Prof. Dr. Renato Tomaš – Physical Chemistry – Chemical Thermodynamics Award

University of Split, Faculty of Chemistry and Technology, Department of Physical Chemistry, Croatia

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👨‍🔬 Work Experience

Prof. Dr. Renato Tomaš is currently serving as a Full Professor of Physical Chemistry at the Faculty of Chemistry and Technology, University of Split, a position he has held since 2025. Prior to this, he served as an Associate Professor of Physical Chemistry at the same institution from 2014 to 2025. He has demonstrated strong leadership skills as the Head of the Department of Physical Chemistry during two terms, from 2007 to 2009 and again from 2011 to 2013. His journey in academia began with a Ph.D. in Natural Sciences – Chemistry, awarded by the University of Split in 2002. Over the years, Prof. Tomaš has become a highly respected scholar and educator in the field of physical chemistry, contributing both in teaching and in extensive scientific research.

🔬 Research Experience and Fields of Work

Prof. Tomaš’s primary research focus lies in the domain of solution chemistry and supramolecular chemistry. Within solution chemistry, he investigates areas such as the thermodynamics of electrochemical reactions, metal-ligand complex formation, association reactions of electrolytes, and the determination of limiting molar conductivities of ions. His studies also explore viscosity and density of electrolyte solutions, with special emphasis on ion-ion and ion-solvent interactions. In the growing field of ionic liquids, he has contributed significantly to understanding their properties and interactions. Furthermore, his work in supramolecular chemistry, especially on the thermodynamics of calixarene chemistry, reflects his deep commitment to advancing knowledge in the physical behavior of complex chemical systems.

📚 Teaching Experience

With decades of teaching experience, Prof. Tomaš has played a crucial role in shaping future generations of chemists. He is a dedicated lecturer of Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry of Environmental Systems to Ph.D. students, and he teaches Physical Chemistry to undergraduate and graduate students in various fields, including chemistry, chemical technology, pharmacy, and biology and chemistry. He has also served as a seminar teacher and laboratory instructor, guiding students in core courses like Physical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry of Electrolyte Solutions, and Elements of Physical Chemistry for professional chemical technology studies. His ability to communicate complex scientific concepts effectively has earned him high regard among both students and colleagues.

🌍 International Training and Professional Visits

Throughout his career, Prof. Tomaš has taken part in several short-term international visits aimed at teaching and research collaboration, particularly through the Erasmus+ program. In 2022, he visited the Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection at the University of Novi Sad, Serbia, for a teaching exchange. In 2021 and 2015, he visited the University of Lodz, Poland, for Erasmus+ teaching and staff training mobility, respectively. In 2012, he completed a research-oriented visit at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, where he studied the viscosity of electrolyte solutions. His four-month visit in 2008 to the University of Zagreb, Croatia, focused on the thermodynamics of calixarene chemistry. These visits have enriched his expertise and expanded his collaborative research network.

🧪 Experimental Methods Used

Prof. Tomaš applies a range of experimental techniques in his research, including potentiometry, conductometry, viscometry, densitometry, and UV/VIS spectrometry. These methods enable him to carry out detailed studies on chemical interactions in solution and contribute valuable insights into the thermodynamic behavior of electrolytes and supramolecular systems.

🧑‍🔬 Research Projects

Prof. Tomaš has participated in and led several important research projects throughout his career. Notably, he was involved in a series of MZOS-funded projects on the properties of electrolytes in mixed solvents from 1994 to 2013, under the guidance of renowned Croatian chemists. He was a Croatian member of the COST Action CM1206 (EXIL: Exchange on Ionic Liquids) from 2016 to 2017 and led the project COST-STSM-CM1206-32790, which explored molecular interactions of imidazolium chloride ionic liquids in water. He also contributed to the HRZZ-funded project “SUPRACAR” (2015–2019), which focused on the development of supramolecular receptors, and to “MAKROSOL” (2019–2024), which investigated coordination reactions of macrocyclic ligands. Currently, he is a member of the NECTAR (Network for Equilibria and Chemical Thermodynamics Advanced Research), COST Action CA18202, from 2021 to 2024.

🤝 Memberships and Affiliations

Prof. Tomaš is an active member of various professional and academic organizations. These include the Croatian Society of Chemists and Engineers, the Croatian Chemical Society, and the Almae Matris Alumni Chemico-Technologicae Facultatis Spalatensis. His involvement in these societies reflects his dedication to professional development, scientific collaboration, and the advancement of chemistry in Croatia and beyond.

Publications Top Noted📝

📝Interactions in aqueous solutions of imidazolium chloride ionic liquids [Cnmim][Cl] (n = 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8) from volumetric properties, viscosity B-coefficients and molecular …

Authors: Renato Tomaš, Aleksandar Tot, Jure Kuhar, Marija Bešter-Rogač

Journal: Journal of Molecular Liquids

Year: 2018

📝Fluorescent phenanthridine-based calix[4]arene derivatives: synthesis and thermodynamic and computational studies of their complexation with alkali-metal cations

Authors: Marina Tranfić Bakić, Dijana Jadreško, Tomica Hrenar, Gordan Horvat, Josip Požar, Nives Galić, Vesna Sokol, Renato Tomaš, Sulejman Alihodžić, Mladen Žinić, Leo Frkanec, Vladislav Tomišić

Journal: RSC Advances

Year: 2015

📝Thermodynamics of the Association Reaction of Li⁺ and Br⁻ Ions in 2-Butanol + Water Mixtures from Conductivity Measurements

Authors: Vesna Sokol, Ivo Tominić, Renato Tomaš, Marija Višić

Journal: Croatica Chemica Acta

Year: 2005

📝Synthesis and cation binding properties of fluorescent calix[4]arene derivatives bearing tryptophan units at the lower rim

Authors: Nives Galić, Nataša Burić, Renato Tomaš, Leo Frkanec, Vladislav Tomišić

Journal: Supramolecular Chemistry

Year: 2011

📝Viscosity B-Coefficient for Sodium Chloride in Aqueous Mixtures of 1,4-Dioxane at Different Temperatures

Authors: Renato Tomaš, Toni Jovanović, Marija Bešter-Rogač

Journal: Acta Chimica Slovenica

Year: 2015