Darko Kontrec

Darko Kontrec is a Senior Researcher at the Ruđer Bošković Institute (RBI), affiliated with the Division of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Laboratory for Chiral Technologies (LKT). He holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Zagreb (1999). His research focuses on chiral recognition mechanisms, enantioselective separations via chromatography, and the synthesis of chiral stationary phases for HPLC/SFC. He has pioneered studies on aroylhydrazone derivatives, metal complexes, and their applications in pharmaceutical and materials science contexts.

Key research areas include:

• Development of novel chiral stationary phases for enantioseparation
• Synthesis and characterization of organic compounds with pharmaceutical potential (e.g., hydantoins, β-lactam ureas)
• Photochemistry and photocyclization of organic molecules
• Coordination chemistry of transition metals (Fe(III), Ga(III), Cu(II), Al(III)) with hydrazone ligands
• Materials science investigations of liquid crystals and fluorinated nematogens

Notable contributions include over 70 peer-reviewed publications (2024-1993) across high-impact journals like Molecules, Pharmaceuticals, and Journal of Coordination Chemistry. He has mentored students such as Mladenka Jurin in chromatographic method development and enantioselective synthesis projects. His work bridges organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and medicinal applications, with a focus on practical separation technologies and drug discovery.