The Goodwin Group
Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry


Latest News
  • 2026-03-25: Liam's work on Sc(II) sandwich complexes is now live on ChemRxiv: "Orbital Mixing Induced Stabilisation of Divalent Scandium Sandwich Complexes". We compare the electronic structure and stability of Sc(II) complexes using either phospholide or cyclopentadienide ligands, finding that decreased symmetry in the phospholide system enhances covalency and stability.
  • 2026-03-25: Kaitlin and Stanley attend the Conrad and Dave Mills were invited to deliver teaching lectures at the International Spring School 2026: “The Chemistry of f-Elements”in Dresden.

    Stanley and Kaitlin in a field

  • 2026-02-11: We welcome comment on our latest preprint ready on ChemRxiv: "Uranocenium – The bis-[8]annulene Uranium Cation". In this project we complete the longstanding analogy between ferrocene and uranocene by isolating the first uranocene cation, and describe an unusual electronic structure that renders it's electrochemistry is remarkably similar to that of ferrocene.
  • 2026-01-09: Ben's work on a four-coordinate dysprosium SMM that displays hysteresis at 31 K is published in Journal of the American Chemical Society! Record-setting performance for a non-sandwich complex. See: "Magnetic Hysteresis at 31 K in a Four-Coordinate Dysprosium(III) Amide Complex".
  • 2025-10-21: Ben leads our latest high oxidation state f-element chemistry in "Synthesis, Redox Chemistry, and Electronic Structures of Bis-di(silylamido)silane f-Element Complexes" out today in Inorganic Chemistry (DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5c03345).
  • 2025-10-7 to 10-9: Conrad, Ben (Réant), Liam, Ross, and Orry attended Terrae Rarae – 33. Tage der Seltenen Erden at KIT in Karlsruhe (Germany), after severe travel disruption that saw half the group spend time in four countries in one day.

    Travel routes of different group members

  • 2025-09-22: We also welcome Iulia Turcas (PGR) working with us jointly alongside Prof. McInnes and Winpenny EPR spectroscopy of f-element complexes.
  • 2025-09-21: The group welcomes new members Kaitlin Makin-Robinson (PGR), Stanley Bagio (PGR, jointly with Dr. Bowen), and Ben Mullock (MChem – "BenChem"). Stanley and Ben join Liam and Cameron on low oxidation state organometallic chemistry, while Kaitlin joins Ben (Réant) and Orry working on high oxidation state chemistry.
  • 2025-09-19: Transuranium organometallic chemistry is featured on the front cover of Nature Reviews Chemistry issue 9 (link). A free to view version of the article can be found here (https://rdcu.be/eABFQ).

We are The Goodwin Group in the Department of Chemistry The University of Manchester, and we are working to further our understanding of the f-block elements – lanthanides and actinides. We predominantly focus on non-aqueous chemistry to realise well-defined coordination geometries with which to stabilise highly reactive oxidation states and bonding motifs.

The Group in March 2026

  • 2025-08-13: We are delighted to share our review article on Transuranium organometallic chemistry out today in Nature Reviews Chemistry (DOI: 10.1038/s41570-025-00732-4). The Review celebrates the evolution of non-aqueous and organometallic chemistry with the elements beyond uranium and how the field has advanced in the almost 80 years since the "actinide" concept was first by Seaborg.
  • 2025-08-04: Bonus content! During our work on bis-di(silylamido)silane f-element complexes, we found the Dy(III) analogue is a record-setting single molecule magnet (SMM) with a hysteresis temperature of 31 K but, more remarkably, it is a rare example of a non-metallocene SMM with a 100-second blocking temperature above 4 K. Please see the preprint on ChemRxiv: Magnetic Hysteresis at 31 K in a Four-Coordinate Dysprosium(III) Amide Complex. DOI: 10.26434/chemrxiv-2025-m8q8l.
  • 2025-07-23: We invite comments on the group's first foray into high oxidation state f-element chemistry, now available on ChemRxiv: Synthesis, Redox Chemistry, and Electronic Structures of bis-di(silylamido)silane f-element Complexes. DOI: 10.26434/chemrxiv-2025-4v72t.
  • 2025-06-30: Ross attends the Dalton Northern conference in Lancaster and delivers a talk. Thanks to the organizers!
  • 2025-06-14: Conrad and Dave Mills were invited to deliver teaching lectures at the Eddleman Quantum Institute-hosted summer school before the 30th Rare Earth Research Conference. Conrad delivered a research talk at the main conference.

    Conrad at the RERC30 summer school Conrad at the RERC30 conference

  • 2025-06-12: Ross gives his final year presentation at the UoM Chemistry Postgraduate Research Symposium, and wins a "best presentation" prize for his talk on low oxidation state rare earth complexes!

    Ross at the UoM chemistry 2025 PGR conference Ross with his talk prize certificate at the UoM chemistry 2025 PGR conference

  • 2025-06-10: Conrad has been promoted to Senior Lecturer, many thanks to all the group for their hard work, and to very supportive colleagues!
  • 2025-01-16: Conrad gives an invited research talk at the University of Greenwich and shared the latest results by Ross and Ben to a new audience. Many thanks to Xacobe and Ewan for the invite.

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