The central objective of our research lies in the development of a wide range of unprecedented, low oxidation state s- and p-block complexes, radicals, and/or cations. These highly reactive low valent main group compounds will be used for the activation of enthalpically strong molecules such as e.g. CO, H2, N2, ethylene, N2O, CO2. Further exploration of these reactive compounds applicability towards catalysis, materials chemistry, hydrogen storage, etc, will be conducted. In addition to the fundamental aspects, further incentives into using main group compounds as sustainable reagents by replacing typically expensive and toxic transition metal compounds will be explored. We will utilize standard Schlenk line and Glove box techniques to handle these highly reactive main group radicals, cations and/or low valent species.