In 1945, Coates accepted a lecturer position in inorganic chemistry at the University of Bristol, where he received his D. Sc. degree in 1954. At Bristol, Coates shifted his research focus towards inorganic and organometallic chemistry, publishing on dimethylberyllium and its reactivity with Lewis bases, and the reactivity of trimethylgallium. Beginning in 1953, Coates was Professor of Chemistry and later Departmental Chairman at the Durham University. During the next 15 years, Coates transformed a small, fragmented department with few facilities for research and teaching laboratories in assorted buildings, into a diverse and highly productive department housed in a modern building he designed, staffed and equipped. As of 2021, Durham University's chemistry department ranks in the top five in the U.K., according to the Complete University Guide.
