I am a molecular spectroscopist. I seek an understanding of the intricacies between structure, dynamics, and function of molecules in the realms of molecular nanotechnology, biological and applied chemical physics. The notion of an absent answer to the origin of biological homochirality is an inspiration to my work on the chiral recognition problem. I use high resolution spectroscopy to study the basic constitution, three-dimensional structure, and interfacing properties of organic molecules, attempting to decipher the key interactions that hold molecular complexes together. Funded by an ERC Starting Grant, I am currently initiating the set up of a new laboratory with capabilities to measure broadband high-resolution microwave spectra, bringing to life a powerful tool to investigate emerging structural problems in molecular science.

Research Highlights

Cold Snapshot of a Molecular Rotary Motor Captured by High-Resolution Rotational Spectroscopy
Sérgio R. Domingos, Arjen Cnossen, Wybren Jan Buma, Wesley R. Browne, Ben L. Feringa, Melanie Schnell
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 56, 11209-112212 (2017)
Water docking bias in [4]helicene
Sérgio R. Domingos, Kévin Martin, Narcis Avarvari, Melanie Schnell
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 58, 11257-11261 (2019)
On the origin of the extremely different solubilities of polyethers in water
Bernd Ensing, Ambuj Tiwari, Martijn Tros, Johannes Hunger, Sérgio R. Domingos, Cristóbal Pérez, Gertien Smits, Mischa Bonn, Daniel Bonn, Sander Woutersen
Nat. Commun. 10, 2893 (2019)
Coherent Enantiomer-Selective Population Enrichment Using Tailored Microwave Fields
Cristóbal Pérez, Amanda L. Steber, Sérgio R. Domingos, Anna Krin, David Schmitz, Melanie Schnell
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 59, 12512-12517 (2017)
Sensing Chirality with Rotational Spectroscopy
Sérgio R. Domingos, Cristóbal Pérez, Melanie Schnell
Annu. Rev. Phys. Chem. 69, 20.1-20.21 (2018)
Amplified vibrational circular dichroism as a probe of local biomolecular structure
Sérgio R. Domingos, Adriana Huerta-Viga, Lambert Baij, Saeed Amirjalayer, Dorien A. E. Dunnebier, Annemarie J. C. Walters, Markus Finger, Larry A. Nafie, Bas de Bruin, Wybren J. Buma, Sander Woutersen
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 136, 15784-15786 (2014)
Switchable amplification of vibrational circular dichroism as a probe of local chiral structure
Sérgio R. Domingos, Hans J. Sanders, Frantisek Hartl, Wybren Jan Buma, Sander Woutersen
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 53, 14042-14045 (2014)

Publications [LaTeX]

Papers

International Journals

1 - Tension On and Off in Atwood´s Machine: The Advantage of Video Analysis
N. Campos, S. Domingos, PSP. Silva, M. Silva
Phys. Teach. 62 (1), 32-36 (2024)

2 - Evolution of the ionisation energy with the stepwise growth of chiral clusters of [4]helicene
Sérgio R. Domingos, Denis S. Tikhonov, Amanda L. Steber, Patrick Eschenbach, Sebastien Gruet, Helgi R. Hrodmarsson, Kévin Martin, Gustavo A. Garcia, Laurent Nahon, Johannes Neugebauer, Narcis Avarvari, Melanie Schnell
Nature Communications (accepted) (2024)

3 - Relative motion made real
N Campos, PSP Silva, S Domingos, M. Silva
Phys. Teach. 61 (6), 534-535 (2023)

4 - Examining the gas-phase homodimers of 3,3,3-trifluoro-1,2-epoxypropane using quantum chemistry and microwave spectroscopy
Mark D. Marshall, Helen O. Leung, Sérgio R. Domingos, Anna Krin, Melanie Schnell, Nathan S. Seifert, Yunjie Xu, Wolfgang Jäger
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 24, 28495-28505 (2022)

5 - Examining the gas-phase homodimers of 3,3,3-trifluoro-1,2-epoxypropane using quantum chemistry and microwave spectroscopy
MD Marshall, HO Leung, SR Domingos, A Krin, M Schnell, NA Seifert, YJ Xu, W Jager
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 24(46), 28495-28505 (2022)

6 - Dynamic chiral self-recognition in aromatic dimers of styrene oxide revealed by rotational spectroscopy
Sérgio R. Domingos, Cristóbal Pérez, Nora M. Kreienborg, Christian Merten, Melanie Schnell
Commun. Chem. 4 (32) (2021)

7 - Laboratory blueprints for interstellar searches of aromatic chiral molecules: rotational signatures of styrene oxide
Pascal Stahl, Benjamin E. Arenas, Sérgio R. Domingos, Guido Fuchs, Melanie Schnell, Thomas Giesen
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 22(37), 21474-21487 (2020)

8 - Assessing the performance of rotational spectroscopy in chiral analysis
Sérgio R. Domingos, Cristóbal Pérez, Mark D. Marshall, Helen O. Leung, Melanie Schnell
Chem. Sci. 11(40), 10863-10870 (2020)

9 - Observations of tetrel bonding between sp3-carbon and THF
V. L. Heywood, T. P. J. Alford, J. J. Roeleveld, S. J. Lekanne Deprez, A. Verhoofstad, J. I. van der Vlugt, Sérgio R. Domingos, M. Schnell, A. P. Davis, T. J. Mooibroek
Chem. Sci. 11, 5289-5293 (2020)

10 - On the origin of the extremely different solubilities of polyethers in water
Bernd Ensing, Ambuj Tiwari, Martijn Tros, Johannes Hunger, Sérgio R. Domingos, Cristóbal Pérez, Gertien Smits, Mischa Bonn, Daniel Bonn, Sander Woutersen
Nat. Commun. 10, 2893 (2019)

11 - Taming conformational flexibility in and with vibrational circular dichroism spectroscopy
Mark Koenis, Yiyin Xia, Sérgio R. Domingos, Lucas Visscher, Wybren Jan Buma, V. P. Nicu
Chem. Sci. 33, 107680 (2019)

12 - Water docking bias in [4]helicene
Sérgio R. Domingos, Kévin Martin, Narcis Avarvari, Melanie Schnell
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 58, 11257-11261 (2019)

13 - On the performance of hybrid functionals for nonlinear optical properties and electronic excitations in chiral molecular crystals: the case of butterfly-shaped dicinnamalacetone
Pedro Sidónio Pereira Silva, Pablo de Martín-Ramos, Sérgio R. Domingos, Maria do Carmo Bota Sousa, Cláudia T. Arranja, Abílio J.F.N. Sobral, Manuela Ramos Silva
ChemPhysChem 19, 82-92 (2018)

14 - Sensing Chirality with Rotational Spectroscopy
Sérgio R. Domingos, Cristóbal Pérez, Melanie Schnell
Annu. Rev. Phys. Chem. 69, 20.1-20.21 (2018)

15 - Wet Sunscreens in the Gas Phase: Structures of Isolated and Micro-Solvated Oxybenzone
Sérgio R. Domingos, Melanie Schnell
J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 9, 4963-4968 (2018)

16 - Coherent Enantiomer-Selective Population Enrichment Using Tailored Microwave Fields
Cristóbal Pérez, Amanda L. Steber, Sérgio R. Domingos, Anna Krin, David Schmitz, Melanie Schnell
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 59, 12512-12517 (2017)

17 - Cold Snapshot of a Molecular Rotary Motor Captured by High-Resolution Rotational Spectroscopy
Sérgio R. Domingos, Arjen Cnossen, Wybren Jan Buma, Wesley R. Browne, Ben L. Feringa, Melanie Schnell
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 56, 11209-112212 (2017)

18 - On the structural intricacies of a metabolic precursor: direct spectroscopic detection of water-induced conformational reshaping of mevalonolactone
Sérgio R. Domingos, Cristóbal Pérez, Melanie Schnell
J. Chem. Phys. 147, 124310 (2017)

19 - Direct Time-Domain Observation of Conformational Relaxation in Gas-Phase Cold Collisions
Garrett K. Drayna, Christian Hallas, Kenneth Wang, Sérgio R. Domingos, Sandra Eibenberger, John M. Doyle, David Patterson
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 56, 12512-12517 (2016)

20 - Flexibility unleashed in acyclic monoterpenes: conformational space of citronellal revealed by broadband rotational spectroscopy
Sérgio R. Domingos, Cristóbal Pérez, Chris Medcraft, Pablo Pinacho, Melanie Schnell
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 18, 16682-16689 (2016)

21 - Communication: Structural locking mediated by a water wire: A high-resolution rotational spectroscopy study on hydrated forms of a chiral biphenyl derivative
Sérgio R. Domingos, Cristóbal Pérez, Melanie Schnell
J. Chem. Phys. 145, 161103 (2016)

22 - The Structure of Salt Bridges Between Arg+ and Glu- in Peptides Investigated with 2D-IR Spectroscopy: Evidence for Two Distinct Hydrogen-Bond Geometries
Adriana Huerta-Viga, Saeed Amirjalayer, Sérgio R. Domingos, Helen Meuzelaar, Alisa Rupenyan, Sander Woutersen
J. Chem. Phys. 142, 212444 (2015)

23 - Characterization of Porphyrin-Co(III)-‘Nitrene Radical’ Species Relevant in Catalytic Nitrene Transfer Reactions
Monalisa Goswami, V. Lyaskovskyy, Sérgio R. Domingos, Wybren J. Buma, Sander Woutersen, O. Troeppner, I. Ivanovic- Burmazovic, H. Lu, X. Cui, X. P. Zhang, E. J. Reijerse, S. DeBeer, M. M. van Schooneveld, F. Felix Pfaff, K. Ray, Bas de Bruin
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 137, 5468-5479 (2015)

24 - Elucidating the structure of chiral molecules by using amplified vibrational circular dichroism: from theory to experimental realisation
Sérgio R. Domingos, Frantisek Hartl, Wybren Jan Buma, Sander Woutersen
ChemPhysChem 16, 3363-3373 (2015)

25 - Chiral Analysis Using Broadband Rotational Spectroscopy
V. Alvin Shubert, David Schmitz, Cristóbal Pérez, Chris Medcraft, Anna Krin, Sérgio R. Domingos, David Patterson, Melanie Schnell
J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 7, 341-350 (2015)

26 - Interplay of Exciton Coupling and Large-Amplitude Motions in the Vibrational Circular Dichroism Spectrum of Dehydroquinidine
Valentin P. Nicu, Sérgio R. Domingos, Benjamin H. Strudwick, Albert M. Brouwer, Wybren J. Buma
Chem. Eur. J. 22, 704-715 (2015)

27 - A Salt-Bridge Structure in Solution Revealed by 2D-IR Spectroscopy
Adriana Huerta-Viga, Sérgio R. Domingos, Saeed Amirjalayer, Sander Woutersen
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 16, 15784-15786 (2014)

28 - Amplified vibrational circular dichroism as a probe of local biomolecular structure
Sérgio R. Domingos, Adriana Huerta-Viga, Lambert Baij, Saeed Amirjalayer, Dorien A. E. Dunnebier, Annemarie J. C. Walters, Markus Finger, Larry A. Nafie, Bas de Bruin, Wybren J. Buma, Sander Woutersen
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 136, 15784-15786 (2014)

29 - Switchable amplification of vibrational circular dichroism as a probe of local chiral structure
Sérgio R. Domingos, Hans J. Sanders, Frantisek Hartl, Wybren Jan Buma, Sander Woutersen
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 53, 14042-14045 (2014)

30 - An optically transparent thin-layer electrochemical cell for the study of vibrational circular dichroism of chiral redox-active molecules
Sérgio R. Domingos, Henk Luyten, F. van Anrooij, Hans J. Sander, Bert H. Bakker, Wybren Jan Buma, Frantisek Hartl, Sander Woutersen
Rev. Sci. Instrum. 84, 033103 (2013)

31 - Elucidating the backbone conformation of photoswitchable foldamers using vibrational circular dichroism
Sérgio R. Domingos, Steven J. Roeters, Saeed Amirjalayer, Zhilin Yu, Stefan Hecht, Sander Woutersen
15, 17263-17267 (2013)

32 - Amplifying vibrational circular dichroism by manipulation of the electronic manifold
Sérgio R. Domingos, Matthijs R. Panman, Bert H. Bakker, Frantisek Hartl, Wybren Jan Buma, Sander Woutersen
Chem. Commun. 48, 353-355 (2012)

33 - Amplification of the linear and nonlinear optical response of a chiral molecular crystal
Sérgio R. Domingos, Pedro S. Pereira Silva, Wybren Jan Buma, M. Helena Garcia, Nelson C. Lopes, Jose Antonio Paixao, Manuela Ramos Silva, Sander Woutersen
J. Chem. Phys. 136(13), 134501 (2012)

34 - Direct Access to Polyisocyanide Screw Sense Using Vibrational Circular Dichroism
Erik Schwartz, Sérgio R. Domingos, Alexander Vdovin, Matthieu Koepf, Wybren Jan Buma, Jeroen J. L. M. Cornelissen, Alan E. Rowan, Roeland J. M. Nolte, Sander Woutersen
Macromolecules 43, 7931-7935 (2010)

35 - N,N ´,N ´´-Triphenylguanidinium 5-nitro-2,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidin-1-ide
PSP Silva, Sérgio R. Domingos, MR Silva, JA Paixao, AM Beja
Acta Crystallogr. Section E 64(6), o1082 (2008)

36 - A new polymorph of 5-nitrouracil monohydrate
PSP Silva, Sérgio R. Domingos, MR Silva, JA Paixao, AM Beja
Acta Crystallogr. Section E 64(6), o1091 (2008)

37 - Pyromellitic acid-sarcosine (1/2)
Sérgio R. Domingos, MR Silva, ND Martins, AM Beja, JA Paixao
Acta Crystallogr. Section E 64(5), o826 (2008)

38 - Propeller-like Conformation of Diphenylacetic Acid
M. R. Silva, C. Cardoso, A. M. Beja, J. A. Paixão, Sérgio R. Domingos
J. Chem. Crystallogr. s10870-007-9311-9 (2007)

39 - A ladder type structure: Rubidium diphenylacetate diphenylacetic acid
MR Silva, AM Beja, JA Paixao, Sérgio R. Domingos, J Martin-Gil
J. Chem. Crystallogr. 37(1), 49-53 (2007)

Proceedings

International Conferences

40 - Microwave and Millimiter Wave Spectrum of Styrene Oxide C6H5C2H3O
Pascal Stahl, Benjamin E. Arenas, Sérgio R. Domingos, Guido W. Fuchs, Melanie Schnell, Thomas Giesen
International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (University of Champaign-Urbana, USA - Virtual Event) (2021)

41 - Assessing the Performance of Rotational Spectroscopy in Chiral Analysis
Sérgio R. Domingos, Cristóbal Pérez, Mark D. Marshall, Helen O. Leung, Melanie Schnell
International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (University of Champaign-Urbana, USA - Virtual Event) (2021)

42 - Chirality hand in hand with rotational coherence: towards manipulation of chiral samples
Sérgio R. Domingos
16th International Conference on Chiroptical Spectroscopy (Rennes, France) (2017)

43 - High resolution rotational spectroscopy of a molecular rotary motor
Sérgio R. Domingos
72nd International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA) (2017)

44 - Molecular structure and chirality decrypted by rotational spectroscopy
Sérgio R. Domingos
German Physical Society Spring Meeting (University of Hannover, Germany) (2016)

45 - Conformational flexibility of acyclic monoterpenes revealed by broadband rotational spectroscopy
Sérgio R. Domingos
24th International Conference on High-Resolution Molecular Spectroscopy (University of Prague, Czech Republic) (2016)

46 - Switchable amplified VCD as a probe of local bimolecular structure
Sérgio R. Domingos
European Conference of Spectroscopy of Biomolecules (Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom) (2013)

Communications

Invited

47 - Moléculas Frias em Rotação, Microondas em Ação
Sérgio R. Domingos
Ciência no Rómulo "Projecto Quark! - Escola de Física para Jovens" - Rómulo - Centro Ciência Viva da Universidade de Coimbra (Coimbra, Portugal) (2023)

48 - Molecular structure elucidation and beyond with microwave rotational spectroscopy
Sérgio R. Domingos
XVII Iberian Joint Meeting on Atomic and Molecular Physics - University of Coimbra (Coimbra, Portugal) (2023)

49 - Beyond structure solving with rotational spectroscopy. New molecular libraries, new methods, new challenges
Sérgio R. Domingos
International Meeting on Atomic and Molecular Physics and Chemistry - University of Innsbruck (Innsbruck, Austria) (2023)

50 - Beyond structure-solving with microwave spectroscopy. New molecular libraries, new methods, new challenges.
Sérgio R. Domingos
UC Biotech (Cantanhede, Portugal) (2023)

51 - Microondas, rotações livres, e a estrutura de moléculas frias
Sérgio R. Domingos
Olimpíadas Regionais de Física - Região Centro - Departamento de Física da Universidade de Coimbra (Coimbra, Portugal) (2023)

52 - Microwave Spectroscopy and Molecular Physics
Sérgio R. Domingos
Dia da Investigação do Departamento de Física - Departamento de Física da Universidade de Coimbra (Coimbra, Portugal) (2022)

53 - A rotational perspective on the recognition problem for chiral molecules
Sérgio R. Domingos
7th International Conference on Vibrational Optical Activity (VOA7) - University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada) (2022)

54 - Microwave spectroscopy as a probe of chiral molecular structure: recent advances and future challenges
Sérgio R. Domingos
Café com Física - Departamento de Física da Universidade de Coimbra (Coimbra, Portugal) (2022)

55 - On the performance of rotational spectroscopy for chiral analysis: a double-blind challenge
Sérgio R. Domingos
CFEL Molecular and Ultrafast Science Seminar (Hamburg, Germany) (2020)

56 - Molecular rotational resonance spectroscopy: from molecular physics to analytical chemistry
Sérgio R. Domingos
IMM Colloquium (Institute for Molecules and Materials - Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands) (2019)

57 - The nature of chiral recognition: rotational signatures of the dimer topologies of styrene oxide
Sérgio R. Domingos
ELCH Seminar Series (Extreme Light for Sensing and Driving Molecular Chirality, University of Kassel, Germany) (2019)

58 - The phenyloxirane dimer topologies and the ruling non-covalent contacts for chiral self-recognition
Sérgio R. Domingos
3rd Summer School of the SPP 1807, Control of London dispersion interactions in molecular chemistry, DESY, Hamburg, Germany (2018)

59 - Microsolvation in the gas phase: on the structural manoeuvres of wet molecules
Sérgio R. Domingos
RESOLV Seminar Series (University of Bochum, Germany) (2018)

60 - Sensing chirality with rotational spectroscopy
Sérgio R. Domingos
Photon Science Meeting, DESY, Photon Science Division (Hamburg, Germany) (2018)

61 - Sensing chirality with rotational spectroscopy: from enantiomer differentiation to molecular recognition
Sérgio R. Domingos
Stereodynamics (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Arosa, Switzerland) (2018)

62 - Espectroscopia Rotacional de Alta Resolução em Banda Larga
Sérgio R. Domingos
Seminar (University of Coimbra, Portugal) (2017)

63 - Enantiomer differentiation via broadband rotational spectroscopy
Sérgio R. Domingos
Van t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (University of Amsterdam, Netherlands) (2016)

64 - Chiral analysis using broadband rotational spectroscopy
Sérgio R. Domingos
PLENARY LECTURE - 5th International Conference on Vibrational Optical Activity (University of Antwerp, Belgium) (2016)

65 - Boosting up the difference between left and right: amplified vibrational circular dichroism
Sérgio R. Domingos
Molecular Physics Seminar (Centre for Free-Electron Laser Science, Hamburg, Germany) (2014)

Oral

66 - Beyond structure solving with microwave spectroscopy
Sérgio R. Domingos
XVI Iberian Joint Meeting on Atomic and Molecular Physics - University of Malaga (Malaga, Spain) (2022)

67 - Microwave spectroscopy as an evolved structural probe: from molecular physics to analytical chemistry
Sérgio R. Domingos
Ciência 2022 - Encontro com a Ciência e Tecnologia em Portugal - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Lisbon, Portugal) (2022)

68 - Rotational Spectroscopy of Imine-Based Molecular Switches: Isolated and Micro-Solvated
Nuno Campos, Pablo Pinacho, Corina H. Pollok, Christian Merten, Manuela Ramos Silva, Melanie Schnell, Sérgio R. Domingos
International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, 21-25 Jun (University of Champaign-Urbana, USA - Virtual Event) (2021)

69 - Chiral Molecular Recognition Trends in Aromatic and Helical Systems Revealed with Rotational Spectroscopy
Sérgio R. Domingos, Cristóbal Pérez, Narcis Avarvari, Melanie Schnell
International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, 21-25 Jun (University of Champaign-Urbana, USA - Virtual Event) (2021)

70 - Sensing Chirality with Rotational Spectroscopy: from Enantiomer Differentiation to Molecular Recognition
Sérgio R. Domingos
European Congress on Molecular Spectroscopy (University of Coimbra, Portugal) (2018)

71 - Amplifying the effects of molecular chirality
Sérgio R. Domingos
LaserLab Symposium (Free University Amsterdam, Netherlands) (2011)

72 - Boosting up the effects of molecular chirality
Sérgio R. Domingos
CHAINS: Chemistry as Innovative Science (NWO, Maarssen, Netherlands) (2011)

73 - Amplifying VCD by manipulation of the electronic manifold
Sérgio R. Domingos
Ibero-American Meeting on Atomic and Molecular Physics (University of Coimbra, Portugal) (2011)

74 - Green turns to blue without paint: nonlinear optical materials
Sérgio R. Domingos
International Conference of Physics Students (2009)

75 - Rietveld refinement of powder diffraction data: new optical materials with technological applications
Sérgio R. Domingos
International Conference of Physics Students (University College London, United Kingdom) (2008)

Poster

76 - Microwave Spectroscopy of Molecular Switches
Nuno Campos, Pablo Pinacho, Corina H. Pollok, Christian Merten, Pedro S. P. Silva, Manuela Ramos Silva, Melanie Schnell, Sérgio R. Domingos
14º Encontro de Física-Química (14 ENQF - Coimbra, Portugal), 29-31 March (2021)

Thesis

PhD thesis

77 - Amplified Vibrational Circular Dichroism
Sérgio R. Domingos
Van t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (University of Amsterdam, Netherlands) (2013)

MSc thesis

78 - Novos Materiais com Propriedades Ópticas
Sérgio R. Domingos
Department of Physics (University of Coimbra, Portugal) (2008)

Thesis supervised

Rotational Spectroscopy of an Imine-based Molecular Switch
Nuno Miguel Ferreira Campos
MSc thesis, MSc. Thesis in Physics (2022)
Intensity-Enhanced Vibrational Circular Dichroism Using the Open-shell Coordination Environment of Cobalt (II)
Lambert Baij
BSc thesis, Van t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (University of Amsterdam, Netherlands) (2011)