Postgraduate research opportunities New Approaches to Iridium-Catalysed C-H Activation & Hydrogen Isotope Exchange
ApplyKey facts
- Opens: Tuesday 4 March 2025
- Number of places: 1
- Duration: 48 months
- Funding: Equipment costs, Home fee, Stipend, Travel costs
Overview
This project will explore new methods for directed C-H activation and hydrogen isotope exchange, based on state-of-the-art isotopic labelling catalysts developed at Strathclyde. Whilst being primarily preparatively based, mechanistic investigations will also inform new catalyst design, blending computational studies with kinetic measurements. The new catalysts and methods that emerge will provide a range of efficient methods to access a variety of isotopically labelled drug-like entities.Eligibility
Applicants must have, or expect to obtain, a strong MChem (or equivalent) degree as a requirement of the funding.
Additionally, the position is well suited to students with significant experience in synthetic organic chemistry obtained either through industrial placement or as part of an MChem/MSci research project.
This opportunity is only open to Home and UK students.
Project Details
A fully funded, industry-linked PhD Studentship is available under the supervision of Dr David Lindsay and Professor William Kerr.
Lindsay and Kerr lead a research team at Strathclyde that has developed a range of iridium(I)-catalysed methods for Lewis base-directed ortho-C-H activation and hydrogen isotope exchange, via 5- or 6-membered cyclometallated complexes. Recent developments include application to emerging pharmaceutically-relevant motifs such as sulfoximines, and exchange at Csp3-H bonds in biologically important molecules.
The proposed programme of work will further enhance the utility of the iridium catalysts in hydrogen isotope exchange, by extending mechanistic understanding of the exchange process, in combination with an increased focus on practical reaction design. Specifically, detailed and novel kinetic and computational mechanistic studies will be undertaken using model drug molecule substrates, to deepen understanding of the turnover limiting step(s) of the catalytic cycle as applied to pharmaceutically-relevant systems.
This studentship is available starting October 2025 and is funded in collaboration with world-leading pharmaceutical company, GSK. The PhD student engaged on this project will receive elevated levels of training in the following areas:
- preparative chemistry
- organometallic complex synthesis
- reaction mechanism study
- DFT calculations
- associated analytical/spectroscopic requirements
Funding details
A fully-funded, industry-linked PhD Studentship.
While there is no funding in place for opportunities marked "unfunded", there are lots of different options to help you fund postgraduate research. Visit funding your postgraduate research for links to government grants, research councils funding and more, that could be available.
Supervisors
Professor William Kerr
Associate Deputy Principal Research & Knowledge Exchange
Pure and Applied Chemistry
Apply
Please submit your application by e-mail to Dr Laura C. Paterson (laura.c.paterson@strath.ac.uk), which should include:
- a cover letter, detailing your experience and motivation for PhD studies
- a CV with two referees' details included
- full transcripts from your undergraduate degree
- other pertinent information (such as publications, awards, and other distinctions)
Number of places: 1
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