Curriculum Vitae Moritz Schmidt

Scientific career

  • Current:
    Head of the department "Chemistry of the f-elements" Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Institute of Resource Ecology.
  • 2013 – 2018:
    Helmholtz Young Investigator group leader at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Institute of Resource Ecology.
  • 2012 – 2013:
    Research associate at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal.
  • 2010 – 2012:
    Research Associate at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division.
  • 11/2009:
    PhD at the University of Heidelberg, Department of Chemistry, “Untersuchungen zum Einbaumechanismus von Actiniden und Lanthaniden in Calcium-haltige Sekundärphasen” (in German).
  • 2006 – 2009:
    PhD student at the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal.
  • 2006:
    Diplom (M.Sc.) in Chemistry at the University of Heidelberg

Research experience

  • Actinide chemistry
  • Geochemistry of the actinides in the context of nuclear waste storage
  • Mineral/water interface reactions
  • Structural incorporation of actinides into mineral phases
  • Site-selective time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy with Cm(III) and Eu(III)
  • Surface X-ray diffraction

Newest Publication in the Department

Two Modifications of Nitrilotris(methylenephenylphosphinic) Acid: A Polymeric Network with Intermolecular (O=P–O–H)₃ vs. Monomeric Molecules with Intramolecular (O=P–O–H)₃ Hydrogen Bond Cyclotrimers

Knerr, S.; Brendler, E.; Gericke, R.; Kroke, E.; Wagler, J.

Abstract

Nitrilotris(methylenephenylphosphinic) acid (NTPAH₃) was silylated using hexamethyldisilazane to produce the tris(trimethylsilyl) derivative NTPA(SiMe₃)₃. From the latter, upon alcoholysis in chloroform, NTPAH₃ could be recovered. Thus, a new modification of that phosphinic acid formed. Meanwhile, NTPAH₃ synthesized in aqueous hydrochloric acid crystallized in the space group P3c1 with the formation of O-H···O H-bonded networks (NTPAH₃P), in chloroform crystals in the space group R3c formed (NTPAH₃M), the constituents of which are individual molecules with exclusively intramolecular O-H···O hydrogen bonds. Both solids, NTPAH₃P and NTPAH₃M, were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, multi-nuclear (¹H, ¹³C, ³¹P) solid-state NMR spectroscopy, and IR spectroscopy as well as quantum chemical calculations (both of their individual constituents as isolated molecules as well as in the periodic crystal environment). In spite of the different stabilities of their constituting molecular conformers, the different crystal packing interactions rendered the modifications of NTPAH₃P and NTPAH₃M similarly stable. In both solids, the protons of the acid are engaged in cyclic (O=P–O–H)₃ H-bond trimers. Thus, the trialkylamine N atom of this compound is not protonated. IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy of these solids indicated stronger H-bonds in the (O=P–O–H)₃ H-bond trimers of NTPAH₃M over those in NTPAH₃P.

Keywords: aminomethylenephosphinic acid; DFT calculation; Hirshfeld surface; hydrogen bond; polymorphism; solid-state NMR; X-ray diffraction

Permalink: https://www.hzdr.de/publications/Publ-39539

More publications

Grants and Projects

  • Bioinspired polyhydroxamic sequestering agents for the in vivo decorporation of actinides
    (ActiDecorp, ANR/DFG, 04/2024-03/2027)
  • Actinide-metal-bonding at the atomic level
    (Am-BALL, BMUV, 05/2023-04/2026)
  • Investigation of the interactions of f-elements with biologically-relevant structural motives: Determination of structure-effect principles for a mobilization in the environment
    (FENABIUM-II, BMBF, 04/2023-03/2026)
  • Competition and Reversibility of sorption processes
    (KuRSiV, BMUV, 01/2023-06/2026)
  • Spectroscopic characterization of f-Element complexes with soft donor ligands
    (f-Char, BMBF, 10/2020 - 03/2024)
  • Structure effect relations between f-elements and organic ligands with natural-analogue binding modes in regards to a possible mobilization in the environment
    (FENABIUM, BMBF, 10/2016 – 05/2021)
  • Smart-Kd applications for the long term safety assessment of nuclear waste disposal sites
    (SMILE, BMWi, 09/2018 – 02/2022)
  • Helmholtz Young Investigator Group “Structures and reactivity at the aqueous/mineral interface”
    (VH-NG-942, Helmholtz Association, 10/2013 - 09/2018)