PhD - Photochemical arylative carbonylation and formylation using manganese and tandem

The project will explore the potential of earth abundant metal (EAM) catalysts for arylative carbonylation reactions employing suitable aromatic and heteroaromatic halide / pseudohalide and organoboron coupling partners in the presence of a safe carbon monoxide-releasing surrogate and activator. A successful project will provide a complementary tool to the well-known thermal Pd-catalysed reaction variant. In appropriate cases we will explore the dual use of an EAM along with Pd to open-up the activation and functionalisation of more complex organic substrates. Reaction optimisations will be conducted using both an in-house built flow system (with in situ IR characterisation) and batch screening using Chemspeed ISYNTH / powderdose systems (with in line LC-MS characterisation). Bayesian optimisation routines will be deployed to accelerate optimal working reaction conditions, with a focus placed on substrates that are typically bioderived and solvents with excellent sustainable and green metrics . The green metrics of our new processes will be fully evaluated using the York-developed Chem21 green chemistry tool kit.

Supervisory Team: 
Prof Ian Fairlamb (ian.fairlamb@york.ac.uk), Prof Jason Lynam (jason.lynam@york.ac.uk)
 

Key publications:
1. Key review on Mn catalysis: Acc. Chem. Res. 2024, 57, 919–932 - (https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.accounts.3c00774)
2. Related carbonylation chemistry: Green Chem. 2021, 23, 920–926- (https://doi.org/10.1039/d0gc03036h)

Useful links:
https://www.york.ac.uk/chemistry/people/ifairlamb/
https://www.york.ac.uk/chemistry/people/jlynam/

Further information
The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Chemical Synthesis for a Healthy Planet (CSHP CDT) is a EPSRC-funded centre focused on training the next generation of synthetic chemists, developing a sustainable, innovative chemistry culture that equips students to address major emerging and future global challenges in Human Health, Energy & Materials, and Food Security. We offer a fully-funded four year PhD programme, delivered jointly by the Universities of Oxford and York, comprised of taught courses and a substantive research project. Student cohorts will work together in a 4-month training period at both Oxford and York, before embarking on their main PhD projects. These substantive projects will be industry co-supervised, and based at either the Department of Chemistry in Oxford, or the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence at York and the associated Department of Chemistry.
This PhD project will primarily be based at the University of York and will start in September 2027.

Application deadline: 13 November 2026

For more information and to apply visit https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/p7-photochemical-arylative-carbonylation-and-formylation-using-manganese-and-tandem-manganese-palladium-catalysis/?p198669