Scientific work and main results achieved so far:
1 We initially started by looking at the possibility of accessing remotely functioanlised nitriles by the radical ring-opening of cyclobutanone imines. This work has enabled access to distal nitriel radicals that have been intercepted by nickel catalysis and further cross-coupled with a variety of building blocks including aryl and alkyl bromides and alkynes.
Publication: Chem Sci 2019, 10, 7728
2 We decided to tackle the ultimate challenge of functionalising aromatics by using saturated building blocks which has been completely different to what has been done before. This work has received signficant publicity, including a press release from AstraZeneca and further highlight by Chemistryworld and C&En News.
Publications: Nature 2020, 584, 75
Career development work and main results achieved so far:
1 The Awardee has been involved in the superivison of two PhD students (one final year and one first year) and one visiting PhD student. The awardee has acquired considerable expertise in how to manage, motivate and assist students and this will be beneficial for his future career.
2 The Awardee has helped the Host to prepare the publications resulting from this project and this has greatly enhanced his writing skills.
4 Towards the end of the Fellowship the awardee has been able to propose a novel research project and that he is now developing.
Impact related work and main results achieved so far:
Academic impact. The results of this Fellowship have been pubblished in high-impact chemistry journals that have increased the visibility of both the Awardee and the Host supervisor. In particular, the paper pubblished in Nature has been covered by ChemistryWorld, C&E News and other blogs.
Industrial impact. Some of the results of this project have been developed in collaboration with AstraZeneca. The Host group is currently developing other projects in collaboration with AstraZeneca.
Societal impact. The Host supervisor has initiated an outreach activity at the Manchester Grammar School in Manchester where 16 students are run a photochemical experiments every Wednesday. This project has sparked significant interest into these pupils about science and more specifically the use of light in chemistry.
