BRENNA STEFANO | Università degli studi dell'Insubria

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031 238 6476

Stefano Brenna obtained his Ph.D. degree in Chemical Sciences (2004) at the University of Insubria, under the supervision of Professor G. A. Ardizzoia. He later held a Postdoctoral position in Professor J. Bluemel's group at the University of Heidelberg (Germany), with an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship. He then returned to University of Insubria, where he currently holds a permanent position as University Researcher in Inorganic Chemistry.

His research interests mainly deal with the synthesis of coordination and organometallic compounds, bearing multidentate ligands (with both hard and soft donor atoms), with possible applications in catalysis and materials chemistry (i.e., luminescent compounds). He is coauthor of more than 40 publications (article in peer-reviewed journals and contributions to Conferences) and is serving as Referee for many Journals in the field (Coord. Chem. Rev.; Inorg. Chem.; Organometallics; Eur. J. Inorg. Chem.; Cryst. Growth Des.; J. Mol. Catal. A; J. Lumin.; Inorg. Chim. Acta).

He has been supervisor or co-supervisor of many Master and PhD Thesis. He is member of the Italian Chemical Society (Inorganic Chemistry Division) since 2003, and has been nominated Associate Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (AMRSC) since June 2015.

Ricerca

SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND REACTIVITY OF COORDINATION and ORGANOMETALLIC COMPOUNDS

The research in our Group explores diverse aspects of transition metals-based coordination compounds, from the design of ligands to the synthesis and full spectroscopic characterization of the resulting metal-containing derivatives. In the past, the main focus has been the investigation of these compounds as potential catalysts for fine chemicals synthesis (C-C or C-E bond forming reactions) or as hybrid inorganic-organic materials. More recently, in addition to these consolidated topics, we directed our attention toward the synthesis and structural characterization of d10-metals luminescent compounds, with the aim of studying structure-properties relationships.

The research lines carried out in our Group mainly concern these topics:

a) the synthesis, characterization and study of photophysical properties of d10-metals luminescent compounds: (i) with substituted imidazo[1,5-a]pyridines, it has been possible to modulate the photoluminescent behavior of the resulting complexes according to the electronic properties of ligands (New J. Chem. 2017, 41, 3006; Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2019, 1825). (ii) in copper(I)-lactate systems, the introduction of a chelating phosphine like dppm allowed to enhance metal-metal interactions leading to intense phosphorescence (Dalton Trans. 2019, 48, 9276).

b) the synthesis of Group 11 metal-azolate oligo- and polynuclear systems (ligand = 3,5-dimethyl-4-sulfonate or 3,5-dimethyl-4-nitroso pyrazolate), where the metal centers are kept in close proximity so that metallophilic interactions raise. Specially, the introduction of the SO3M (M = Li, Na, K, Rb) group in position 4 of 3,5-dimethyl pyrazole, allowed to build up highly luminescent polynuclear copper(I) systems (CrystEngComm 2017, 19, 6020).

c) interpretation and description of the nature of metal-ligand bonds in terms of natural orbitals for chemical valence (NOCV) (Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2017, 19, 5971).

Portale IRInSubria

Pubblicazioni in evidenza

PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS

Brenna S.; Ardizzoia, G. A.; Colombo, V.; Sironi, A.
A silver(I) coordination polymer with sodium 3,5-dimethyl-4-sulfonate pyrazolate: a nice example of
PXRD structure solution and time-driven crystallization
CrystEngComm. 2019, 21, 4586-4592

Bassoli, S.; Ardizzoia, G. A.; Therrien, B.; Brenna, S.
Phosphorescence enhancement by close metal-metal interaction in T1 excited state in a dinuclear
copper(I) complex
Dalton Trans. 2019, 48, 9276-9283

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Colombo G.; Therrien, B.; Brenna, S.
Tuning the fluorescence emission and HOMO-LUMO band gap in homoleptic zinc(II) complexes with
N,O-bidentate (imidazo[1,5-a]pyrid-3-yl)phenols
Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2019, 1825-1831

Marchesi, A.; Brenna S.; Ardizzoia, G. A.
Synthesis and emissive properties of a series of tetrahydro (imidazo[1,5-a]pyrid-3-yl)phenols: a new
class of large Stokes shift organic dyes
Dyes and Pigments 2019, 161, 457-463

Brenna S.; Ardizzoia, G. A.
Carbene transfer and carbene insertion reactions catalyzed by a mixed-ligand copper(I) complex
Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2018, 3336-3342

Durini, S.; Ardizzoia, G. A.; Colombo G.; Therrien, B.; Brenna, S.
H-bonding dependent phosphorescence in a mixed ligand copper(I) complex
Polyhedron 2018, 471, 189-195

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Ghiotti D.; Therrien, B.; Brenna, S.
Homoleptic complexes of divalent metals bearing N,O-bidentate imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine ligands:
synthesis, X-ray characterization and catalytic activity in the Heck reaction
Inorg. Chim. Acta 2018, 471, 384-390

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; Civati, F.; Colombo, V.; Sironi, A.
A phosphorescent copper(I) coordination polymer with 3,5-dimethyl-4-sulfonate pyrazolate
CrystEngComm. 2017, 19, 6020-607

Durini, S.; Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; Therrien, B.
Tuning the fluorescence emission in mononuclear heteroleptic trigonal silver(I) complexes
New J. Chem. 2017, 41, 3006-3014

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.
Interpretation of Tolman electronic parameters in the light of natural orbitals for chemical valence
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2017, 19, 5971-5978

Borelli, T.; Brenna, S.; Broggini, G.; Oble, J.; Poli, G.
(Diacyloxyiodo)benzenes-Driven Palladium-Catalyzed Cyclizations of Unsaturated N-Sulfonylamides: Opportunities of Path Selection
Adv. Synth. Catal. 2017, 359, 623-628

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Bea, M.; Brenna, S.; Therrien, B.
A Quantitative Description of the σ-Donor and π-Acceptor Properties of Substituted Phenanthrolines
Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2016, 3829-3837

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.
Hydroxo-bridged copper(II) cubane complexes
Coord. Chem. Rev. 2016, 311, 53-74

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; Durini, S.; Therrien, B.
Synthesis and characterization of luminescent zinc(II) complexes with a N,N-bidentate 1-pyridylimidazo[1,5-a]pyridine ligand
Polyhedron 2015, 90, 214-220

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; Durini, S.; Therrien, B.; Veronelli, M.
Synthesis, Structure, and Photophysical Properties of Blue-Emitting Zinc(II) Complexes with 3-Aryl-Substituted 1-Pyridylimidazo[1,5-a]pyridine Ligands
Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2014, 21, 3365-3371

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; Durini, S.; Therrien, B.; Trentin, I.
The Goldilocks principle in action: synthesis and structural characterization of a novel {Cu4(μ3-OH)4} cubane stabilized by monodentate ligands
Dalton Trans. 2013, 42, 783-790

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; Durini, S.; Therrien, B.
Ruthenium(II) Complexes Bearing a Ligand Derived from P,N- or P,N,O-Diphenylphosphinobenzoxazine: Synthesis, X-ray Characterization, and cis Diastereoselectivity in Styrene Cyclopropanation
Organometallics 2012, 31, 5427-5437

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; Therrien, B.
Ni(II) and Pd(II) pyridinyloxazolidine-compounds: synthesis, X-ray characterisation and catalytic activities in aza-Michael reactions
Dalton Transactions 2012,41, 783-790

Tzimopoulos, D.; Brenna, S.; Czapik, A.; Gdaniec, M.; Ardizzoia, G. Attilio; Akrivos, P. D.
Investigation of the structure and catalytic activity in olefin cyclopropanation of neutral and cationic dicopper complexes of 3,5-bis(pyridinylimino)benzoic acid
Inorganica Chimica Acta 2012,38, 105-111

Frisoni S.; Brenna, S.; Masciocchi, N.
Structural characterization of anhydrous and bishydrated calcium hexafluorosilicate by powder diffraction methods
Powder Diffraction 2011, 26, 308-312

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; Therrien, B.
The Adaptable Coordination Chemistry of 6-Chloro-2-(quinolin-2-yl)-2,4-dihydro-1H-benzo[d][1,3] oxazine Towards Zinc(II) and Mercury(II)
European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry 2010, 21, 3365-3371

Beccalli, E.; Borsini, E.; Brenna, S.; Galli, S.; Rigamonti, M.; Broggini, G.
sigma-Alkylpalladium Intermediates in Intramolecular Heck Reactions: Isolation and Catalytic Activity
Chemistry: A European Journal 2010, 16, 1670-1678

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; Castelli, F.; Galli, S.; Masciocchi, N.
Facile Anaerobic Oxidative Dehydrogenation Promoted by Bases: The Case of Copper-2,4-dihydro-1H-benzo[d][1,3] Oxazine Complexes
Inorganica Chimica Acta 2010, 363, 324-329

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; Castelli, F.; Galli, S.
Copper(I)-imine Complexes: Synthesis and Catalytic Activity in Olefin Cyclopropanation
Inorganica Chimica Acta 2009, 362, 3507-3512

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Beccalli, E.; Borsini, E.; Brenna, S.; Broggini, G.; Rigamonti, M.
Palladium-Catalyzed Cyclization/Carbonylation as a Direct route to 4-[Methoxycabonyl)methyl]-3,4-dihydroisoquinolinones
European Journal of Organic Chemistry 2008, 33, 5590-5596

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; Castelli, F.; Galli, S.; Marelli, C.; Maspero, A
New copper(I) and silver(I) triazolato-complexes: Synthesis, reactivity and catalytic activity in olefin cyclopropanation
Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 2008, 693, 1870-1876

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; Castelli, F.; Galli, S.; Masciocchi, N.; Maspero, A
Synthesis and characterization of 2-aminobenzimidazolate group 11 coordination polymers: A combined X-ray powder diffraction and 13CP MAS NMR study
Inorganic Chemistry Communications 2008, 11, 502-505

Alberti, E.; Ardizzoia, G. Attilio; Brenna, S.; Castelli, F.; Galli, S.; Maspero, A.
The synthesis of a new dithiophosphonic acid and its coordination properties toward Ni(II): A combined NMR and X-ray diffraction study
Polyhedron 2007, 26, 958-966

S.Brenna, T.Posset, J.Furrer, J. Blümel
Two-Dimensional Suspension 1H,13C HR-MAS, and 14N NMR Spectroscopy of Ionic Liquids Immobilized on Silica
Chemistry - A European Journal 2006, 12, 2880-2888

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; Castelli, F.; Galli, S.; La Monica, G.; Masciocchi, N.; Maspero, A.
Metalimidazolato polymers: synthesis, characterization and crystal structure of new silver(I) triphenylphosphine derivatives
Polyhedron 2004, 23, 3063-3068

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; Castelli, F.; Galli, S.; Masciocchi, N.; Maspero, A.; Sironi, A.
Synthesis and ab-initio XRPD structure of Group 12 imidazolato polymers
Chemical Communications 2003, 2018-2019

Galli, S.; Brenna, S.; Maspero, A.
Coordination chemistry of 2-pyrimidinolate: synthesis and characterization of a neutral tetrameric rhodium(I) derivative
Inorganic Chemistry Communiction 2003, 6, 756-759

Maspero, A.; Brenna, S.; Galli, S.; Penoni, A.
Synthesis and characterization of new polynuclear copper(I) pyrazolate complexes and their catalytic activity in the cyclopropanation of olefins
Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 2003, 672, 123-129

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; Cenini, S.; La Monica, G.; Masciocchi, N.; Maspero, A.
Oligomerization and Polymerization of Alkynes Catalyzed by Rhodium(I) Complexes
Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical 2003, 204-205 33-340

Masciocchi, N.; Brenna, S.; Galli, S.; Maspero, A.
Ab-initio XRPD structural characterization of coordination polymers: the case of [Ag(C3H3N2CS2)]
Zeitschrift für Kristallographie 2003, 218, 450-454

Masciocchi, N.; Arzzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; La Monica, G.; Maspero, A.; Galli, S.; Sironi, A.
One-dimensional polymers containing strictly collinear metal ions: synthesis and XRPD characterization of homoleptic binary metal pyrazolates
Inorganic Chemistry 2002, 41, 6080-6089

Ardizzia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; La Monica, G.; Masciocchi, N.; Maspero, A.
Alkyne oligomerization catalyzed by molybdenum(0) complexes
Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 2002, 649(2), 173-180

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; La Monica, G.; Masciocchi, N.; Maspero, A.; Moret, M.
Oxative Addition of N-H Bonds to a Metal Center: Synthesis, Characterization, and Crystal Structure of New Rhodium(III) Hydrido-Pyrazolate Complexes
Inorganic Chemistry 2002, 41(3), 610-614

CONTRIBUTIONS TO CONFERENCES

Colombo, G.; Brenna S., Ardizzoia G. A. (ORAL)
Substituent effect in fluorescent homoleptic zinc(II) complexes with N,O-bidentate imidazo[1,5-
a]pyridine ligands
XLVI Congresso Nazionale di Chimica Inorganica, Bologna, Italy, 10-13 September 2018
Brenna S.,

Brenna S., Ardizzoia G. A., Durini S., Romeo A. (ORAL)
Heteroleptic Silver(I) Complexes: Synthesis, Characterization and Luminescent Behavior
XLIV Congresso Nazionale di Chimica Inorganica, Padova, Italy, 14-17 September 2016

Brenna S., Ardizzoia G. A., Bea M. (ORAL)
σ-Donor and π-Acceptor Properties of Substituted Phenanthroline Ligands in [Mo(CO)4(phen*)] Complexes: an ETS-NOCV Analysis
XII Congresso del Gruppo Interdivisionale di Chimica Organometallica, Co.G.I.C.O. 2016, Genova, Italy, 5-8 June 2016

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; Colombo, V. (ORAL)
Ligand-driven nuclearity: the unusual case of luminescent Cu(I) and Ag(I) polynuclear systems with 3,5-dimethyl-4-sulphonate pyrazolates
6th EuCheMS Conference on Nitrogen Ligands, Beaune, France, 13-17 September 2015

Ardizzoia, G. A.; Brenna, S.; Colombo, V.
Ligand-driven nuclearity: the unusual case of luminescent Cu(I) and Ag(I) polynuclear systems with 3,5-dimethyl-4-sulphonate pyrazolates
6th EuCheMS Conference on Nitrogen Ligands, Beaune, France, 13-17 September 2015

Ardizzoia G. A., Brenna S., Therrien B.
The Adaptable Coordination Chemistry of Oxazine and Oxazolidine-type Ligands,
First EuCheMS Inorganic Chemistry Conference (EICC-1), University of Manchester, UK, 11-14 April 2011

Ardizzoia G. A., Brenna S., Castelli F., Galli S., Masciocchi N., Maspero A.
A new stable copper(I)-carbonyl complex: synthesis and X-ray characterization
International School of Organometallic Chemistry (6th edition), Camerino, ITALY, 8-12 September 2007

Alberti E., Ardizzoia G. A., Brenna S., Castelli F., Galli S., LaMonica G., Masciocchi N., Maspero A.
Synthesis and reactivity of new dithiophosphonic acids: a combined single-crystal, powder diffraction and solid-state study
XXXV Congresso della Divisione di Chimica Inorganica della SCI, Milano, ITALY, 3-7 September 2007

Brenna S., Posset T., Furrer J., Blümel J.
Suspension HR-MAS and 14N NMR spectroscopy of neat and immobilized Ionic Liquids for biphasic catalysis
Heidelberg Forum of Molecular Catalysis, Heidelberg, GERMANY, 8 July 2005

Brenna S., Posset T., Furrer J., Blümel J.
Suspension HR-MAS NMR spectroscopy of Ionic Liquids immobilized on silica
26th Annual Discussion Meeting (NMR), Aachen, GERMANY, 28-30 September 2004

Brenna S., Castelli F., La Monica G., Maspero A., Drommi D., Faraone F.
Synthesis of new chiral P,N-ligand, (S,S)-(P,N-BINAPZ), and its application in asymmetric catalysis
III EuChemS Conference on “Nitrogen Ligands in Organometallic Chemistry and Homogeneous -Catalysis”, Camerino, ITALY, 8-12 September 2004

Ardizzoia G. A., Brenna S., Castelli F., Galli S., LaMonica G., Masciocchi N., Maspero A., Sironi A.
Synthesis and ab-initio XRPD structure of Group 12 imidazolato polymers
XXI Congresso della Società Chimica Italiana, Torino, ITALY, 22-27 June 2003

Ardizzoia G. A., Brenna S., Galli S., LaMonica G., Masciocchi N., Maspero A.
Oxidative coupling of phenols promoted by copper(I) pyrazolate complexes
XXX Congresso Nazionale di Chimica Inorganica, Modena, ITALY 15-19 September 2002

Cenini S., Penoni A., Ardizzoia G. A., Brenna S., Tollari S.
Cobalt- and copper-catalyzed cyclopropanation reactions
XXIX Congresso Nazionale della Divisione di Chimica Inorganica della SCI, Giardini Naxos – Taormina, ITALY, 25-29 September 2001

Ardizzoia G. A., Brenna S., LaMonica G., Masciocchi N., Maspero A.
Cyclopropanation reactions catalyzed by new azolate Rh(I) complexes
XXIX Congresso Nazionale della Divisione di Chimica Inorganica della SCI, Giardini Naxos – Taormina, ITALY, 25-29 September 2001

INVITED LECTURES

Synthesis, characterization and photophysical properties of d10-metals luminescent compounds
Institute of Chemistry, University of Neuchâtel, October 2013