Dr Sebastian Pike

Assistant Professor

Sebastian.Pike@warwick.ac.uk
+44 (0)2476 5 22598
Pike Research GroupLink opens in a new window

About Me

Sebastian Pike is a Royal Society University Research Fellow who specialises in Inorganic Chemistry, working at the interface between molecular and materials chemistry. His Research Group studies the synthesis, photochemistry and reactivity of molecular metal-oxo clusters. With these systems, we aim to contribute to the global need for renewable energy solutions by providing new materials that can promote solar-energy driven processes.

Groups at Warwick

Sebastian Pike Group

Biography

2006-2010, MChem from Magdalen College, University of Oxford
2011-2014, PhD from Balliol College, University of Oxford. Researching in the Group of Prof. A. Weller
2014-2016 PDRA at Imperial College London. Working in the Research Groups of Prof. C. Williams and Prof. M. Shaffer
2016-2019 Herchel Smith Research Fellowship, University of Cambridge
2019-present Royal Society University Research Fellowship, University of Warwick

Current projects Research interests

Working at the interface between molecules and materials to design new metal-oxo cluster molecules. These molecules can be considered tiny versions of well-known semiconducting materials e.g. ZnO or TiO₂, however at such small sizes the structures are well defined and we can probe reactivity and mechasism using molecular characterisation techniques (e.g. NMR spectroscopy). These new cluster species have potential uses in (photo)catalysis, photoluminescent materials and as building blocks or precursors to functional materials.

Publications

2026

41. Alexandria E. Hands, Thomas J. Barnes, Andrea Scarperi, Benjamin M. Gallant, Emanuele Vismara, Julia Wiktor, Stephen E. Brown, David Walker, Ashok S. Menon, Javier Castells-Gil,* Dominik J. Kubicki* & Sebastian D. Pike*,Amorphous intermediates and discovery of a kinetic polymorph of BiVO4 from heating V+Bi+Zn single-source precursors,Nature Commun., 2026, 17, 3739

Press release:https://warwick.ac.uk/news/pressreleases/scientists-uncover-new-inbetween-materials-for-solar-fuels/

40. Kristof M. Altus*,Samantha K. Furfari,Joe C. Goodall,Matthew R. Gyton,Jack H. Heaton,Chloe L. Johnson,Alasdair I. McKay,Mads Sondrup Møller,Sebastian D. Pike andAndrew S. Weller*,Solid-state molecular organometallic chemistry (SMOM): a user guide to in crystallo single-crystal to single-crystal transformations using solid/gas methods. Tutorial Review. Dalton Trans. 2026, Advanced Artilcle

39. Thomas J. Barnes, Bin Wang, Eniola Sokalu, Frank De Proft and Sebastian D. Pike*, Size-dependent electronic structure of titanium-oxo-alkoxides: exploring quantum confinement at the smallest sizes,Inorg. Chem. Front. 2026, 13, 3355 - 3365

2025

38. Ashwani Chikara, Alexander R. Veale, Stephen E. Brown, Jack M. Woolley, Frank De Proft, Sebastian D Pike* Switching on photoreactivity in Ti₄-oxo clusters by increasing the size of 1,n-alkane diolate bridging ligands, Chem. Sci. 2025, Advanced Article

37. Stephen E. Brown, Sebastian D. Pike,Chem. Sci., 2025, 16, 11659, Photoabsorption of 1-2 nm Molecular Ce-oxo Nanoclusters Versus Ceria: Intervalence Charge Transfer but No Size Effects

36.Brian Tam,* Sebastian D. Pike, Jenny Nelson, Andreas Kafizas.Chem. Sci., 2025,16, 7794-7810, The scalable growth of high-performance nanostructured heterojunction photoanodes for applications in tandem photoelectrochemical-photovoltaic solar water splitting devices

2024

35. Shaobin Zhao, Chenglin Jia, Xinyi Shen, Ruohao Li, Louise Oldham, Benjamin Moss, Brian Tam, Sebastian Pike, Nicholas Harrison, Ehsan Ahmad, Andreas Kafizas,J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024,12, 26645-26666, The aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition of Mo-doped BiVO4 photoanodes for solar water splitting: an experimental and computational study

34. Stephen E. Brown, Mark R. Warren, Dominik J. Kubicki, Ann Fitzpatrick, Sebastian D. Pike, J.A.C.S., 2024,146. 25, 17325, Photoinitiated Single-Crystal to Single-Crystal Redox Transformations of Titanium-Oxo Clusters.

2023

33.Byoung Hwang, Joe Stent, Sacha Noimark, Ki Joon Heo, Alexander J. MacRobert, Christopher W. M. Kay, Enrico Salvadori, Charlotte K. Williams, Sebastian D. Pike, Milo S. P. Shaffer, Elaine Allan and Ivan P. Parkin.Mater. Adv.2024,5, 259-266, White light-activated bactericidal coating using acrylic latex, crystal violet, and zinc oxide

32. Stephen E. Brown, Ioanna Mantaloufa, Ryan T. Andrews, Thomas J. Barnes, Martin R. Lees, Frank De Proft, Ana V. Cunha* and Sebastian D. Pike*, Chemical Science, 2023, 14, 675 - 683, Photoactivation of titanium-oxo cluster [Ti₆O₆(OⁱPr)₆(O₂C^tBu)₆]: mechanism, photoactivated structures, and onward reactivity with O2 to a peroxide complex

31. Thomas J. Barnes, Jack Payne, Sebastian D. Pike, Chem. Commun., 2023, 59, 59 - 62, Synthesis of a nanoscale Cu(II)31-oxo-carboxylate cluster, and effect of Cu-oxo cluster size on visible-light absorption

2022

30. Virgil Andrei, Geani M. Ucoski, Chanon Pornrungroj, Chawit Uswachoke, Qian Wang, Demetra S. Achilleos, Hatice Kasap, Katarzyna P. Sokol, Robert A. Jagt, Haijiao Lu, Takashi Lawson, Andreas Wagner, Sebastian D. Pike, Dominic S. Wright, Robert L. Z. Hoye, Judith L. MacManus-Driscoll, Hannah J. Joyce, Richard H. Friend; Erwin Reisner, Nature, 2022, 608, 518-522, Floating perovskite-BiVO₄ devices for scalable solar fuel production.

2021

29. Wei-Hui Fang*, Rosa Muller, Rajesh B. Jethwa, Victor Riesgo-Gonzalez, Ning Li, Sebastian D. Pike, Andrew D. Bond, He-Kuan Luo, Cheng Zhang and Dominic S. Wright*, Dalton Trans., 2021, Advance Article, Titanium compounds containing naturally occurring dye moleculesLink opens in a new window.

Faraday Discuss., 2021, 231, 127, Fundamental studies and design of MOFs: general discussion,Link opens in a new window

Faraday Discuss., 2021, 231, 305, Applications and developments (part 2): general discussionLink opens in a new window,

2020

28. Rebecca J Murray-Watson, Sebastian D. Pike*, Organometallics, 2020, 39, 20, 3759–3767, Exploring the Synthesis and Coordination Chemistry of Pentafluorophenylcopper: Organocopper Polyanions and Coordination NetworksLink opens in a new window.

27. Alice H. M. Leung, Andres Garcia-Trenco, Andreas Phanopoulos, Anna Regoutz, Manfred E. Schuster, Sebastian D. Pike, Milo S. P. Shaffer*, Charlotte K. Williams*, J. Mater. Chem. A., 2020, 8, 11282, Cu/M:ZnO (M = Mg, Al, Cu) colloidal nanocatalysts for the solution hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to methanoLink opens in a new windowl".

26. Sandeep K. Sehmi, Claudio Lourenco, Khaled Alkhuder, Sebastian D. Pike, Sacha Noimark, Charlotte K. Williams, Milo S. P. Shaffer, Ivan P. Parkin*, Alexander J. MacRobert*, Elaine Allan*, ACS Infectious Diseases, 2020, 6, 5, 939, . Antibacterial Surfaces with Activity against Antimicrobial Resistant Bacterial Pathogens and EndosporesLink opens in a new window"

25. Haijiao Lu, Dominic S. Wright*, Sebastian D. Pike*, Chem. Commun., 2020, 56, 854, The use of mixed-metal single source precursors for the synthesis of complex metal oxides.Link opens in a new window

2019

24. Tobias Krämer, Floriana Tuna, Sebastian D. Pike*, Chemical Science, 2019, 10, 6886, Photo-redox reactivity of titanium-oxo clusters: mechanistic insight into a two-electron intramolecular process, and structural characterisation of mixed-valent Ti(III)/Ti(IV) productsLink opens in a new window

23. Haijiao Lu, Rajesh B. Jethwa, Kellie J. Jenkinson, Andrew E. H. Wheatley, Hongxun Hao, Dominic S. Wright*, Sebastian D. Pike*, Dalton Transactions., 2019, 48, 4555, A simple one-step synthetic route to access a range of metal-doped polyoxovanadate clustersLink opens in a new window

2018

22. Haijiao Lu, Virgil Andrei, Kellie J. Jenkinson, Anna Regoutz, Ning Li, Charles E. Creissen, Andrew E. H. Wheatley, Hongxun Hao, Erwin Reisner*, Dominic S. Wright*, Sebastian D. Pike*, Advanced Materials., 2018, 1804033, Single‐Source Bismuth (Transition Metal) Polyoxovanadate Precursors for the Scalable Synthesis of Doped BiVO4 PhotoanodesLink opens in a new window

21. Jennifer A. Garden*, Sebastian D. Pike*, Dalton Trans., 2018, 47, 3638, Hydrolysis of organometallic and metal–amide precursors: synthesis routes to oxo-bridged heterometallic complexes, metal-oxo clusters and metal oxide nanoparticlesLink opens in a new window

20. Alice H. M. Leung, Sebastian D. Pike, Adam J. Clancy, Hin Chun Yau, Won Jun Lee, Katherine L. Orchard, Milo S. P. Shaffer* and Charlotte K. Williams*, Chem. Sci., 2018, 9, 2135, “Layered zinc hydroxide monolayers by hydrolysis of organozincsLink opens in a new window”

2017

19. Sebastian D. Pike, Andrés García-Trenco, Edward R. White, Alice H. M. Leung, Jonathan Weiner, Milo S. P. Shaffer* and Charlotte K. Williams*, Cat. Sci. Tech., 2017, 7, 3842 “Colloidal Cu/ZnO Catalysts for the Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide to Methanol: Investigating Catalyst Preparation and Ligand EffectsLink opens in a new window” Selected as HOT article for 2017.

18. Sebastian D. Pike*, Mark. R. Crimmin*, Adrian B. Chaplin*, Chem. Commun. 2017, 53, 3615 “Organometallic Chemistry using Partially Fluorinated BenzenesLink opens in a new window.”

17. Sebastian D. Pike, Edward R. White, Anna Regoutz, Nicholas Sammy, David J. Payne, Charlotte K. Williams*, and Milo S. P. Shaffer*, ACS Nano. 2017, 11, 22714 “Reversible Redox Cycling of Well-Defined, Ultrasmall Cu/Cu2O NanoparticlesLink opens in a new window.”

2016

16. S. D. Pike, E. R. White, M. S. P. Shaffer*, C. K. Williams*, Nature Comm. 2016, 7, 13008: “Simple Phosphinate Ligands Access Zinc Clusters Identified in the Synthesis of Zinc Oxide NanoparticlesLink opens in a new window.”

15. S. K. Sehmi, S. Noimark, S. D. Pike, J. C. Bear, W. J. Peveler, C. K. Williams, M. S. P. Shaffer, E. Allan, I. P. Parkin, A. J. Macrobert*, ACS Omega, 2016, 1, 334: “Enhancing the Antibacterial Activity of Light-Activated Surfaces Containing Crystal Violet and ZnO Nanoparticles: Investigation of Nanoparticle Size, Capping Ligand, and Dopants.Link opens in a new window”

14. A. Kumar, N. A. Beattie, S. D. Pike, S. A. Macgregor,* A. S. Weller*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2016, 55, 6651: “The Simplest Amino-borane H2B=NH2 Trapped on a Rhodium Dimer.Link opens in a new window”

2015

13. E. R. White, J. Weiner, A. Garcia-Trenco, S. D. Pike, C. K. Williams, M. S. P. Shaffer, Microsc. Microanal., 2015, 21, S3, 1667: “Semi-Automated DigitalMicrograph Routine for Real-Time Phase Identification.Link opens in a new window”

12. S. D. Pike* and A. S. Weller*, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A, 2015, 373, 20140187: “Organometallic Synthesis, Reactivity and Catalysis in the Solid–State Using Well–Defined Single Site SpeciesLink opens in a new window.”

11. G. M. Adams, F. M. Chadwick, S. D. Pike, A. S. Weller*, Dalton Trans., 2015, 44, 6340: “A CH2Cl2 complex of a [Rh(pincer)]+ cationLink opens in a new window.”

10. S. D. Pike*, I. Pernik, R. Theron, J. S. McIndoe,* A. S. Weller*, J. Organomet. Chem., 2015, 784, 75: “Relative Binding Affinities of Fluorobenzene Ligands in Cationic Rhodium Bisphosphine η6 Fluorobenzene Complexes Probed Using Collision-Induced DissociationLink opens in a new window.”

9. P. Ren, S. D. Pike, I. Pernik, A. S. Weller* and M. C. Willis*, Organometallics, 2015, 34, 1137: “Rh-POP Pincer Xantphos Complexes for C-S and C-H Activation. Implications for Carbothiolation CatalysisLink opens in a new window”

8. S. D. Pike, F. M. Chadwick, N. H. Rees, M. P. Scott, A. S. Weller*, T. Kramer, S. M. Macgregor*, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2015, 137, 820: “Solid-State Synthesis and Characterization of σ-Alkane ComplexesLink opens in a new window.”

7. S. D. Pike, T. Kramer, N. H. Rees, S. M. Macgregor*, A. S. Weller*, Organometallics, 2015, 34, 1487: “Stoichiometric and Catalytic Solid-Gas Reactivity of Rhodium Bis-Phosphine ComplexesLink opens in a new window.” Front Cover Image: Vol 34, Issue 8, April 27 2015.

6. A. Prades, M. Fernandez, S. D. Pike, M. C. Willis*, A. S. Weller*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2015, 54, 8520: “Well-Defined and Robust Rhodium Catalysts for the Hydroacylation of Terminal and Internal AlkenesLink opens in a new window.”

2014

5. T. N. Hooper, M. A. Huertos, S. D. Pike, T. Jurca, A. S. Weller*, I. Manners*, Inorg. Chem., 2014, 53, 3716: “Effect of the Phosphine Steric and Electronic Profile on the Rh-Promoted Dehydrocoupling of Phosphine-BoranesLink opens in a new window.”

2013

4. S. D. Pike, A. S. Weller*, Dalton Trans., 2013, 42, 12832: “C–Cl Activation of the Weakly Coordinating Anion [B(3,5–C6H3Cl2)4]– at a Rh(I) Centre in Solution and the Solid–StateLink opens in a new window.”

3. H. C. Johnson, C. L. McMullin, S. D. Pike, S. A. Macgregor*, A. S. Weller*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2013, 52, 9776: “Dehydrogenative B-B Homocoupling of an Amine-Borane: A New Mode of ReactivityLink opens in a new window.”

2012

2. S. D. Pike, A. L. Thompson, A. s. G. Algarra, D. C. Apperley, S. A. Macgregor*, A. S. Weller*, Science, 2012, 337, 1648-1651: “Synthesis and Characterization of a Rhodium(I) σ-Alkane Complex in the Solid StateLink opens in a new window.” Highlighted in Diamond Light Source Annual Review 2012/13.

2011

1. S. D. Pike, R. J. Pawley, A. B. Chaplin, A. L. Thompson, J. A. Hooper, M. C. Willis*, A. S. Weller*, Eur. J. Inorg. Chem., 2011, 36, 5558: “Exploring (Ph2PCH2CH2)2E Ligand Space (E = O, S, PPh) in Rh(I) Alkene Complexes as Potential Hydroacylation Catalysts.Link opens in a new window”

Teaching and supervision

Sebastian teaches the 1st year course 'Atoms and Molecules' (CH164) on bonding, structure and symmetry, and also the 4th Year course 'Polar Organometallic Chemistry in Synthesis' (CH403) which explores how reactive organometallic compounds such as alkyl-lithium, Grignard, alkyl-zinc and organo-copper reagents play important roles in organic, inorganic and (nano)materials synthesis.

Please get in touch to discuss opportunities to join the Pike Research Group.

Current opportunities are listed on the group website.