CHAIR (C-H Activation for Industrial Renewal) fosters research training of early stage researchers (ESRs) through PhD studentships, on one of the most promising fields of molecular chemistry, i.e. C-H activation. Our target is to establish bridges between academia and industry, aiming for the future general implementation of the C-H activation way of thinking in industry, in R&D and, on the long run, in production. “C-H industrial renewal” enables modernization of the industry by improving its sustainability and economic viability that may only be achieved via the education of the next generation of innovative and entrepreneurial chemists, able to implement the acquired competences in cutting-edge academic research to non-academic sectors.
C-H activation is one of the most rapidly expanding areas of molecular chemistry and has emerged as an increasingly viable tool. Despite clear benefits offered by the C-H activation for sustainable and eco-responsible synthesis, its industrial applications are still scarce, although implementation of the C-H activation mindset in R&D, by exploring late-stage functionalization approaches, is certainly gaining importance. The lack of its widespread implementation in the industrial sector is due to multiple factors, amongst which the major reasons are a) the limited interactions between academia and industrial practitioners, and b) a limited number of young scientists with a strong expertise in the domain. CHAIR is aimed to specifically address these issues.
CHAIR represents a unique European Research Network, combining eight renowned academic research groups and seven industrial partners, strongly motivated to settle a solid basement for profound embedment of the C-H activation in an industrial environment. To achieve this ambitious goal 15 ESRs and 15 advanced scientists will be mobilized to implement direct C-H functionalization in industry, including both lead development and process chemistry. Fundamental research projects are conducted to showcase the potential of the C-H activation to:
1) speed up lead-to-hit optimization in pharmaceutical industries;
2) rapidly access molecular diversity;
3) assemble advanced materials;
4) convert raw materials into valuable building blocks;
5) bring new techniques to easily implement C-H activation based protocols for large-scale production.
Development of these projects, combined with the scientific training and close collaborations within the CHAIR consortiums through specific secondments have provided 15 ESRs with unique competences in this edge-cutting field. Trainings on personal development, career development and societal/business aspects will complement their unique education, providing them with far-reaching and complementary competences to become future key actors of chemical industries in charge of the modernization of chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
