Infrared spectroscopy captures detailed structure and action of organocatalyst in real time

In a collaborative effort, researchers at the University of Amsterdam and the HFML-FELIX institute in Nijmegen have been able to provide detailed insights in the molecular structure of a thiourea-based organocatalyst, as well as the precise structural changes it undergoes when binding with reactants. They elucidated the precise geometry of the catalyst and of the catalyst-reactant complex using infrared radiation of the FELIX free electron laser, combined with molecular beam experiments and quantum chemical calculations.