Group News
June 2016 Kate Melikhova's paper on the synthesis and structural revision of the microsclerodermins was recently accepted for publication in Angewandte Chemie. Ignacio's paper in collaboration with Richard Compton is accepted in JACS.
October 2015 Congratulations to Kate Melikhova who has recently completed the syntheses of two complex natural products, microsclerodermin J and dehydromicrosclerodermin B.
November 2014 Congratulations to Simon Werrel, who has been awarded a Lilly Prize for Excellence in Organic Chemistry Research, and Johannes Walker, who received a commendation, for their first year work. Congratulations also to Sandra Balcells-Garcia who has been awarded a Senior Cheetham Scholarship from Brasenose College.
July 2014 Congratulations to Camilla Shotton who received the Bannister Prize for the best organic chemistry Part II thesis.
May 2014 Tim has been awarded the 2014 Charles Rees Award by the Royal Society of Chemistry. The award is given biennially to recognise excellence in heterocyclic chemistry. Tim will give an award lecture at the RSC Lakeland Symposium in Grasmere in 2015.
October 2013 Congratulations to Ekaterina Melikhova (2nd Year DPhil), who has recently been awarded one of the Lilly Prizes for Excellence in Organic Chemistry Research for her first year work.
July 2013 Congratulations to Johannes Walker (part II student), who has recently been awarded a Departmental prize for the quality of his part II thesis.
October 2015 Congratulations to Kate Melikhova who has recently completed the syntheses of two complex natural products, microsclerodermin J and dehydromicrosclerodermin B.
November 2014 Congratulations to Simon Werrel, who has been awarded a Lilly Prize for Excellence in Organic Chemistry Research, and Johannes Walker, who received a commendation, for their first year work. Congratulations also to Sandra Balcells-Garcia who has been awarded a Senior Cheetham Scholarship from Brasenose College.
July 2014 Congratulations to Camilla Shotton who received the Bannister Prize for the best organic chemistry Part II thesis.
May 2014 Tim has been awarded the 2014 Charles Rees Award by the Royal Society of Chemistry. The award is given biennially to recognise excellence in heterocyclic chemistry. Tim will give an award lecture at the RSC Lakeland Symposium in Grasmere in 2015.
October 2013 Congratulations to Ekaterina Melikhova (2nd Year DPhil), who has recently been awarded one of the Lilly Prizes for Excellence in Organic Chemistry Research for her first year work.
July 2013 Congratulations to Johannes Walker (part II student), who has recently been awarded a Departmental prize for the quality of his part II thesis.
July 2013 Congratulations to Ekaterina Melikhova (1st year DPhil), who has recently been awarded a scholarship by the SCI.
March 2013 Jobs! many congratulations to Rob Pullin who has recently been offered a job as a medicinal chemist at Vertex, and to Ben Pilgrim who will take up a Herchel Smith Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Cambridge in conjunction with a Fellowship at Corpus Christi College; also to Chris Jones who was recently awarded an independent Ramsay Memorial Fellowship to be held at Queen Mary, University of London.
March 2013 'One Ring to Rule Them All' - A Perspective written by Tim Donohoe and Ben Pilgrim covering the work of the group over the last decade on the Osmium-Catalyzed Oxidative Cyclization reaction has been featured on the front cover of the Journal of Organic Chemistry (see left). The Perspective highlights the development of the reaction in the group and its application to total synthesis.
The group also enjoyed celebrating with Tim in honour of his receiving the SCI Process Chemistry Research award (see Aug 2012) at a fun Tuesday night meeting complete with a TJD cake (see right)!
The group also enjoyed celebrating with Tim in honour of his receiving the SCI Process Chemistry Research award (see Aug 2012) at a fun Tuesday night meeting complete with a TJD cake (see right)!
December 2012 Radek Lipinski's paper on the synthesis of the ABC ring system of pectenotoxin-4 is designated as a Hot Paper in Angewandte Chemie.
The annual Christmas Party at Pierre Victoire, followed by Secret Santa and party games, was quite a success!
The annual Christmas Party at Pierre Victoire, followed by Secret Santa and party games, was quite a success!
November 2012 Congratulations to Matthew Tatton (3rd year DPhil) who was recently awarded a Syngenta sponsored Scientific Scholarship.
October 2012 Well done to Matthew Tatton, a third year DPhil student who was awarded a poster prize at the Organic Chemistry Poster Symposium held in the CRL, sponsored by Pfizer.
Congratulations to Yifan Liu for being awarded one of the Lilly Prizes for Excellence in Organic Chemistry Research for his first year work. Xuezheng Yang was also given a commendation for his first year work.
August 2012 Tim has won the 2012 AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer & Syngenta Prize for Process Chemistry Research. The award will be presented at the forthcoming 30th SCI Process Development Symposium held in Cambridge between 5th-7th December. Tim will receive a trophy and a cheque for £16000 to support further research.
November 2011 Congratulations to David Baker for being awarded one of the Lilly Prizes for Excellence in Organic Chemistry Research for his first year work.
October 2011 Well done to Ben Pilgrim, a third year DPhil student who was awarded a poster prize at the Organic Chemistry Poster Symposium held in the CRL. Ben’s poster was entitled the ‘Palladium-Catalyzed Synthesis of Isoquinolines’.
October 2011 Well done to Ben Pilgrim, a third year DPhil student who was awarded a poster prize at the Organic Chemistry Poster Symposium held in the CRL. Ben’s poster was entitled the ‘Palladium-Catalyzed Synthesis of Isoquinolines’.
September 2011 Congratulations to Ben Pilgrim (see left), a third year DPhil student who has been awarded a poster prize at the 26th Postgraduate Symposium of the RSC Heterocyclic and Synthesis Group. The symposium was held at the AstraZeneca site at Alderley Edge on 22nd September. Ben’s poster was entitled the ‘Palladium-Catalyzed Synthesis of Isoquinolines’.
Congratulations to Chris Jones who has recently completed the synthesis of streptonigrin in 14 linear steps and 11% overall yield. This work was recently accepted for publication in J. Am. Chem. Soc. (see right)
Congratulations to Chris Jones who has recently completed the synthesis of streptonigrin in 14 linear steps and 11% overall yield. This work was recently accepted for publication in J. Am. Chem. Soc. (see right)
July 2011 Congratulations to Alice Gatland who has been awarded one of the Departmental Thesis Prizes for her Part II thesis entitled A novel hydride shift approach to the synthesis of spiroketals.
May 2011 Tim has been awarded the 2011 Synthetic Organic Chemistry Award by the Royal Society of Chemistry. The prize is given for the development of new methods or strategies employed in the construction of organic molecules. The prize will be presented at a symposium held later in the year.
May 2011 Tim has been awarded the 2011 Synthetic Organic Chemistry Award by the Royal Society of Chemistry. The prize is given for the development of new methods or strategies employed in the construction of organic molecules. The prize will be presented at a symposium held later in the year.
May 2011 A paper on work done by Ben Pilgrim and Leigh Aldous (in collaboration with Richard Compton) was chosen as a 'hot article' by the New Journal of Chemistry.
April 2011 Well done to Paul Winship who has recently completed the synthesis of (-)-neodysiherbane A: Paul's route takes just 7 steps and the overall yield is 24%. The work has recently been accepted for publication in Angewandte Chemie.
October 2010 Congratulations to D.Phil student Darren Poole for winning a GlaxoSmithKline Award in Organic Chemistry Part II. These prizes are awarded to the two highest ranked Oxford graduates who continue into postgraduate research in Organic Chemistry at Oxford.
September 2010 Congratulations to D. Phil student Mike Tucker who has been awarded one of the Lilly Prizes for Excellence in Organic Chemistry Research for his first year work.
July 2010 Congratulations to Part II students Nick Race and Constanze Neumann who have both won prizes for their final year Part II theses. Nick won the Brian Bannister prize and Constanze won a runners-up prize.
February 2010 Science, PNAS and Nature Chemistry journals have both highlighted work recently published by the Donohoe group on the construction of aromatic compounds using cross metathesis (T. J. Donohoe, J. F. Bower, PNAS, 2010, 107, 3373-3376. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0913466107). This work features a first in class method of making valuable organic compounds in a particularly concise manner and application to the synthesis of complex pharmaceutical and natural product targets is anticipated.
December 2009 Congratulations to Ptoton for completing a formal synthesis of Cylindricine A and total synthesis of Cylindricine C. The synthesis of Cylindricine C takes only 13 steps.
Cedric Callens has won a Syngenta Scholarship. These prestigious awards are made to the best PhD students following a two day workshop at Jealott's Hill International Research Centre.
October 2009 Cedric Callens has been awarded first prize in the Oxford Organic Chemistry Poster Symposium, sponsored by Pfizer.
July 2009 Ben Pilgrim has been awarded the Brian Bannister Prize for Organic Chemistry for his performance in the Part II examination.
May 2009 Congratulations to Aida Flores who has just finished a synthesis of (-)-hygromycin A. The synthesis takes just 17 steps and uses a tethered aminohydroxylation and a key Mitsunobu sugar coupling reaction as the key steps.
October 2010 Congratulations to D.Phil student Darren Poole for winning a GlaxoSmithKline Award in Organic Chemistry Part II. These prizes are awarded to the two highest ranked Oxford graduates who continue into postgraduate research in Organic Chemistry at Oxford.
September 2010 Congratulations to D. Phil student Mike Tucker who has been awarded one of the Lilly Prizes for Excellence in Organic Chemistry Research for his first year work.
July 2010 Congratulations to Part II students Nick Race and Constanze Neumann who have both won prizes for their final year Part II theses. Nick won the Brian Bannister prize and Constanze won a runners-up prize.
February 2010 Science, PNAS and Nature Chemistry journals have both highlighted work recently published by the Donohoe group on the construction of aromatic compounds using cross metathesis (T. J. Donohoe, J. F. Bower, PNAS, 2010, 107, 3373-3376. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0913466107). This work features a first in class method of making valuable organic compounds in a particularly concise manner and application to the synthesis of complex pharmaceutical and natural product targets is anticipated.
December 2009 Congratulations to Ptoton for completing a formal synthesis of Cylindricine A and total synthesis of Cylindricine C. The synthesis of Cylindricine C takes only 13 steps.
Cedric Callens has won a Syngenta Scholarship. These prestigious awards are made to the best PhD students following a two day workshop at Jealott's Hill International Research Centre.
October 2009 Cedric Callens has been awarded first prize in the Oxford Organic Chemistry Poster Symposium, sponsored by Pfizer.
July 2009 Ben Pilgrim has been awarded the Brian Bannister Prize for Organic Chemistry for his performance in the Part II examination.
May 2009 Congratulations to Aida Flores who has just finished a synthesis of (-)-hygromycin A. The synthesis takes just 17 steps and uses a tethered aminohydroxylation and a key Mitsunobu sugar coupling reaction as the key steps.
May 2009 Ben Pilgrim has won the Salters' Graduate Prize 2009. The prize is awarded to candidates who are judged to be likely to hold leading positions in the chemical and related industries in the future.
January 2009 Congratulations to Ollie Williams for completing the first total synthesis of the natural product (+)-sylvaticin. This work was recently accepted for publication in J. Am. Chem. Soc. (DOI: 10.1021/ja9049959)
January 2009 Congratulations to Ollie Williams for completing the first total synthesis of the natural product (+)-sylvaticin. This work was recently accepted for publication in J. Am. Chem. Soc. (DOI: 10.1021/ja9049959)
November 2008 Peter Lindsay-Scott and Timothy O'Riordan were awarded the 2008 Syngenta Postgraduate Scholarships in Organic Chemistry. The awards were made after a three-day workshop run by Syngenta employees.
October 2008 Cedric Callens has been awarded one of the Lilly Prizes for Excellence in Organic Chemistry Research for his first year work.
Third year DPhil student Tim O'Riordan won a prize at the 2008 Lilly Organic Chemistry Postgraduate Symposium at their UK research site in Windlesham, Surrey. His presentation entitled, "Studies towards the total synthesis of oxazolomycin" was selected by the audience of Lilly employees for the prize.
August 2008 Jess Kershaw and Tim O'Riordan presented their work in the poster session at the American Chemical Society National Meeting in Philadelphia.
October 2008 Cedric Callens has been awarded one of the Lilly Prizes for Excellence in Organic Chemistry Research for his first year work.
Third year DPhil student Tim O'Riordan won a prize at the 2008 Lilly Organic Chemistry Postgraduate Symposium at their UK research site in Windlesham, Surrey. His presentation entitled, "Studies towards the total synthesis of oxazolomycin" was selected by the audience of Lilly employees for the prize.
August 2008 Jess Kershaw and Tim O'Riordan presented their work in the poster session at the American Chemical Society National Meeting in Philadelphia.
February 2008 Neil Kershaw completes the synthesis of (-)-deoxypukalide.
December 2007 Rhian Thomas and Matthew Cheeseman complete the synthesis of 5 different polyhydroxylated pyrrolidizines.
November 2007 Third year D.Phil student Lisa Fishlock has won a poster prize at the Pfizer sponsored organic poster competition in the CRL.
October 2007 Brian Mnangat Ptoton has been awarded one of the Lilly Prizes for Excellence in Organic Chemistry Research for his first year work .
Jess Kershaw and Peter Lindsay-Scott were both given commendations for their PRS Transfer Interviews
December 2006
The Donohoe Group Christmas dinner at Pierre Victoire attended by current and former members.
December 2007 Rhian Thomas and Matthew Cheeseman complete the synthesis of 5 different polyhydroxylated pyrrolidizines.
November 2007 Third year D.Phil student Lisa Fishlock has won a poster prize at the Pfizer sponsored organic poster competition in the CRL.
October 2007 Brian Mnangat Ptoton has been awarded one of the Lilly Prizes for Excellence in Organic Chemistry Research for his first year work .
Jess Kershaw and Peter Lindsay-Scott were both given commendations for their PRS Transfer Interviews
December 2006
The Donohoe Group Christmas dinner at Pierre Victoire attended by current and former members.
December 2006 Rhian Thomas completes the synethesis of (+)-Hyacinthacine A1
November 2006
Third year D.Phil student Dave Klauber wins a poster prize at the Pfizer sponsored organic poster competition in the CRL. Download a copy of his poster here.
October 2006
Our latest paper in Angewandte Chemie has been chosen by the publishers as a HOT paper! (DOI: 10.1002/anie.200603240)
Lisa Fishlock wins one of the Lilly Prizes for Best First Year Postgraduate Student in Organic Chemistry.
September 2006 Jessica Chiu completes the synthesis of the pyrrolidinone core of KSM-2690 B, which is a member of the oxazolomycin family.
November 2006
Third year D.Phil student Dave Klauber wins a poster prize at the Pfizer sponsored organic poster competition in the CRL. Download a copy of his poster here.
October 2006
Our latest paper in Angewandte Chemie has been chosen by the publishers as a HOT paper! (DOI: 10.1002/anie.200603240)
Lisa Fishlock wins one of the Lilly Prizes for Best First Year Postgraduate Student in Organic Chemistry.
September 2006 Jessica Chiu completes the synthesis of the pyrrolidinone core of KSM-2690 B, which is a member of the oxazolomycin family.
Students from the Donohoe group present posters at the 232nd ACS national conference in San Francisco.
May 2006 Rob Harris completes the synthesis of (+)-cis-sylvaticin. This compounds has 9 chiral centres and 3 heterocyclic rings and was made in just 13 linear steps. This synthesis was recently accepted as a communication in J. Am. Chem. Soc. (DOI: 10.1021/ja0660148)
Our paper in Journal of the American Chemical Society on tethered aminohydroxylation was discussed in Chemistry and Industry magazine's highlights of the literature.
Our paper in Journal of the American Chemical Society on tethered aminohydroxylation was discussed in Chemistry and Industry magazine's highlights of the literature.
December 2005 Carla Rosa completes the Syntheis of (-)-Allosamizoline
November 2005 Dale Johnson is awarded a Syngenta Scholarship
October 2005 Second year D.Phil students Katherine Gosby and Farrah Bhatti win Lilly prizes for their end of year transfer reports.
Third year D.Phil students Dale Johnson and Jessica Chiu win prizes at the Pfizer sponsored organic poster competition in the CRL.
October 2005 Second year D.Phil students Katherine Gosby and Farrah Bhatti win Lilly prizes for their end of year transfer reports.
Third year D.Phil students Dale Johnson and Jessica Chiu win prizes at the Pfizer sponsored organic poster competition in the CRL.