About
Organic chemists discover, design, and make molecules that have useful or interesting functions such as medicines, liquid crystals, electronic materials and smart inks. We have a strong international reputation for our research in a range of areas:
Flow chemistry
Chemical reactions are conducted in a continuous fashion rather than as a batch process. Our primary expertise is in the development of new 'reagentless' methodologies using electrochemistry, thermolysis and photochemistry, and in the study of reaction mechanisms.
Medicinal chemistry
Our multidisciplinary research covers chemistry, biology and medicine. Much of our research is directed at the optimisation of properties through introducing changes in the molecular structure of ‘lead’ compounds.
Total synthesis
We develop strategies for the efficient construction of target compounds. These include the molecules of nature, and extend to exquisite non-natural structures such as fullerenes enclosing another atom or molecule, for example, C60@NH3.
Methodology and catalysis
Here, our focus is on developing tools and catalysts to enable synthetic transformations to be performed in an efficient manner. This includes the:
- discovery, development and exemplification of new transformations
- optimisation and scoping of existing methods (for example, by developing new reagents, catalysts and devices)
- creation of novel molecular architectures
