University of Edinburgh
Joseph Black Building
David Brewster Road
Edinburgh
EH9 3FJ
0131 650 4825
Our work focuses on the development of new catalytic methodologies for organic synthesis using non-toxic, environmentally benign and inexpensive reagents and catalysts. Ultimately, we aim to provide the non-expert with operationally simple methods for the construction of complex molecular frameworks. Underpinning this is a keen interest in physical organic chemistry and organometallic mechanism to understand and probe the fundamental reactivity and interactions of our developed methods.
Current area of research include; 1. reductive alkene functionalisation using iron catalysts and frustrated Lewis pairs 2. iron-catalysed hydrogenation. 3. small molecule activation using frustrated Lewis pairs.
Iron-catalyzed, highly regioselective synthesis of a-aryl carboxylic acids from styrene derivatives and CO2, Mark. D. Greenhalgh and Stephen P. Thomas J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 11900
Iron-catalysed, hydride-mediated reductive cross-coupling of vinyl halides and Grignard reagents, Bryden A. F. Le Bailly, Mark D. Greenhalgh and Stephen P. Thomas Chem. Commun. 2012, 48, 1580