There are five departments, each led by a Director, with the following research groups: 

• Synthetic Organic Chemistry
  - M.T. Reetz: Stereoselective synthesis
  - G. Fink: Polymer chemistry
  - M.W. Haenel: Polycyclic arenes, coal chemistry
  - W. Leitner: Catalysis in supercritical CO₂ 

• Homogeneous Catalysis
  - B. List: Organocatalysis
  - M. Klußmann: Homogeneous catalysis and mechanistic studies
  - N. Maulide: Stereoselective Synthesis and Catalysis
  - K. Pörschke: Homogeneous catalysis with transition metal compounds 

• Heterogeneous Catalysis
  - F. Schüth: Heterogeneous catalysts
  - F. Marlow: Nanostructures and optical materials
  - R. Rinaldi: Catalysis, Biomass, and Coal

• Organometallic Chemistry
  - A. Fürstner: Organometallic chemistry
  - M. Alcarazo: Asymmetric homogeneous catalysis and applications in organic synthesis
  

• Theory
  - W. Thiel: Theoretical chemistry
  

These research groups are supported by an extensive research infrastructure with a wide range of instruments and techniques.

Last Update: 21.8.09