It has long been assumed that biological metabolism must have been an invention of life since its many reactions are catalyzed by enzymes, complex proteins that did not exist at life’s origins. However, my group and others have recently discovered that transition metals alone can mediate reactions of life’s most central metabolic pathways in the absence of enzymes (Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, glycolysis, parts of the Krebs cycle and reverse Krebs cycle, etc.). In contrast to ideas about the origin of life that focus only on genetics, this realization brings experimental support to a radically different vision in which biological metabolism arose from geochemical reaction networks, before enzymes or life itself, and created the molecules of genetics in the process. This proposal aims to find out how much of core biological metabolism might have emerged without enzymes and whether it could have given rise to genetics. I propose an experimental research program to identify conditions that would trigger the spontaneous emergence of metal-catalyzed versions of the biosynthetic pathways for sugar, amino acid and ribonucleotide synthesis. In contrast to approaches to prebiotic chemistry that need human intervention to direct their outcome and whose chemistries are very different from those used by life, this approach will aim, as much as is possible, for one-pot chemistry that is deeply rooted in metabolism. This tactic will ensure that what is discovered is likely to be relevant to life’s origins and even predictive about the way life operates today. This metabolism-guided approach to prebiotic chemistry will furnish deep understanding of how and why life’s biochemistry emerged and explain why it operates the way that it does today, rooted in fundamental principles of catalysis and organic chemistry.

Tetrasubstituted olefins are key to drug discovery, and the ability to such entities is a compelling goal. Pioneering studies have led to a number of noteworthy advances by significant shortcomings remain. For example, it is especially challenging to access tetrasubstituted alkenes that contain four sizeable substituents or a F atom and/or a CF3 unit. Most protocols can only afford one of the possible isomers. Tetrasubstituted alkenes that contain multiple modifiable substituents are particularly attractive, because they can serve as diversification points that lead to a large assortment of desirable compounds. Olefin metathesis offers a strategically distinct, efficient, and stereodivergent route to such entities. Yet, there are only a few reported olefin metathesis reactions that generate a cyclic tetrasubstituted olefin that does not contain two methyl substituents at each carbon (i.e., no stereochemistry). A much smaller number (four cases) are RCM reactions that afford cyclic tetrasubstituted olefins with one modifiable C–Cl bond. All involve a Ru catalyst. However, olefin metathesis reactions that can generate poly-halogenated olefins cannot be effected with a Ru catalyst (rapid decomposition). Only a Mo or a W catalyst must be used, but such complexes do not exist. We will design a new class of pivoting Mo and W catalysts that can be used to promote efficient RCM and cross-metathesis (CM) reactions that generate a wide range of readily modifiable tetrasubstituted olefins. We will accomplish this by designing catalysts wherein the rotation of the imido and aryloxide ligands is synchronized, so that a proper binding pocket is made available. The expected products, which can serve as versatile diversification points, will contain 2-3 easily modifiable units. We will also design an entirely new class of cyclic Mo and W catalysts for CM between easily accessible trisubstituted alkenes and polyhalogenated alkenes. A unique feature of these catalysts is that intra

FlexNanoOLED aims at expanding the groundbreaking research developed within the ERC project SUPRAFUNCTION into a radically new and unprecedented technology to enable the fabrication of flexible ITO-free multi-coloured nanoscale engineered organic LEDs. In a recent breakthrough, we have developed a novel device architecture for optoelectronics which relies on a nanomesh scaffold and demonstrated its full potential by realising supramolecular nanowire photovoltaic devices with performances surpassing those of standard organic photodetectors. The nanomesh technology can be exploited to other devices in strategic S&T areas. In particular, it offers an effective solution to satisfy the demand for large-area flexible lighting and full-colour active-matrix display for printed e-wallpapers, rollable screens and luminous advertisement boards. In this PoC, we will use our nanomesh scaffold to fabricate polychromatic high-performing OLEDs supported on plastic substrates. Ink-jet printing will permit the selective integration of different colours into pre-designed patterns to realise >300 cm2 sized customised images with a pixel resolution of 50 μm. OLED represented a $4.9 billion industry in 2012; it now requires novel solutions for being implemented on flexible supports. Towards the FlexNanoOLED technology commercialisation, we will define the exact exploitation strategy, including IPR positioning, market survey, business model and fundraising once the device key performance indicators will be optimised. This will also include partnering with key enablers (business-related and/or technological) for commercial success. Within FlexNanoOLED, we will gain technical and commercial proof of concept, to develop the prototype and ultimately bringing this unprecedented OLED technology closer to the market, with the overall goal of increasing the share of Europe in the field of OLEDs, a technological realm that Europe has pioneered yet has lost the dominance of since a decade.