Accelerating Sustainable Chemical Synthesis: Photodynamic Studies in the Design of Novel Organic Photocatalysts
9 September - 24 October 2022
Biography
Dr Wade F. Petersen is an organic chemist born in Cape Town, South Africa. He obtained his BSc. (Hons) from the University of Cape Town and subsequently completed his PhD in Organic Chemistry from the same institution under the supervision of Professor Roger Hunter in 2015.
Following this, Dr Petersen carried out a short postdoctoral research fellowship at H3D, the Drug Discovery and Development Centre at the University of Cape Town, under the mentorship of Professor Kelly Chibale before spending two years as an independent postdoctoral fellow at the University of York, UK, under the mentorship of Professor Richard Taylor. During these two years his research focused on developing catalytic methods for the synthesis of biologically important nitrogen-containing molecules. A major part of this work involved photocatalysis (light-mediated synthesis). It was through this exposure that he realised the true magnitude of how the advances in this field could benefit the African continent — particularly in enabling low-cost chemical synthesis.
In 2018, Dr Petersen returned to the University of Cape Town to start his independent academic career. His research interests lie in the development of sustainable synthesis methodologies that enable the construction of small molecules and natural products relevant to medicinal chemistry and chemical biology. Through this work, he hopes to advance the notion of sustainable drug discovery. Not only to create potentially life-saving molecules, but to do so sustainably — emphasizing the calls for the responsible consumption of natural resources.
Research summary
If chemical reactions can be designed that are enabled or accelerated by exposure to sunlight, they will offer a sustainable strategy for the preparation of numerous chemical compounds important for everyday life such as medicines and polymers. Sunlight is abundant on the African continent, but African researchers currently lack the experience and infrastructure to exploit this natural resource to develop cheap, energy efficient and sustainable methods of chemical synthesis using photochemistry (chemistry activated by absorption of light).
Light-activated catalysts (photocatalysts) are a particularly important target for future development of sunlight-driven chemistry because of the greater efficiency they bring to chemical synthesis. However, most such photocatalysts currently contain rare and expensive metals. A major challenge in advancing sustainable chemical synthesis is therefore to decrease our reliance on these metal-containing catalysts. This project will study the photodynamic properties of a class of small organic (non-metal) photocatalysts that have demonstrated the potential to serve as viable metal-replacements for the overall purpose of developing a series ofcheap, environmentally friendly and recyclable catalysts that can be used to synthesize biologically important molecules.
This project therefore brings together researchers from the University of Cape Town, South Africa (Dr. Petersen) and the University of Bristol (Professor Andrew Orr-Ewing) with complementary expertise in synthetic chemistry and in photochemistry to initiate a new programme of research into light-activated catalysts. It is hoped that this work will launch new opportunities for low-cost and sustainable chemical synthesis industries driven by renewable energy sources as well as inspire new research avenues for African science.
Dr Petersen is hosted by Professor Andrew Orr-Ewing, Chemistry.
Planned activities include:
Open Seminar
Drug Synthesis in an Energy Deprived World: Experiences from 'Loadshedding' (blackout) South Africa
Tuesday 18 October, 3-4 pm
Lecture Theatre 2, Chemistry, Cantock's Close
Departmental Seminar
Transitioning from Rare Metals to Abundant Molecules in the Photochemical Synthesis of Nitrogen– Containing Heterocycles
Postgraduate Seminar
’To Academic or Not to Academic: Journey, Tips and Tricks as an Early Career Researcher'
Friday 14 October
