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Dr Marianna Fekete

Research Interests

Marianna's current research focuses on the synthesis and reaction mechanisms of water soluble, immobilised and solid supported iridium complexes as efficient catalyst for the magnetization transfer reactions. Water soluble polarizationn transfer catalysts are very important in taking hyperpolarisation technology from the lab to biological systems. These types of complexes could be used as catalysts in polarization transfer from p-H₂ to free pyridne in aqueous solutions using SABRE techniques, allowing further expansion of the field into MRI.

By using heterogeneous catalysts (in the form of solid beads) where pyridine molecules are coordinated to iridium center, it is posible to transfer polarization from p-H₂ to pyridine. These molecules are in contant exchange with other pyridine molecules in the second (liquid) phase. In this way, catalysts can be separated from the hyperpolarised substrate easily and reused several times.

Publications 

1. M. Fekete, F. Joó: Redox isomerization of allylic alcohols in aqueous-organic biphasic systems catalyzed by water-soluble Ru(II)-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes, Catal. Commun., 2006, 7, 783. 
2. M. Fekete, F. Joó: Transfer hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds and alkenes catalyzed by ruthenium (II)-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes, Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun., 2007, 72, 1037. 
3. T. Campos-Malpartida, M. Fekete, F. Joó, Á. Kathó, A. Romerosa, M. Saoud, W. Wojtków: Redox isomerization of allylic alcohols catalysed by water-soluble ruthenium complexes in aqueous systems, J. Organomet. Chem., 2008, 693, 468. 
4. B. González, P. Lorenzo-Luis, M. Serrano-Ruiz, É. Papp, M. Fekete, K. Csépke, K. Osz, Á. Kathó, F. Joó, A. Romerosa: Catalysis of redox isomerization of allylic alcohols by [RuClCp(mPTA)2](OSO2CF3)2 and [RuCp(mPTA)2(OH2-κO)](OSO2CF3)3·(H2O)(C4H10O)0.5. Unusual influence of the pH and interaction of phosphate with catalyst on the reaction rate, Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical, 2010, 326, 15–20.
5. G. A. Rolla, L. Tei, M. Fekete, F. Arena, E. Gianolio, M. Botta: Responsive Mn(II) complexes for potential applications in diagnostic Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 2011, 19, 1115.
6. L. Tei, G. Gugliotta, M. Fekete, F. K. Kálmán, M. Botta: Mn(II) complexes of novel hexadentate AAZTA-like chelators: a solution thermodynamics and relaxometric study, Dalton Trans., 2011, 40, 2025.
7. J. Martinelli, M. Fekete, L. Tei, M. Botta: Cleavable ß-cyclodextrin nanocapsules incorporating GdIII-chelates as bioresponsive MRI probes. Chem. Commun., 2011, 47, 3144.
8. A. Rodríguez-Rodríguez, D. Esteban-Gómez, A. de Blas, T. Rodríguez-Blas, M. Fekete, M. Botta, R. Tripier, C. Platas-Iglesias: Lanthanide(III) Complexes with Ligands Derived from a Cyclen Framework Containing Pyridinecarboxylate Pendants. The Effect of Steric Hindrance on the Hydration Number, Inorg. Chem., 2012, 51, 2509.
9. Zs. Baranyai, M. Botta, M. Fekete, G. B. Giovenzana, R. Negri, L. Tei, C. Platas-Iglesias: Lower Ligand Denticity Leading to Improved Thermodynamic Kinetic Stability of the Gd Complex: the Strange Case of OBETA, Chem. Eur. J, 2012, 18, 7680. DOI: 10.1002/chem.201200265
   

History

• 1998-2003 

University of Belgrade (Serbia), Faculty of Physical Chemistry

• 2003-2006:

University od Debrecen (Hungary), Chemistry PhD School, Departent of Physical Chemsitry – 2008 June, PhD thesis defendation Catalytic properties of N-heterocyclic transition metal carbene complexes. Supervisor Dr Ferenc Joó.

• 2007-2009:

Research assistant in the Research Group of Homogeneous Catalysis (Dr Ferenc Joó), Hungarian Academy of Science, University of Debrecen, Department of Physical Chemistry, Debrecen, Hungary. Reaction kinetics and catalysis of Ru(II), Rh(I) and Ir(I) complexes.

• 2009-2011: 

Postdoctoral fellow, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro”, Alessandria, Italy. Bio/Inorganic Chemistry group of Dr. Mauro Botta - Studies on the dynamic and relaxometric behaviour of Mn(II) and Gd(III)-complexes as diagnostic probes for MRI.

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