Dr. Ganesh Venkataraman

Assistant Professor




Profile


Personal Website Bio Stats
ganesh.v@chem.iitkgp.ac.in
3222283318(office)
Room No. 704, 7th Floor, JCG-PCR Building, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur-721302, WB, INDIA

Education


Please Visit our **Group Webpage** for Updated Info

2007 – 2012: Ph. D. (Integrated), Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore.

2004–2007: M.S. (Integrated Ph. D.) Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, India.

2001–2004: B.Sc. Chemistry Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India


Experience


Aug'18 - Present: Assistant Professor Grade I, IIT Kharagpur, West Bengal, India

2018 - 2018: Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Bristol, UK

2016 - 2018: Newton International Fellow, University of Bristol, UK

2013 - 2015: JSPS Fellow, Institute of Microbial Chemistry, Tokyo, Japan.

2009: Short-term Exchange Researcher, University of Paris–11


Research Statement


Our main focus is on Organic Synthesis, developing new approaches to molecular skeletons, and building complexity rapidly yet selectively. In our laboratory, we develop such transformations catalyzed by metal salts and organocatalysts to achieve the above goals. Our interests include element-element coupling/addition reactions (element being -B, -Si, -F, -C, -N, -X, etc.), Redox chemistry involving radicals, and so on. 

Transition Metal Catalysis - General Overview

The approach to complex molecular skeletons has transformed with a growing arsenal of efficient synthetic methodologies. Metals play an important role in this due to their diverse reactivity at their various oxidation states. Our group will focus on developing new, interesting multifunctionalization reactions utilizing this diversity.  Some of the major areas that we currently focus on are:

1.  Catalysis with Reactive Intermediates like Arynes etc. 

2. Tandem Catalysis.

3. Hydrogen-Borrowing Catalysis.

4. Metal-Mediated Introduction of Main Group Functionalities.

Nickel(0)-Catalyzed Cycloaddition Reactions

Nickel(0) catalyzed cycloaddition reactions offer a versatile and efficient way to construct complex organic molecules, showcasing the power of transition metal catalysis in modern synthetic chemistry. Our interest lies in making this powerful chemistry more user-friendly and widely applicable.

We demonstrated the potential of Ni(COD)(DQ), a bench-stable Ni(0) complex, as a catalyst for the reductive coupling of aldehydes with alkynes and ynamides, providing silylated allyl alcohols with excellent yields and regioselectivities. Mass spectrometric identification of the intermediates and DFT studies supported the proposed mechanism. The methodology demonstrated a modular approach for in situ Ni(NHC)(EDO) complex generation, enabling faster ligand screening for enantioselective catalysis. The exceptional stability and catalytic activity of Ni(COD)(DQ) on the bench for over six months offer the potential for user-friendly Ni(0) chemistry.

Metal-Catalyzed Introduction of Main Group Functionalities & Their Reactivity

We are interested in introducing Main group functionalities that are challenging on various systems. We employ transition metals and organocatalysts to achieve such transformations.

Our interest was in developing the protoboration of 1,3-diynes as a platform for the iterative functionalization of various groups on enynes and dienes. An operationally simple, regioselective protoboration of 1,3-diynes using a mixed diboron reagent and Cu(I)/phosphine catalyst provided enynylboronates and 1,4-diboryl-1,3-dienes in good yields. The iterative coupling capabilities of the products have been demonstrated along with other downstream transformations offering a range of value-added skeletons.

 

Organophosphorus Catalysis

We use the versatility and commercial availability of a large number of phosphorus compounds towards the introduction of main-group elements in organic substrates to achieve our larger goal of simultaneous multifunctionalizations.

We disclosed an operationally simple route to delta-valerolactones through an organophosphorus-catalyzed borylative ring-opening/allylation of vinylcyclopropanes providing delta-hydroxy esters stereoselectively. The delta-hydroxy esters were lactonized to obtain densely substituted delta-valerolactones. The present methodology exhibited enhanced functional group tolerance compared to the existing metal-mediated methods. 

Aromaticity and Soft Materials with Optoelectronic Properties

The aromaticity of cyclic systems other than six-membered ones shows interesting molecular and optoelectric properties. We have contributed to the understanding of their mechanism of action using computational and experimental techniques. 


Projects



ISIRD-IIT KGP Startup Grant
Client :   IIT KGP
Consultant :   Ganesh Venkataraman
Co-Consultant(s) :   

Early Career Research Award 2019-22
Client :   SERB, DST
Consultant :   Ganesh Venkataraman
Co-Consultant(s) :   

Ramanujan Fellowship
Client :   SERB, DST
Consultant :   Ganesh Venkataraman
Co-Consultant(s) :   

Core Research Grant (SERB)
Client :   Science and Engineering Research Board
Consultant :   Ganesh Venkataraman
Co-Consultant(s) :   

Ligand-Enabled Regioselective Cyclotrimerization of Alkynes Through Ion-Pairing and Other Weak Interactions
Client :   MoE - STARS
Consultant :   Ganesh V.
Co-Consultant(s) :   


Awards and Recognition


  1) Academic Excellence Award (B. Sc.)

  2) Bharathidasan University – Rank Holder

  3) Junior Research Fellowship – CSIR (2007)

  4) Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Fellowship – CSIR-SPM (2008-12)

  5) JSPS Postdoctoral Research Fellowship – Japanese Science and Technology (2013-15)

  6) Newton International Fellowship - The Royal Society, London UK (2016-18)

  7) Ramanujan Fellowship (2018-2023)

  8) Vishnu Ji Ram Memorial Award

  • Vishnu Ji Ram Memorial Award for Best Shotgun Presentation - 27th ISCB Conference at BIT Mesra, Ranchi -18th-Nov-2022


Courses Taught


  Basic Organic Chemistry Laboratory Course for B. Tech. Students (2018-Present) (CY19001)

  Basic Organic Chemistry Course for B. Tech. Students. (Prep. Theory) (Spring 2018) (CY00001)

  Strategies and Methods in Organic synthesis (Spring 2018) (CY31010)

  Organic Chemistry Laboratory II (Autumn 2019) (CY39003)

  General Chemistry (Autumn 2019 - Present) (CY11001)

  Spectroscopic Methods of Structure Determination (Autumn 2019) (CY51003)


Patents


No Patents Added Yet!

Research Area



1) Transition Metal Mediated Coupling Reactions - A Multifunctionalization Approach
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2) Organoboron Chemistry
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3) Radical Chemistry
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Group Members


  Aankhi Khamrai
Topic: Organic Chemistry
Email: aankhikhamrai@gmail.com

  Anirudhha Das
Topic: Benzyne Chemistry
Email: aniruddha123@kgpian.iitkgp.ac.in

  Krishna Biswas
Topic: Racemic and Enantioselective Borylation Reactions
Email: krishnabiswasbidya@gmail.com

  Rajesh Chakraborty
Topic: Organoboron Chemistry
Email: rajeshchakrabortty159@iitkgp.ac.in

  Shailendra Kumar
Topic: Organoboron Chemistry
Email: shailendrashc1999@kgpian.iitkgp.ac.in

  Sourav Mondal
Topic: Transition Metal Catalyzed Tandem C-C and C-X bond Forming Reactions
Email: smwelcomes@chem.iitkgp.ac.in

  Sudipta Ghosh
Topic: Transition Metal Catalyzed Multifunctionalizations
Email: gsudipta135@gmail.com

  Suman Ghosh
Topic: Racemic and Enantioselective Borylation Reactions
Email: ghoshsuman461@gmail.com

  Tamal Ballav
Topic: Benzyne Chemistry
Email: tamalballav@iitkgp.ac.in


Group Alumni