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Miquel Costas graduated in Chemistry at the University of Girona (UdG) in 1994, where he also pursued PhD studies in the group of Prof. A. Llobet. Research work during the PhD involved scientific stays at Texas A&M with Prof DHR Barton (1996), and in Basel with Prof. A. Zuberbüehler (1998). After his PhD dissertation, he moved to the group of Prof. L. Que, Jr, at the U. of Minnesota. In 2002 he returned to the Dept. of Chemistry of UdG with a Ramon I Cajal Fellowship, and in 2003 he was appointed professor Titular of Inorganic chemistry. In 2006 he initiated his independent career as a group leader in QBIS-CAT (www.udg.edu/qbis). He is being visiting scientist at Carneggie Mellon University (2005 with Prof. E. Münck) and Debye Institute invited professor at the University of Utrecht (2014). In 2008 he received an ICREA Academia Award, and an ERC Starting Grant. In 2014 he received the Award of the Spanish Royal Scociety of Chemistry to excellence in research. He’s coauthored over one hundred publications in international journals, and several book chapters.
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Research interests in my research team are broad and lay at the interphase of synthetic organic chemistry, coordination chemistry and catalysis. We have a strong background in the use of rationally designed coordination complexes as tools for synthetic organic chemistry. We strongly believe that coordination complexes based in first row transition metals have the potential not only to offer more sustainable catalytic methodologies than traditional transformations based in novel metals, but most importantly can also provide solutions to standing chemical problems in synthetic organic chemistry. Specifically, we focus in the development of small molecule catalyst for site chemo and enantioselective C-H and C=C functionalization by means of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon transfer. Effort is placed in the rational design of the catalysts by manipulating electronic properties of the metal center, the sterics in the first coordination sphere and supramolecular interactions in the second coordination sphere. Interest is also devoted to the identification of reactive intermediates operating in these reactions.
Functional models of non-hemo Cu, Mn and Fe oxygenases
In this research line selective oxidation of C-H and C=C bonds is targeted in this research line via design of iron and manganese catalysts inspired in the active site of non-heme oxygenases, which could operate via activation of oxidants with high atom efficiency and low environmental impact. Elements to control regio, chemo and stereoselectivity are investigated. Selectivity is pursued via rational design of catalysts that exploit substrate recognition-exclusion phenomena, and control over proton and electron affinity of the active species. The fundamental mechanistic aspects are also studied with the aim of designing the catalysts of the future, and understanding the chemistry taking place in non-heme iron and manganese-dependent oxygenases. Fundamental basis to control formation of the O-O bond via oxidation of the water molecule by well-defined high valent metal-oxo species is also pursued.
An additional goal of is to prepare and characterize non porphyrinic iron and manganese complexes with high oxidation states. Understanding the chemistry of high valent metal-oxo species is fundamentally interesting because of their relevance in biology and in challenging catalytic oxidation reactions including C-H hydroxylation and O-O bond formation.
Self-assembly of coordination driven supramolecular nanocages and nanoreactors. (in collaboration with Xavi Ribas)
Supramolecular metal-driven self-assembly is a very powerful method for the rational design of supramolecular entities exhibiting a variety of bi- and tri-dimensional geometric organizations, with potential applications as chemical sensors and reaction nanovessels. Along this strategy, we have been able to synthesize a variety of structures that include molecular nanosized squares and rectangles, helicates and trigonal and tetragonal prismatic nanocapsules. Our strategy consists in the self-assembly of hexaazamacrocyclic dimetallic (Cu or Pd) molecular clips with polycarboxylate linkers to construct capsule-like compounds with selective host-guest properties to encapsulate a variety of molecules including fullerenes. Furthermore, we are interested in the use these cages as nanoreactors.
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Principal Investigator
Miquel Costas
Full Professor
Staff and Postdocs
Francesco Zaccaria
Postdoc (MSCA-PF)
Supervisor
- M. Costas
Aleria Garcia
Postdoc (MSCA-PF)
Supervisor
- M. Costas
Sergio Fernández
Postdoc (BP)
Supervisor
- M. Costas
Alexander Fadeev
Postdoc (JdC)
Supervisor
- M. Costas
Josep Esteve
Postdoc
Supervisor
- M. Costas
Margarida Borrell
Postdoc
Supervisor
- M. Costas
PhD and MACMoM students
Gabriel Abarca
Master Students, PhD Students
Supervisor
- M. Costas
Swapnali Borude
PhD Student (FPI)
Supervisor
- M. Costas, A.Company
Nikolaos Siakavaras
PhD Student (IF-UdG)
Supervisor
- M. Costas , A. Call
Filippo Scarchilli
PhD Student
Supervisor
- M. Costas
Joel Nadal
PhD Student (FI)
Supervisor
- M. Costas
Nil Insa
PhD Student (FI-SDUR)
Supervisor
- M. Costas, A. Roglans
Christos Christou
PhD Student
Supervisor
- M. Costas
David Capellán
PhD Student (FPI)
Supervisor
- M. Costas
Eric Aparicio
PhD Student
Supervisor
- M. Costas, A. Call
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Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Project: Cyb-org
Researcher: Dr. Aleria Roca (M. Costas)
Reference: HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-2024-PF-GF-101206634
Funding: 322.164€
Period: 01/01/2025 – 31/12/2027Project: RePolHyCA
Researcher: Dr. Francesco Zaccaria (M. Costas)
Reference: HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-101205901
Funding: 209.914€
Period: 01/10/2025 – 30/09/2027AGAUR Projects. Beatriu de Pinós
Project: Beatriu de Pinós
Researcher: Dr. Sergio Fernández (M. Costas)
Reference: 2024 BP 00034
Funding: 161.400 €
Period: 01/11/2025 – 30/10/2028Programa FUNDAMENTOS
Project: Reticular enzyme-like catalysis (RETICAT)
Researcher: M. Costas, D. Maspoch, X. Ribas, A. Call
Reference: BBVA Fundamentos 2024
Funding: 247.687 €
Period: 31/10/2025 – 30/10/2028Juan de la cierva
Project: Juan de la Cierva
Researcher: Dr. Sergio Fernández (M. Costas)
Reference: JDC2023-052336-I
Funding: 72.000 €
Period: 01/09/2025 – 31/08/2027Project: Juan de la Cierva
Researcher: Dr. Alexander Fadeev (M. Costas)
Reference: JDC2024-054354-I
Funding: 76.600 €
Period: 01/03/2026 – 28/02/2028MICIU Projects: Equipamiento científico-técnico
Project: STR-UdG
Researcher: Miquel Costas
Reference: EQC2024-008799-P
Funding: 296.879 €
Period: 01/01/2024 – 31/12/2026MICIU Proyectos I+D
Project: Catalyst design to exert chemoselectivity control in biologically inspired oxidation catalysis
Researcher: Prof. Miquel Costas and Dr. Anna Company
Reference: PID2024-162777NB-I00
Funding: 387.500 €
Period: 01/09/2025 – 31/08/2028ERC Advanced Grants
Project: Enantioselective C-H Oxidation Guided by Rational Catalyst Design (ECHOGRADE)
Researcher: Dr Miquel Costas
Reference: ERC-2019-AdG-883922
Funding: 2.500.000 €
Period: 01/01/2021 – 31/12/2026ICREA Acadèmia Awards
Project: Programa ICREA Acadèmia 2024
Researcher: Prof. Miquel Costas
Reference: 2024 ICREA 00191
Funding: 200.000 €
Period: 01/01/2025 – 31/12/2029Project: Beatriu de Pinós
Researcher: Dr. Josep Llaveria (M. Costas)
Reference: 2013BP_B 00188
Funding: 91.022 €
Period: 01/10/2014 – 30/09/2016Project: Beatriu de Pinós
Researcher: Dr. Alberto Hernán-Gómez (M. Costas)
Reference: 2016 BP
Funding: 92.000 €
Period: 01/09/2017 – 31/12/2018Project: Química Bioinspirada, Supramolecular i Catàlisi (QBIS-CAT)
Researcher: Dr. Miquel Costas
Reference: 2014 SGR 862
Funding: 38.400 €
Period: 01/01/2014 – 30/04/2017Project: Generación y estabilización de especies químicas altamente reactivas en nanocápsulas supramoleculares autoensambladas
Researcher: Dr. Miquel Costas
Reference: CTQ2013-50306-EXP
Funding: 66.550 €
Period: 01/09/2014 – 31/08/2016Project: Catálisis de oxidación bioinspirada mediante diseño racional de cataliadores
Researcher: Dr Miquel Costas
Reference: PGC2018-101737-B-100
Funding: 242.000 €
Period: 01/01/2019 – 31/12/2021Project: Aplicación de la Química Supramolecular al Diseño, Síntesis y Estudio de Compuestos Bioactivos de Acción Antiinflamatoria, Antitumoral o Antiparasitaria (SUPRAMED)
Researcher: Dr. Miquel Costas
Reference: CONSOLIDER-INGENIO CSD-2010-00065
Funding: 500.000 €
Period: 07/03/2011 – 14/06/2015Project: Diseño bioinspirado de catalizadores para la oxidación de enlaces C-H, C=C y agua (HybCorr)
Researcher: Dr. Miquel Costas
Reference: CTQ2012-37420-C02-01
Funding: 189.540 €
Period: 01/12/2013 – 31/12/2015Project: Generación y caracterización de especies de hierro y manganeso en altos estados de oxidación, y su uso en catalisis asimétrica (HIGHVALCAT)
Researcher: Dr Miquel Costas
Reference: CTQ2015-70795-P
Funding: 190.817 €
Period: 01/01/2016 – 31/03/2019Project: CATÁLISIS ASIMÉTRICA
Researcher: Dr. Miquel Solà, Dr. Anna Roglans and Dr. Miquel Costas
Reference: RED2022-134331-T
Funding: 20.390 €
Period: 19/11/2025 – 19/11/2025Project: ORGANOMETALLIC CHEMISTRY FOR SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
Researcher: Dr. Anna Pla-Quintana and Dr. Miquel Costas
Reference: RED2022-134074-T
Funding: 20.390 €
Period: 19/11/2025 – 19/11/2025Project: Catalizadores moleculares bioinspirados para la funcionalización estereoselectiva de enlaces sp2 y sp3 C-H
Researcher: Dr. Miquel Costas and Dr. Arnau Call
Reference: PID2021-129036NB-100
Funding: 326.700 €
Period: 01/09/2022 – 31/08/2025Project: Polímeros reciclables basados en lactonas bicíclicas híbridas preparadas mediante oxidación selectiva de enlaces sp3 C-H
Researcher: Dr. Miquel Costas and Dr. Arnau Call
Reference: TED2021-132648B-100
Funding: 287.500 €
Period: 01/12/2022 – 30/09/2025Project: Participant (CMST)
Researcher: Dr. Miquel Costas
Reference: CM1003
Funding: — €
Period: 19/11/2025 – 19/11/2025Project: Programa ICREA Acadèmia 2008
Researcher: Dr. Miquel Costas
Reference: ICREA Acadèmia 2008
Funding: 250.000 €
Period: 01/01/2009 – 31/12/2013Project: Programa ICREA Acadèmia 2013
Researcher: Dr. Miquel Costas
Reference: ICREA Acadèmia 2013
Funding: 250.000 €
Period: 01/01/2014 – 31/12/2018Project: Programa ICREA Acadèmia 2018
Researcher: Dr. Miquel Costas
Reference: ICREA Acadèmia 2018
Funding: 205.000 €
Period: 01/01/2019 – 31/12/2023Project: Catalytic Csp3-H functionalization via carbene insertion meets sustainability: Developing an unprecedented Iron methodology
Researcher: Dr. Alberto Hernan-Gomez (M. Costas)
Reference: H2020-MSCA-IF-2017-794160
Funding: 170.121 €
Period: 01/01/2018 – 31/12/2019Project: ICAT-PACHO
Researcher: Marco Galeotti (M. Costas)
Reference: H2020-MSCA-2022-PF-101106196
Funding: 165.312,96€
Period: 01/05/2023 – 30/04/2025Project: Non-Noble Metal Catalysis (NoNoMeCat)
Researcher: Dr. Miquel Costas
Reference: H2020-MSCA-ITN-2015-675020
Funding: 495.745 € (3.318.634 €)
Period: 01/01/2016 – 31/12/2019Project: Bio-inspired Design of Catalysts for Selective Oxidations of C-H and C=C Bonds (BIDECASEOX)
Researcher: Dr. Miquel Costas
Reference: ERC-2009-StG-239910
Funding: 1.300.000 €
Period: 01/11/2009 – 31/10/2014Project: Bioinspired Catalysts for Commercial Applications (BIOXCAT)
Researcher: Dr. Miquel Costas
Reference: ERC-2013-PoC-620241
Funding: 150.000 €
Period: 01/05/2014 – 30/04/2015Project: Biologically inspired chiral oxidation catalysts for commercial applications of fine chemistry†(CHIROXCAT)
Researcher: Dr. Miquel Costas
Reference: ERC-2015-PoC-713423
Funding: 150.000€
Period: 01/05/2016 – 31/10/2017Collaboration with Miquel Costas
- Massimo Bietti – University of Rome Tor Vergata (Italy)
- Wesley Browne – University of Groningen (Netherlands)
- Stefano Di Stefano – University of Rome La Sapienza (Italy)
- Manuel Garcia – Universidad de Cádiz (Spain)
- Enrique García-España – Universidad de Valencia (Spain)
- Bert Klein – University of Utrecht (Netherlands)
- Robertus Klein – Utrecht University (Netherlands)
- Julio Lloret-Fillol – Institut Català d’investigació Química (Spain)
- Pedro J. Perez – Universidad de Huelva (Spain)
- Lawrence Que Jr. – University of Minnesota (United States)
- Jana Roithová – Radboud University (Netherlands)
PhD defense Andrea Álvarez-Núñez
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On 15th of June will be the defense of the doctoral thesis of Daniel Villá Roldán, titled “Estudio de PhD defense...Dalton Horizon Symposium 2026
Last Monday 18th of May, Prof. Marcel Swart organized the Dalton Horizon Symposium at Sala IQCC. The event Dalton Horizon...
Costas, Miquel
Biologically inspired design of transition metal reactivity and catalysis
Contact info:
Dr. Miquel Costas miquel.costas@udg.edu Tel. (+34) 972 41 98 42