far.

Dalton Trans., 2017, 46, 3059−3069, Dalton Trans., 2018, 47, 3965−3975.

Recently, we have synthesized new mono- and diplatinum polyynediyl complexes end-capped with diphenylpyranylidene and pentafluorophenyl moieties. While the inductive electron-withdrawing pentafluorophenyl ligand, the length of the polyyne linkers, and the number of platinum centers do not seem to significantly affect the second-order NLO responses of these complexes, their structural configuration plays a significant role, as shown by the V-shaped complex (D-(π-Pt-A)₂) exhibiting the highest μβ_{0 EFISH} value of the series of complexes, twice as high as that of the linear analog complex.

Organometallics 2018, 37, 2232−2244.

38. Mariia Hruzd, Nicolas le Poul, Marie Cordier, Samia Kahlal, Jean-Yves Saillard, Sylvain Achelle, Sébastien Gauthier, and Françoise Robin-le Guen, “ Luminescent cyclometalated alkynylplatinum(II) complexes with 1,3-di(pyrimidin-2-yl)benzene ligands: synthesis, electrochemistry, photophysics and computational studies”, Dalton Trans., 2022, 51, 5546-5560.

37. Pascal Jurt, Anne Sofie Abels, Juan José Gamboa-Carballo, Israel Fernández, Gregoire Le Corre, Marcel Aebli, Matthew G. Baker, Frederik Eiler, Fabian Müller, Michael Wörle, Rene Verel, Sébastien Gauthier, Monica Trincado, Thomas L. Gianetti, and Hansjörg Grützmacher, “Reduction of Nitrogen Oxides by Hydrogen with Rh(I)-Pt(II) Olefin Complexes as Catalysts”, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 10.1002/anie.202109642.

36. Mariia Hruzd, Sébastien Gauthier, Julien Boixel, Samia Kahlal, Nicolas le Poul, Jean-Yves Saillard, Sylvain Achelle, and Françoise Robin-le Guen, “N^N^C Platinum (II) Complexes Based on Phenyl-pyridin-2-ylpyrimidine Ligands: Synthesis, Electrochemical and Photophysical Properties”, Dyes Pigm., 2021, 194, 109622.

35. Hashem Amini, Nancy Weisbach, Sébastien Gauthier, Helene Kuhn, Nattamai Bhuvanesh, Frank Hampel, Joseph H. Reibenspies, and  John A. Gladysz, “Trapping of Terminal Platinapolyynes by Copper(I) Catalyzed Click Cycloadditions; Probes of Labile Intermediates in Syntheses of Complexes with Extended sp Carbon Chains, and Crystallographic Studies”, Chem. Eur. J., 2021, 27, 12619–12634.

34. Michaela Fecková, Samia Kahlal, Thierry Roisnel, Jean-Yves Saillard, Julien Boixel, Mariia Hruzd, Pascal le Poul, Sébastien Gauthier, Françoise Robin-le Guen, Filip Bureš and Sylvain Achelle, “Cyclometallated 2-Phenylpyrimidine Derived Platinum Complexes: Synthesis and Photophysical Properties”, Eur. J. Inorg. Chem., 2021, 1592-1600.

33. Raphael J. Durand, Sylvain Achelle, Françoise Robin-Le Guen, Elsa Caytan, Nicolas Le Poul, Alberto Barsella,  Guevara Level, Denis Jacquemin and Sébastien Gauthier, “Investigation of second-order nonlinear optical responses in a series of V-shaped binuclear platinum(II) complexes”, Dalton Trans., 2021, 50, 4623-4633.

32. Sébastien Gauthier, Françoise Robin-Le Guen, Laurianne Wojcik, Nicolas Le Poul, Aurélien Planchat, Yann Pellegrin, Patricia Guevara Level, Nadine Szuwarski, Mohammed Boujtita, Denis Jacquemin and Fabrice Odobel, “Comparative Studies of New PyranylideneBased Sensitizers Bearing Single or Double Anchoring Groups for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells”, Solar Energy, 2020, 205, 310-319.

31. Hashem Amini, Zuzana Baranová, Nancy Weisbach, Sébastien Gauthier, Nattamai Bhuvanesh, Joseph H. Reibenspies and John A. Gladysz, “Syntheses, Structures, and Spectroscopic Properties of 1,10-Phenanthroline Based Macrocycles threaded by PtC8Pt, PtC12Pt, and PtC16Pt Axles: Metal-capped Rotaxanes as Insulated Molecular Wires”, Chem. Eur. J., 2019, 25, 15896-15914.

30. Pascal Jurt, Oleg G. Salnikov, Thomas L. Gianetti, Nikita V. Chukanov, Matthew G.Baker, Grégoire Le Corre, Jaap E. Borger, Rene Verel, Sébastien Gauthier, Olaf Fuhr, Kirill V. Kovtunov, Alexey Fedorov, Dieter Fenske, Igor V. Koptyug and Hansjörg Grützmacher, “Low-valent homobimetallic Rh complexes: influence of ligands on the structure and the intramolecular reactivity of Rh-H intermediates”, Chem. Sci., 2019, 10, 7937-7945.

29. Sébastien Gauthier, Françoise Robin-Le Guen, Laurianne Wojcik, Nicolas Le Poul, Aurélien Planchat, Yann Pellegrin, Patricia Guevara Level, Nadine Szuwarski, Mohammed Boujtita, Denis Jacquemin and Fabrice Odobel, “Synthesis and properties of novel pyranylidene-based organic sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells”, Dyes Pigm., 2019, 171, 107747.

28. Laurianne Wojcik, Isidoro Lopez, Sébastien Gauthier, Nolwenn Cabon, Pascal Le Poul, Frédéric Gloaguen and Nicolas Le Poul, “Insights into the radical-radical and radicalsubstrate dimerization processes for substituted phenylmethylenepyrans”, Electrochim. Acta., 2019, 305, 304-311.

27. Sébastien Gauthier, Ariel Porter, Sylvain Achelle, Thierry Roisnel, Vincent Dorcet, Alberto Barsella, Nicolas Le Poul, Patricia Guevara Level, Denis Jacquemin, and Françoise Robin-Le Guen, “Mono- and Diplatinum Polyynediyl Complexes as Potential Push-Pull Chromophores: Synthesis, Characterization, TD-DFT Modeling, and Photophysical and NLO Properties”, Organometallics, 2018, 37, 2232-2244.

26. Raphael J. Durand, Sébastien Gauthier, Nolwenn Cabon, Maxime Ducamp, Samia Kahlal, Jean-Yves Saillard, Alberto Barsella and Françoise Robin-Le Guen, “Incorporation of a ferrocene unit in the π-conjugated structure of donor-linker-acceptor (D-π-A) chromophores
for nonlinear optics (NLO) ”, Dyes Pigm., 2018, 155, 68-74.

25. Raphael J. Durand, Sébastien Gauthier, Sylvain Achelle, Thomas Groizard, Samia Kahlal, Jean-Yves Saillard, Alberto Barsella, Nicolas Le Poul, and Françoise Robin-Le Guen, “Push-pull D-π-Ru-π-A chromophores: synthesis and electrochemical, photophysical and
second-order nonlinear optical properties”, Dalton Trans., 2018, 47, 3965-3975.

24. Laurianne Wojcik, François Michaud, Sébastien Gauthier, Nolwenn Cabon, Pascal Le Poul, Frédéric Gloaguen and Nicolas Le Poul, “Reversible Redox Switching of Chromophoric Phenylmethylenepyrans by Carbon-Carbon Bond Making/Breaking”, J. Org. Chem., 2017, 82, 12395-12405.

23. Raphaël J. Durand, Sébastien Gauthier, Sylvain Achelle, Samia Kahlal, Jean-Yves Saillard, Alberto Barsella, Laurianne Wojcik, Nicolas Le Poul and Françoise Robin-Le Guen, “Incorporation of a platinum center in the pi-conjugated core of push-pull chromophores for nonlinear optics (NLO) ”, Dalton Trans., 2017, 46, 3059-3069.

22. Kellyn Hoffert, Raphael J. Durand, Sébastien Gauthier, Francoise Robin-Le Guen and Sylvain Achelle, “Synthesis and Photophysical Properties of a Series of Pyrazine-Based PushPull Chromophores”, Eur. J. Org. Chem., 2017, 3, 523-529

21. Nikolay Vologdin, Sylvain Achelle, Sébastien Gauthier, Bertrand Caro and Françoise Robin-Le Guen, “New 8-substituted BODIPY-based chromophores: synthesis, optical and electrochemical properties”, Heterocyclic Communications, 2016, 22, 339-345.

20. Sébastien Gauthier, Laurent Larquetoux, Marc Nicolas, Tahar Ayad, Philippe Maillos and Virginie Ratovelomanana-Vidal, “Enantioselective synthesis of both enantiomers of mequitazine through iridium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of a nonfunctionalized cyclic enamine”, Synlett, 2014, 25, 1606-1610.

19. Sébastien Gauthier, Bertrand Caro, Françoise Robin-Le Guen, Nattamai Bhuvanesh, John A. Gladysz, Laurianne Wojcik, Nicolas Le Poul, Aurélien Planchat, Yann Pellegrin, Errol Blart, Denis Jacquemin, and Fabrice Odobel, “Synthesis, photovoltaic performances and TD-DFT modeling of push-pull diacetylide platinum complexes in TiO2 based dye-sensitized solar cells”, Dalton Trans., 2014, 43, 11233-11242.

18. Nikolay Vologdin, Sébastien Gauthier, Sylvain Achelle, Bertrand Caro and Françoise Robin-Le Guen, “Synthesis of Bromo- and Carboxylic Acid-Substituted Methylenepyrans”, Letters in Organic Chemistry, 2014, 11, 606-614.

17. Sébastien Gauthier, Nikolay Vologdin, Sylvain Achelle, Alberto Barsella, Bertrand Caro and Françoise Robin-Le Guen, Francoise, “Methylenepyran based dipolar and quadrupolar dyes: synthesis, electrochemical and photochemical properties”, Tetrahedron, 2013, 69, 8392-8399.

16. Nancy Weisbach, Zuzana Baranova, Sébastien Gauthier, Joseph H. Reibenspies and John A. Gladysz, “A new type of insulated molecular wire: a rotaxane derived from a metalcapped conjugated tetrayne”, Organometallics, 2012, 48, 7562-7564.

15. Sébastien Prévost, Sébastien Gauthier, Céline Mordant, Ali Rhida Touati, Philippe Lesot, Philippe Savignac, Tahard Ayad, Phannarath Phansavath, Virginie RatovelomananaVidal and Jean-Pierre Genêt, “Dynamic Kinetic resolution of a-chloro-b-keto esters and phosphonates: hemisynthesis of Taxotere through Ru-DIFLUORPHOS asymmetric hydrogenation”, Tetrahedron : Asymmetry, 2010, 21, 1436-1446.

14. Gareth R. Owen, Sébastien Gauthier, Nattamai Bhuvanesh and John A. Gladysz, “Towards Multistranded Molecular Wires: Syntheses, Structures, and Reactivities of Tetraplatinum bis(Polyynediyl) Complexes with Pt-Cx-Pt-(P(CH2)3P)2-Pt-Cx-Pt-(P(CH2)3P)2 Cores (x = 4, 6, 8)”, Dalton Trans., 2010, 39, 5260-5271.

13. Sébastien Gauthier, Nancy Weisbach, Nattamai Bhuvanesh, and John A. Gladysz, “"Click" Chemistry in Metal Coordination Spheres: Copper(I) Catalyzed 3+2 Cycloadditions of Benzyl Azide and Platinum Polyynyl Complexes trans-(C6F5)(p-tol3P)2Pt(C≡C)nH (n = 2-6)”, Organometallics, 2009, 28, 5597-5599.

12. Euro Solari, Sébastien Gauthier, Rosario Scopelliti, and Kay Severin, “Multifaceted Chemistry of [(Cymene)RuCl2]2 and PCy3”, Organometallics, 2009, 28, 4519-4526.

11. Christian Albrecht, Sébastien Gauthier, Joffrey Wolf, Rosario Scopelliti and Kay Severin, “Microwave-Assisted Organometallic Syntheses: Formation of Dinuclear [(Arene)Ru(m-Cl)3RuCl(L–L')] Complexes (L–L'= Chelate Ligands with P-, N-, or S-Donor Atoms) by Displacement of Arene p Ligands”, Eur. J. Inorg., 2009, 1003-1010.

10. Barnali Dutta, Euro Solari, Sébastien Gauthier, Rosario Scopelliti, and Kay Severin, “Ruthenium Halfsandwich Complexes with Sterically Demanding Cyclopentadienyl Ligands”, Organometallics, 2007, 26, 4791-4799.

9. Sébastien Gauthier, Euro Solari, Barnali Dutta, Rosario Scopelliti, and Kay Severin, “A New Coupling Reaction for the Synthesis of Ruthenium Halfsandwich Complexes with Sterically Demanding Cyclopentadienyl Ligands”, Chem Commun., 2007, 1837-1839.

8. Euro Solari, Sasa Antoijevic, Sébastien Gauthier, Rosario Scopelliti, and Kay Severin, “Formation of a Ruthenium m-Carbide Complex with Acetylene as the Carbon Source”, Eur. J. Inorg. Chem., 2007, 367-371.

7. Michel Haas, Euro Solari, Quoc T. Nguyen, Sébastien Gauthier, Rosario Scopelliti and Kay Severin, “A Bimetallic Ruthenium Complex as a Catalyst Precursor for the Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Methacrylates at Ambient Temperature”, Adv. Synth. Catal., 2006, 348(4-5), 439-442.

6. Sébastien Gauthier, Rosario Scopelliti, and Kay Severin, “Syntheses and Structures of the Trinuclear Ruthenium Complexes [RuCl2(PAd2Bu)]3 and [RuCl2(PtBu2Cy)]3”, Organometallics, 2005, 24, 5792-5794.

5. Sébastien Gauthier, Rosario Scopelliti, and Kay Severin, “Syntheses and Structures of Homo- and Heterobimetallic Complexes Containing a (Cyclopentadienone)rhodium (I) Fragment”, Helv. Chim. Acta., 2005, 88, 435-446.

4. Sébastien Gauthier and Kay Severin, “Heterobimetallic Complexes as Catalyst Precursors for the Oppenauer-type Oxidation of Alcohols”, Chimia, 2005, 59(3), 111-112.

3. Sébastien Gauthier, Rosario Scopelliti, and Kay Severin, “A Heterobimetallic Rh(I)-Ru(II) Catalyst for the Oppenauer-Type Oxidation of Primary and Secondary Alcohols Under Mild Conditions”, Organometallics, 2004, 23, 3769-3771.

2. Sébastien Gauthier, Laurent Quebatte, Rosario Scopelliti, and Kay Severin, “Syntheses and Structures of Homo- and Heterobimetallic, Chloro-bridged Complexes Containing the RuCl3(AsPh3)n Fragment (n = 1, 2)”, Inorg. Chem. Commun., 2004, 7, 708-712.

1. Sébastien Gauthier, Laurent Quebatte, Rosario Scopelliti, and Kay Severin, “Combinatorial Synthesis of Bimetallic Complexes with Three Halogeno Bridges”, Chem. Eur. J., 2004, 10, 2811-2821.