Research Projects

Visible-light photoredox catalysis and electro-catalysis have gained popularity in synthetic chemistry, but they have drawbacks like expensive metal photocatalysts and difficulties accessing high redox potential. Electro-photocatalysis, a recent advancement, combines electrical and light energy in a single catalyst, offering broader applications in organic synthesis. However, the limited and high energy-absorbing photocatalysts raise questions about health safety and scalability. This paper proposes the design and synthesis of organic stable photocatalysts, studying their photophysical properties, and exploring their potential for methodology development using electro-photocatalysis. The focus is on cationic-based organic photocatalyst library synthesis due to their stability and tunable properties. The paper proposes the direct C-H activation using low energy absorbing photocatalysts in an electro-photochemical setup for drug-like molecules development. This approach offers a safer and more economical alternative to traditional redox reagents, impacting drug-like molecule synthesis. The paper also proposes developing synthetic routes and late-stage functionalization for industrially viable biologically active leads, drug intermediates, or drug candidates using electro-photocatalysis methodology. The paper also proposes several organic transformations that introduce CF3-pyridine units in simple to complex molecules, such as functionalization of C-C multiple bonds, arenes, allylic, and benzylic positions, and carbonyl functionality. The long-term independent goal is to explore the halo-hetero-cycle one-step introduction to drug-like molecules using electro-photoredox catalysis, aligning with the pharmaceutical sector's focus on discovering potent targets.