The main theme of our research is studying the chemistry of 1,3-dipoles and their synthetic applications. Recent highlights include:

• The generation and cycloaddition reactions of nitrile sulfides, a rare class of short-lived nitrilium betaines, and their use for the synthesis of five-membered heterocycles incorporating the C=N-S unit, eg isothiazoles and 1,2,4-thiadiazoles;
• Establishing an efficient route to pyranosyl nitrile oxides and their use for the synthesis of novel C-glycosides, eg pyranosyl perimidines and various pyranosyl benzazoles.
• Nitrile oxide chemistry has also been used for the synthesis of pseudodisaccharides, carbohydrate-funtionalised polymers (neoglycopolymers) and higher carbon monosaccharides.

Other research interests include: chemical modification of vegetable oils, functionalisation of polyketones (CO-alkene alternating copolymers), and the chemistry of cellulose-derived levoglucosenone.