Dr Benjamin N. Bhawal
Chancellor's Fellow
Contact details
- Tel: 0131 651 7112
- Email: ben.bhawal@ed.ac.uk
- Web: Bhawal Group website
Address
- Street
-
Room 214
University of Edinburgh
Joseph Black Building
David Brewster Road
Edinburgh
EH9 3FJ - City
- Post code
Research summary
Transition-metal catalysis, organocatalysis, site-selective functionalisation, C–H activation, late-stage modification of complex molecules
Research Overview
Our group has a broad interest in catalysis as an enabling tool for the construction of organic molecules. We have research programmes on establishing new paradigms in site-selective functionalisation and unlocking novel chemical reactivity with earth-abundant metal catalysts. An important feature of our work is the use of modern technologies, namely high-throughput experimentation, to accelerate the catalyst discovery process.
- Late-Stage Molecular Editing Enabled by Ketone Chain-Walking Isomerization. Yannick Brägger, Ori Green, Benjamin N. Bhawal, and Bill Morandi, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2023, 145, 19496. DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c05680
- Steric, Electronic and Conformational Synergistic Effects in the Gold(I)-catalyzed α-C-H Bond Functionalization of Tertiary Amines, David Fabian León Rayo, Ali Mansour, Wenbin Wu, Benjamin N. Bhawal, Fabien Gagosz, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2023, e202212893. DOI: 10.1002/anie.202212893
- Overcoming Selectivity Issues in Reversible Catalysis – A Transfer Hydrocyanation Exhibiting High Kinetic Control. Benjamin N. Bhawal, Julia C. Reisenbauer, Christian Ehinger and Bill Morandi, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2020, 142, 10914. DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c03184
- Catalytic isofunctional reactions – expanding the repertoire of shuttle and metathesis reactions. Benjamin N. Bhawal and Bill Morandi, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2019, 58, 10074. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201803797
- Palladium-catalyzed carbon-sulfur or carbon-phosphorus bond metathesis by reversible arylation. Zhong Lian, Benjamin N. Bhawal, Peng Yu and Bill Morandi. Science, 2017, 356, 1059. DOI: 10.1126/science.aam9041
Expertise: Transition metal catalysis, organocatalysis, catalyst design, high-throughput experimentation, derivatisation of late-stage substrates.
Sectors: Catalysis, Synthesis & Manufacture, Environment & Sustainability
Ben's research group are focussed on exploiting emerging technologies in high-throughput experimentation to solve pressing challenges in catalysis. In particular, we strive to improve the sustainability and efficiency of chemical synthesis using our expertise in transition metal catalysis and organocatalysis. Ben has previously collaborated with partners in both the pharmaceutical and fragrances industry. Ben's group are always open to working with external partners on ambitious challenges, via collaborative projects or consultancies.