Josh Abbenseth

Josh Abbenseth is a Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry at The University of Manchester, Department of Chemistry. His research focuses on the design of advanced ligand architectures that enable redox transformations and proton-coupled electron transfer processes, with an emphasis on small-molecule activation and sustainable catalysis. His work integrates synthetic inorganic chemistry with spectroscopic, crystallographic, and computational methods to explore structure–reactivity relationships. Abbenseth's research interests include main-group/transition-metal cooperativity and the development of hybrid systems for chemical energy conversion. He is currently accepting PhD students and is affiliated with the Inorganic Chemistry Group at the University of Manchester.

Josh Abbenseth's research focuses on the synthesis and reactivity of transition metal complexes, particularly those involving pnictogen pincer ligands and dinitrogen activation. His work explores the bonding and catalytic properties of non-trigonal pnictogen pincer compounds, platinum(II) metallonitrenes, and geometrically constrained phosphine ligands. Abbenseth investigates mechanisms of N–H activation, hydrogen transfer, and protonation-induced dinitrogen splitting. His studies also examine oxidative coupling of rhenium pnictide complexes and the interconversion of phosphinyl radical and phosphinidene complexes through proton coupled electron transfer. His research highlights the role of redox non-innocence and geometric constraints in metal-ligand cooperative reactions.