5 - Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung

History
Department of Homogeneous Catalysis, while Manfred T. Reetz headed the Department
of Synthetic Organic Chemistry. Thereafter the appointments of Ferdi Schüth
(Heterogeneous Catalysis), Alois Fürstner (Organometallic Chemistry) and Walter Thiel
(Theory) followed. Thus, the scientific activities of the Institute were put on a broad and
interdisciplinary basis.
Following Andreas Pfaltz’ move back to Basel, the position of the Director of the
Department of Homogeneous Catalysis became vacant. The Institute had subsequently
engaged in an intensive process of head-hunting, and several possible successors for
Andreas Pfaltz had been invited to present their research. Initially, it was intended to fill
the position with a scientist active in the field of homogeneous metal complex catalysis,
in direct succession of the work of Andreas Pfaltz. However, around 2000 a new
direction in catalysis emerged, the field of organocatalysis. Professor Benjamin List
from the Scripps Institute, La Jolla, was identified as a prominent pioneer in this field,
and he was hired on a C3-position (associate professor) in 2003, with the intention of
promoting him to a director position within a few years. This process has now been
initiated, a commission of the Max Planck Society is working, and it is expected that
Benjamin List will be appointed director around the middle of the year.
During the last 10 years far-reaching organizational changes were carried out, including
a strong reduction in the number of permanent positions, change in the salary system,
re-organization of the Scientific Service Units and workshops as well as changes in the
statutes of the Institute. The Directors of the Departments now form the newly created
Board of Directors which is responsible for all decisions. The bylaws of the Institute
had to be adapted to accommodate these changes. The new bylaws also stipulate that the
affairs of the Institute are managed by a Managing Director elected from the Board of
Directors, who serves for a term of three years. Starting from January 1 st 2003, this
change went into effect, and Ferdi Schüth succeeded Manfred Reetz as Managing
Director for the term ending on December 31 st 2005. This change went smoothly and
without any problems.
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