معرفی
Chris Richards is a Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of East Anglia's School of Chemistry, Pharmacy, and Pharmacology. He specializes in catalysis, asymmetric synthesis, organometallic chemistry, and stereochemistry. His research focuses on designing organometallic compounds as catalysts for asymmetric organic synthesis, with applications in pharmaceutical development. Richards holds a BSc from the University of Bath (1987) and a PhD from the University of Warwick (1990), followed by an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship at Heidelberg University (1990–1991). He has held academic positions at Cardiff University (1992–2001) and Queen Mary, University of London (2001–2007), before joining UEA. His work emphasizes optimizing catalyst activity and selectivity through multi-stereochemical elements. He currently supervises PhD students and leads projects funded by the Royal Society of Chemistry, Leverhulme Trust, and industry collaborations. Notable contributions include advancements in palladacycle precatalysts, copper-catalyzed syntheses, and stereochemical cooperativity in catalysis. His group website provides further details on ongoing research.
Education
- BSc in Chemistry, University of Bath, 1987
- PhD in Chemistry, University of Warwick, 1990
Research Interests
Richards' research integrates organometallic chemistry with asymmetric synthesis, targeting catalytic systems for pharmaceutical applications. Key areas include:
- Design of novel organometallic catalysts
- Enantioselective methodologies for drug discovery
- Stereochemical optimization of ligands and precatalysts
- Applications of ferrocene-based and palladacycle systems
Projects and Grants
Recent projects include:
- Rates and Stereoselectivity Relationships in Catalysis (Royal Society of Chemistry, 2022)
- Stereochemical Evolution for Catalyst Discovery (Leverhulme Trust, 2019–2021)
- Developing & Testing 2nd Generation Oncology Focused ADCs (MRC iCASE, 2017–2021)
Labs and Collaborations
His research group is part of the Chemistry of Materials and Catalysis team. Collaborations span academic and industrial partners, including Glythera Ltd and GlaxoSmithKline.
