Christopher Caputo

Dr. Christopher Caputo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at York University and holds a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair. He leads the Caputo Lab, focused on inorganic, organic, and materials chemistry, emphasizing sustainable catalytic systems and molecular sensors. His work includes developing main-group catalysts as alternatives to transition metals, creating dyes from renewable sources, and designing visual sensors for food safety and environmental monitoring.

Research Interests: Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, Sustainable Chemistry, Lewis Acid Catalysis, Dye Chemistry, Food Safety Sensors, and Environmental Monitoring. His lab's efforts span from fundamental catalyst design to applied technologies like biogenic amine sensors and CO₂ sequestration.

Recent publications highlight advancements in phosphorus-based Lewis acids, genipin dye mechanisms, and sensor development. Key achievements include his CRC appointment and tenure promotion. Dr. Caputo teaches courses such as CHEM6030 (Main Group Chemistry) and CHEM4031 (Advanced Inorganic Chemistry), mentoring numerous graduate and undergraduate students.

Lab and Collaboration: The Caputo Lab collaborates internationally, including with Prof. Dielmann (University of Innsbruck) and Prof. Mehrkhodavandi (UBC). Ongoing projects involve Allenylidene phosphonium ion synthesis, redox-active boranes, and lanthanide-based Lewis acidity measurement.