Small Molecules Activation
Various sterically hindered ligands will be synthesized and their co-ordination chemistry will be explored to stabilize unusual oxidation states and coordinatively unsaturated metal complexes. Their catalytic activity against small molecule such as CO2, N2, O2 etc. will be probed in details to convert them into useful small organic molecules. Detailed mechanistic studies will be investigated to fine tune the catalytic activity
C–H Activation & Functionalization
Our research group is also actively working in the field of C–H activation/functionalization, a rapidly growing field that is transforming the way chemists design and build complex molecules. Interestingly, most pharmaceuticals and medicinally important compounds are largely composed of C–H bonds, which form the fundamental backbone of organic structures. However, despite being so common, C–H bonds are among the most chemically inert and difficult to modify selectively. This challenge has inspired the development of innovative strategies that can directly convert simple C–H bonds into valuable functional groups, enabling faster and more efficient synthesis of drug-like molecules.
Traditionally, chemists relied on pre-functionalized starting materials such as halides or organometallic reagents to construct complex structures. While effective, these approaches often require multiple synthetic steps, harsh reaction conditions, and generate significant chemical waste. In contrast, direct C–H functionalization provides a more step-economical and sustainable alternative by allowing chemists to “edit” molecules at a late stage, introducing new substituents without the need for lengthy preparation. This concept has become extremely important in medicinal chemistry, where rapid modification of lead molecules is essential for improving biological activity, selectivity, and pharmacological properties. At the heart of C–H functionalization lies the challenge of selectivity. Since most organic molecules contain many similar C–H bonds, activating one specific position without disturbing others is highly demanding. To overcome this, transition-metal catalysts such as palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, cobalt, nickel, and copper have been widely explored. These metals can activate C–H bonds through mechanistic pathways such as oxidative addition or concerted metalation–deprotonation (CMD), forming reactive metal–carbon intermediates. Once formed, these intermediates can undergo diverse transformations, enabling the formation of new C–C and C–heteroatom bonds, including olefination, arylation, amination, and halogenation.
In this context, our group is particularly interested in developing site-selective C–H functionalization of heteroarenes. We design and develop pincer-type isoquinoline-based directing templates that can precisely guide the catalyst toward the remote C5–H bond. This approach not only enables highly selective C5 functionalization but also provides a powerful platform for late-stage diversification of complex heteroarene scaffolds, offering new opportunities for drug discovery and molecular innovation.
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Photocatalysis