In research area  A: Magnetism new molecular magnets are synthesized with high magnetic anisotropies. These magnets will aid on the long term the development of new single molecular magnets as storage units and switches. By rational ligand design a high cooperative interaction will be induced in form of a strong exchange coupling between the metal centers. In a second approach the synthesis of oligonuclear transition metal and lanthanoid metal complexes exhibiting strong spin-orbit coupling effects will be employed. These combination of metal centers are the source for the development of new thermal and photochemically induced molecular switches (Spin-Crossover-Complexes).

The understanding of important reaction steps using multinuclear complexes is the main emphasis of research area B: Synthesis and Catalysis. The knowledge gained here is deemed important for application of multinuclear complexes in selective catalysis, switchable reaction centers and photo-catalyzed reactions.  In the latter two applications the knowledge of time dependency of the reactions as well as the nature and fate of the photo excited states is of crucial importance. 

To achieve a deeper insight into the properties of excited states modern spectroscopic methods will be employed and developed in 3MET research area C: Spektroscopy and optical properties. To differentiate between intra- and intermolecular cooperative effects spectroscopic analysis of the oligonuclear systems are performed in solid state, in liquid phase as well as in gas phase.