Chemistry Seminar - RACI Organic Division Athel Beckwith Lecture Catalytic reaction development and investigating mechanism

Title: RACI Organic Division Athel Beckwith Lecture Catalytic reaction development and investigating mechanism

Speaker: Dr Sinead Keavaney, the University of Wollongong

Abstract: To meet the continuing demand for efficient, sustainable and selective strategies to access complex organic compounds, our toolbox of synthetic methods needs to continually expand. To address these challenges, my research focuses on applied organometallic catalysis and photocatalysis, to allow new synthetic methods to be developed.

We are interested in rationally designing catalysts to facilitate challenging and high-value chemical transformations, with detailed mechanistic studies used to guide catalyst design, to understand trends in reactivity and to direct the choice of experimental parameters. We use a range of mechanistic tools to provide insight into reaction mechanisms, including kinetic analyses, computational studies and a suite of X-Ray based techniques. This presentation will focus on our recent work where combined experimental and computational studies have been used to develop new reactivity, such as nickel-catalysed cross coupling reactions, photocatalytic denitrogenation of triazoles, and Rh-catalysed reaction development.

Bio: Sinead received her PhD in 2016 (UNSW) in the field of physical organic chemistry under the supervisor of A/Prof Jason Harper, and then transitioned to a new field of research - organometallic catalysis - during her postdoctoral position at RWTH Aachen with Prof Franziska Schoenebeck. Her expertise in organometallic catalysis was refined during her research fellowship at Macquarie University, where she also commenced a new research direction - photocatalysis. Upon joining the University of Wollongong in 2021. Sinead established her Synthesis and Catalysis research program, which bridges the disciplines of organic, inorganic and physical chemistry. Her research program is focused on developing new synthetic methodology through combined experimental, computational and mechanistic studies.