About
An about me here on the way. 🚀
Education & Work
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland
Post-doctoral researcher in organic chemistry • 2022 - present
Institut für Organische Chemie, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
PhD in organic chemistry • 2018 - 2022
Research stay, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland
Research stay • 2019 - 2020
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT KGP), India
MSc in chemistry • 2016 - 2018
Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College, India
BSc with honours in chemistry • 2013 - 2016
END
Experience
Research experience
In my master's thesis, I investigated the idea of utilising late-stage C-H activation with stable, cost-effective, high-valent cobalt-catalysis to synthesise synthetically useful bioactive compounds and natural products.
In my doctoral study I am focusing on the development of new methodology for the formation of new C-C and C-N bond. In one part of my doctoral study, I am working on carbene transfer reaction and applications in cyclopropanation, C-H functionalization, X-H insertion and sigmatropic rearrangement reactions. In this context, I studied both metal-catalyzed and photochemical, metal- free carbene transfer reactions. More recently, I have started working on the timely research field of metallaphotoredox and photoredox catalysis for the C-C and C-X (X = hetero atom) bond forming reactions. Beside the expertise in organic synthesis and catalysis, I also learned and performed DFT calculations for a few projects in my PhD.
Teaching experience
Teaching of younger students is an integral task for all PhD students in the Koenigs group. During my PhD, I was teaching assistant in undergraduate chemistry and medicinal chemistry laboratories, and I supervised several research students, MSc thesis, and apprentices in laboratory technician education. Many of these co-workers co-authored publications with me, which clearly underlines the high value of such individualized development plans. This also helps me to build my communication skill, leadership ability and of course improve my science
Research Interest
- Radical mediated coupling reactions
- Photoredox and metallaphotoredox catalyzed or electrochemical C-C and C-X (hetero-atom) bond forming reactions
- Applications of biocatalysis in organic transformations
- Design and synthesis of new ligands for transition metal catalyzed asymmetric transformations
- Computer assisted reaction mechanism study
Research
Photochemical ring expansion reactions: synthesis of tetrahydrofuran derivatives and mechanism studies
S. Jana, Y. Zhen, C. Pei, X. Xu, R. M. Koenigs • Chem. Sci. 2019, 10, 10129-10134.
Photoinduced proton transfer reactions for mild O-H functionalization reactions of unreactive alcohols
S. Jana,+ Z. Yang,+ F. Li, C. Empel, J. Ho, R. M. Koenigs • Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 5562-5566. Chem., 2020, 132, 5608-5613
C-H Functionalization reactions of unprotected N-heterocycles by gold- catalyzed carbene transfer
S. Jana, C. Empel, C. Pei, P. Aseeva, T. V. Nguyen, R. M. Koenigs • ACS Catal. 2020, 10, 17, 9925-9931
Photochemical carbene transfer reactions of aryl/aryl diazoalkanes - experiment and theory
S. Jana, C. Pei, C. Empel, R. M. Koenigs • Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 13271-13279
Photoinduced ruthenium-catalyzed alkyl-alkyl cross-coupling reactions
S. Jana, C. Pei, S. B. Bahukhandi, R. M. Koenigs • Chem Catalysis 2021,1, 467-479.