Faculty Information

abhishek

Abhishek Dewanji

Assistant Professor

Office:

G1-110
School of Chemical Sciences

Personal Information

Professional Experience

Assistant Professor, IIT Mandi, (2023-)

Senior Research Investigator, Syngene International Ltd, Hyderabad (2022-2023)

EPSRC Postdoctoral Research Associate, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK (2020-2022)

Postdoctoral Researcher, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany (2017-2020)

Educational Background

Ph.D., University of Münster, Münster, Germany, 2012-2016 (Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Armido Studer)

M.Sc. (Chemistry) from IIT Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India, 2010-2012

B.Sc. (Chemistry Hons.) from University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India, 2007-2010

Research Area

Broad Area

Novel synergistic catalysis, Modular scaffold synthesis

Specific Areas

Development of new catalytic manifolds

Modular construction of scaffolds via redox activation

Light-mediated organic synthesis

Mechanistic exploration of new catalytic reactions

Teaching

Organic Reactions and Mechanisms (CY501)

Awards, Recognition and Membership

EPSRC Postdoctoral fellowship, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK (2020-2022)

NRW Graduate School of Chemistry Doctoral Fellowship, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (2012)

Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) by CSIR, New Delhi, India (2012) (Not opted)

Selection for OCES for Scientific Officer ‘C’ grade, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India (2012) (Not opted)

Selection in Joint Admission test for Masters (JAM), Indian Institutes of Technology, India (2010)

abhishek

Abhishek Dewanji

Research Area

Novel synergistic catalysis

Modular scaffold synthesis

Redox Activation

Research Interests

Development of newer and more efficient catalytic manifolds is the path towards more sustainable organic synthesis. The current research interest of our group lies in developing unprecedented co-operative catalytic systems to successfully achieve novel organic transformations, with an emphasis on carbon-carbon bond forming reactions. In the last few decades, method development in organic synthesis has been largely dominated by transition metal-catalyzed reactions where carbon-carbon bond formation occupied the central stage. Despite the success of organocatalysis and organophotocatalysis, non-metallic catalyst systems collectively are far behind from matching the efficiency of transition metals. Main group elements possess enormous potential to be used as catalysts in organic synthesis. Therefore, we plan to widen the scope of ‘Main Group-Catalysis’ by developing newer methods through synergistic co-operation with single-electron redox catalysis while exploring the mechanistic pathway at the molecular level. Through this dual catalytic model, modular synthesis of hydrocarbon building blocks from feedstock materials will be achieved.

2022
  1. A. Dewanji, L. van Dalsen, J. A. Rossi-Ashton, E. Gasson, G. E. M. Crisenza, D. J. Procter* A general arene C–H functionalization strategy via electron donor-acceptor complex photoactivation, Nat. Chem., 2023, 15, 43 - 52.
  2. H. Yue, C. Zhu, L. Huang, A. Dewanji, M. Rueping* Advances in allylic and benzylic C–H bond functionalization enabled by metallaphotoredox catalysis, Chem. Commun., 2022, 58, 171 - 184.
2021
  1. V. Zubar, A. Dewanji, M. Rueping* Chemoselective Hydrogenation of Nitroarenes Using an Air-Stable Base-Metal Catalyst, Org. Lett., 2021, 23, 2742 – 2747.
2020
  1. P. E. Krach, A. Dewanji,* T. Yuan, M. Rueping* Synthesis of Unsymmetrical Ketones by Applying Visible-light Benzophenone/Nickel Dual Catalysis for Direct Benzylic Acylation, Chem. Commun., 2020, 56, 6082 - 6085.
  2. A. Dewanji, R. F. Bülow, M. Rueping* Photoredox/Nickel Dual-Catalyzed Reductive Cross Coupling of Aryl Halides Using an Organic Reducing Agent, Org. Lett., 2020, 22, 1611 - 1617.
2019
  1. A. Dewanji, P.E. Krach, M. Rueping* The Dual Role of Benzophenone in Visible-Light/Nickel Photoredox-Catalyzed C-H Arylations: Hydrogen-Atom Transfer and Energy Transfer, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2019, 58, 3566 - 3570.