Ernesto Ballestero

Email: ernesto.ballestero@ucr.ac.cr
Phone: (+506) 2511-to add soon

Inorganic, Organometallic and Materials Chemistry

Profesor Invitado, Universidad de Costa Rica

Johns Hopkins University 2020 Postdoctorate (R. S. Klausen)
Technische Universität Berlin 2019 Dr. rer. nat. (M. Driess)
Universidad de Costa Rica 2014 M. Sc. (L. W. Pineda)

Research Interests

In a short term, the research I would like to develop at the Universidad de Costa Rica is focused in the use of electrophilic silanes and triatomic anions [ECX] (E = N, P; X = O, S), for the synthesis of new molecules bearing elements that are essential in optoelectronic and semiconductive applications (Si, P, N). Their synthesis will involve Schlenk techniques, and their structure will be elucidated by spectroscopic and structural techniques such as NMR, IR and X-ray crystallography. These molecules are proposed to be valuable material precursors due to the precise atomic distribution given by their molecular structures. In this context, their thermal properties will be studied as well, in order to know if they can be used as precursors of composites containing Si, P, N, etc.

In a long term, and in addition to the new opportunities provided by the chemical system explained above, I am interested in new reactivity patterns, properties and materials that can be discovered by doing new Chemistry. In this regard, and through collaborative projects with other colleagues, the synthesis of novel low-valent Main Group and TM complexes, and the study of amorphous phases formed during the aqueous synthesis of crystalline materials are envisaged to be topics I would like to study in the forthcoming years. So, let’s do Chemistry!

Recent Publications

Ballestero-Martínez, E.; Klosin, J.; Fahlman, B. D.; Pineda, L. W. Monomeric Germanium(II) Amides Bearing β–Diketiminato Ligands: Synthesis, Structural Characterization, and Thermal Properties. Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2014, 5233-5239. doi: 10.1002/ejic.201402594.

Xiong, Y.; Yao, S.; Szilvási, T.; Ballestero-Martínez, E.; Grützmacher, H.; Driess, M. Unexpected Photodegradation of a Phosphaketenyl-Substituted Germyliumylidene Borate Complex. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 4333-4336. doi: 10.1002/anie.201701337.

Yao, S.; Grossheim, Y.; Kostenko, A.; Ballestero-Martínez, E.; Schutte, S.; Bispinghoff, M.; Grützmacher, H.; Driess, M. Facile Access to NaOC≡As and Its Use as an Arsenic Source To Form Germylidenylarsinidene Complexes. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 7465-7469. doi: 10.1002/anie.201703731. 

Ballestero-Martínez, E.; Hadlington, T. J.; Szilvási, T.; Yao, S.; Driess, M. From zinco(II) arsaketenes to silylene-stabilised zinco arsinidene complexes. Chem. Commun. 2018, 54, 6124-6127. doi: 10.1039/C8CC01928B. Highlighted as a journal back cover, and in Trendbericht Anorganische Chemie: Hauptgruppenelemente 2019 (Trend Report Inorganic Chemistry: Main Group Elements 2019), doi: 10.1002/nadc.20194083541.

Ballestero-Martínez, E.; Szilvási, T.; Hadlington, T. J.; Driess, M. From As‐Zincoarsasilene (LZn‐As=SiL’) to Arsaethynolato (As≡C‐O) and Arsaketenylido (O=C=As) Zinc Complexes. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, 58, 3382-3386. doi: 10.1002/anie.201813521. Highlighted in Trendbericht Anorganische Chemie: Hauptgruppen 2020 (Trend Report Inorganic Chemistry: Main Group 2020), doi: 10.1002/nadc.20204093482.