Professor Michael North

Professor of Organic Chemistry and joint director of the URC in Catalysis and Intensified Processing

North Research Group

Current Members

 

 

Maria Morcillo – Maria is the group’s newest member having started her Phd in 2009. Her work is focusing on organocatalysed asymmetric aldol reactions with particular emphasis on using cyclic carbonates as alternative solvents.

 

 

Marta Omedes – Marta began her Phd in 2007 and is working on asymmetric cyanohydrin synthesis with particular attention to reaction kinetics.

 

1) Y.N. Belokon, W. Clegg, R.W. Harrington, V.I. Maleev, M. North, M. Omedes Pujol, D.L. Usanov and C. Young; ‘Mechanism-guided development of VO(salen)X complexes as catalysts for the asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrin trimethylsilyl ethers’ Chem. Eur. J. 2009, 15, 2148-2165.

2) M. North and M. Omedes-Pujol ‘Catalytic, asymmetric cyanohydrin synthesis in propylene carbonate’ Tetrahedron Lett. 2009, 50, 4452-4454.

 

 

Riccardo Pasquale – Riccardo began his Phd in 2005 and his work started the development of new aluminium salen based catalysts for the insertion of CO2 into epoxides. He is now in the final stages of completing his thesis.

 

1) J. Meléndez, M. North and R. Pasquale; ‘Synthesis of cyclic carbonates from atmospheric pressure carbon dioxide using exceptionally active aluminium(salen) complexes as catalysts’ Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2007, 3323-3326.

2) M. North and R. Pasquale ‘Mechanism of cyclic carbonate synthesis from epoxides and CO2’ Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2009, 48, 2946-2948.

3) I.S. Metcalfe, M. North, R. Pasquale and A. Thursfield ‘An integrated approach to energy and chemicals production’ Energy Environ. Sci., accepted for publication, DOI:10.1039/b918417a

 

 

Francesca Pizzato – Francesca started her Phd in 2005 and has focused on asymmetric Darzens condensations catalysed by metal salen complexes and proline catalysed asymmetric aldol reactions. She is now in the final stages of completing her Phd.

 

1) T.J.R. Achard, Y.N. Belokon’, J. Hunt, M. North and F. Pizzato; ‘Diastereoselective Darzens condensations’ Tetrahedron Lett. 2007, 48, 2961-2964.

2) T.J.R. Achard, Y.N. Belokon’, M. Ilyin, M. Moskalenko J. Hunt, M. North and F. Pizzato; ‘Enantio- and diastereoselective Darzens condensations’ Tetrahedron Lett. 2007, 48, 2965-2969.

3) M. North, F. Pizzato and P. Villuendas ‘Organocatalytic, asymmetric aldol reactions with a sustainable catalyst in a green solvent’ ChemSusChem 2009, 2, 862-865.

4) M. North and F. Pizzato ‘Diastereoselective Darzens Condensations of a-haloamides: Influence of Aryl Substituents on Diastereoselectivity’ Letters in Organic Chemistry 2009, 6, 552-556.

 

 

Courtney Williamson – Courtney started her doctoral studies in 2005 and has focused on asymmetric cyanohydrin synthesis and strecker reactions using a variety of metal salen catalysts.

 

1) M. North and C. Williamson ‘A bimetallic aluminium(salen) complex for asymmetric cyanohydrin synthesis’ Tetrahedron Lett. 2009, 50, 3249-3252.

 

 

Pedro Villuendas – completed his Phd in Leicester university before taking up the position as research associate in Professor North’s group in Newcastle. His work has included catalyst development for cyclic carbonate synthesis from CO2 and epoxides, asymmetric cyanohydrin synthesis and using cyclic carbonates as solvents for asymmetric aldol reactions.

 

1) J. Meléndez, M. North and P. Villuendas ‘One-component catalysts for cyclic carbonate synthesis’ Chem. Commun. 2009, 2577-2579.

2) M. North, F. Pizzato and P. Villuendas ‘Organocatalytic, asymmetric aldol reactions with a sustainable catalyst in a green solvent’ ChemSusChem 2009, 2, 862-865.

3) M. North, P. Villuendas and C. Young ‘A gas phase flow reactor for ethylene carbonate synthesis from waste CO2’ Chem. Eur. J. 2009, 11454-11457.

4) M. North, and P. Villuendas ‘Aluminium(salen) and Tetrabutylammonium Bromide Catalysed Synthesis of Cyclic Di- and Trithiocarbonates from Epoxides and Carbon Disulphide’ Synlett accepted for publication.

 

 

 

Carl Young - Carl was born in Carlisle, England, in 1982. In 2000 he began studies in medicinal chemistry at Newcastle University, and he received his M.Chem. in 2004. The following year, he completed his doctoral studies under the supervision of Professor Michael North. Previous work focused mainly on the investigation of salen-based catalysts for the asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrins, with particular attention to the structural and mechanistic aspects of heterobimetallic systems involving the use of titanium and vanadium.

He now works as a post-doctoral research associate focusing on the formation of cyclic carbonates catalysed by immobilised aluminium salen catalysts in a flow reactor system.

 

1) Y.N. Belokon, W. Clegg, R.W. Harrington, C. Young, and M. North; ‘Asymmetric cyanohydrin synthesis using heterobimetallic catalysts obtained from titanium and vanadium complexes of chiral and achiral salen ligands’ Tetrahedron 2007, 63, 5287-5299.

2) Y.N. Belokon’, W. Clegg, R.W. Harrington, M. North and C. Young; ‘In situ formation of heterobimetallic salen complexes containing titanium and/or vanadium ions’ Inorg. Chem. 2008, 47, 3801-3814.

3) M. North, D.L. Usanov and C. Young; ‘Lewis acid catalyzed asymmetric cyanohydrin synthesis’ Chem. Rev. 2008, 108, 5146-5226.

4) Y.N. Belokon, W. Clegg, R.W. Harrington, V.I. Maleev, M. North, M. Omedes Pujol, D.L. Usanov and C. Young; ‘Mechanism-guided development of VO(salen)X complexes as catalysts for the asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrin trimethylsilyl ethers’ Chem. Eur. J. 2009, 15, 2148-2165.

5) M. North, P. Villuendas and C. Young ‘A gas phase flow reactor for ethylene carbonate synthesis from waste CO2’ Chem. Eur. J. 2009, 11454-11457. (highlighted in Chemistry World October 2009).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Past Members

Thierry Achard – was born in Marseille, France in 1974. He studied at the University of Aix-Marseille (St Jerome) and received his Masters degree in 1999 in the group of Professor Jean-Marc Pons. He started his PhD at King’s College London in 2002 in the group of Professor Michael North, and in 2004 he moved with Professor North to the University of Newcastle upon Tyne where he completed his Phd. His research was concerned with the development of new chiral metal(salen) complexes for use as asymmetric phase transfer catalysts in the synthesis of a-substituted amino acids and asymmetric Darzens condensations.

 

1) T. Achard, Y.N. Belokon’, J.A. Fuentes, M. North, and T. Parsons; ‘Influence of aromatic substitutents on metal(II)salen catalysed, asymmetric synthesis of a-methyl-a-amino acids’ Tetrahedron 2004, 60, 5919-5630.

2) T.R.J. Achard, L.A. Clutterbuck, and M. North; ‘Asymmetric Catalysis of Carbon-Carbon Bond-Forming Reactions Using Metal(salen) Complexes’ Synlett 2005, 1828-1847.

3) T.J.R. Achard, Y.N. Belokon’, J. Hunt, M. North and F. Pizzato; ‘Diastereoselective Darzens condensations’ Tetrahedron Lett. 2007, 48, 2961-2964.

4) T.J.R. Achard, Y.N. Belokon’, M. Ilyin, M. Moskalenko J. Hunt, M. North and F. Pizzato; ‘Enantio- and diastereoselective Darzens condensations’ Tetrahedron Lett. 2007, 48, 2965-2969.

 

 

Lisa Clutterbuck - was born in Yeovil, England in 1981. She received her BSc (2002) in chemistry from the University of Exeter. After starting her doctoral studies at King’s College London, she completed her PhD under the supervision of Professor Michael North at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Her research was sponsored by Avecia and was concerned with the asymmetric catalytic synthesis of cyanohydrins and their derivatives (CACHy).

 

1) Y.N. Belokon’, A.J. Blacker, L.A. Clutterbuck and M. North; ‘Catalytic, Asymmetric Synthesis of Cyanohydrin Ethyl Carbonates’ Org. Lett., 2003, 5, 4505-4507.

2) Y.N. Belokon’, A.J. Blacker, P. Carta, L.A. Clutterbuck, and M. North; ‘Synthetic and mechanistic studies on asymmetric cyanohydrin synthesis using a titanium(salen) bimetallic catalyst’ Tetrahedron, 2004, 60, 10433-10447.

3) T.R.J. Achard, L.A. Clutterbuck, and M. North; ‘Asymmetric Catalysis of Carbon-Carbon Bond-Forming Reactions Using Metal(salen) Complexes’ Synlett 2005, 1828-1847.

4) J. Blacker, L.A. Clutterbuck, M.R. Crampton, C. Grosjean, and M. North; ‘Catalytic, asymmetric Strecker reactions catalysed by titaniumIV and vanadiumV(salen) complexes’ Tetrahedron: Asymmetry 2006, 17, 1449-1456.

5) Y.N. Belokon, A.J. Blacker, L.A. Clutterbuck, D. Hogg, M. North, and C. Reeve; ‘An Asymmetric, Chemo-Enzymatic Synthesis of O-Acetylcyanohydrins’ Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2006, 4609-4617.

 

 

Jamie Hunt – started his Phd with Prof. North in King’s College London before moving to Newcastle. His work covered a variety of topics including asymmetric cyanohydrin synthesis, Strecker reactions and Darzens condensations.

 

1) T.J.R. Achard, Y.N. Belokon’, J. Hunt, M. North and F. Pizzato; ‘Diastereoselective Darzens condensations’ Tetrahedron Lett. 2007, 48, 2961-2964.

2) T.J.R. Achard, Y.N. Belokon’, M. Ilyin, M. Moskalenko J. Hunt, M. North and F. Pizzato; ‘Enantio- and diastereoselective Darzens condensations’ Tetrahedron Lett. 2007, 48, 2965-2969.

3) Y.N. Belokon', J. Hunt and M. North; ‘TitaniumIV(salen) and vanadiumV(salen) complexes derived from C2- and C1-symmetric diamines for asymmetric cyanohydrin synthesis’ Synlett 2008, 2150-2154.

 

 

Eisuke Ishibashi – *

 

1) Y.N. Belokon, E. Ishibashi, H. Nomura, and M. North; ‘Cyanide Ion Cocatalysis in Ti(salen) Catalysed Asymmetric Cyanohydrin Carbonate Synthesis’ Chem Commun. 2006, 1775-1777.

2) Y.N. Belokon’, W. Clegg, R.W. Harrington, E. Ishibashi, H. Nomura and M. North; ‘Enantioselective and  Diastereoselective Syntheses of Cyanohydrin Carbonates’ Tetrahedron 2007, 63, 9724-9740.

 

 

Jaisiel Melendez - *

 

1) J. Meléndez, M. North and R. Pasquale; ‘Synthesis of cyclic carbonates from atmospheric pressure carbon dioxide using exceptionally active aluminium(salen) complexes as catalysts’ Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2007, 3323-3326

2) J. Meléndez, M. North and P. Villuendas ‘One-component catalysts for cyclic carbonate synthesis’ Chem. Commun. 2009, 2577-2579.

 

 

Dmitry Usanov - Dmitry was born in 1986 in Moscow, Russia. After entering The Moscow Chemical Lyceum high school in 2000, he joined Professor Yuri N. Belokon’s group in the Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement compounds RAS in 2001. In 2002 he entered the Higher Chemical College of the Russian Academy of Sciences, from where he was awarded a Bachelor’s Degree equivalent in 2006 and a Specialist Diploma in 2007 (Summa Cum Laude). During his undergraduate years, he was involved in a number of research projects in Poland (IChO PAS), the U.K. (Newcastle University), and the U.S.A. (University of Pennsylvania) as a visiting researcher. In 2007 Dmitry obtained an M.Phil. Degree from Newcastle University under the supervision of Professor Michael North for research into the study of vanadium salen complexes for asymmetric cyanohydrin synthesis. Since 2007 he has been a Ph.D. student at The University of Chicago in Professor Hisashi Yamamoto’s group. He was awarded an Overseas Research Student Award, a Gerhard Closs Award, and a McCormick Fellowship.

 

1) Y.N. Belokon, V.I. Maleev, I.L. Mal’fanov, T.F. Savel’eva, N.S. Ikonnikov, A.G. Bulychev, D.L. Usanov, D.A. Kataev, and M. North; ‘Anionic chiral cobalt(III) complexes as catalysts for the asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrins’ Russian Chemical Bulletin, Int. Ed. 2006, 55, 821-827. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya 2006, 793-799.

2) Y.N. Belokon, V.I. Maleev, M. North, and D.L. Usanov; ‘V(salen)X catalysed asymmetric cyanohydrin synthesis: an unexpected influence of the nature of anion X on the catalytic activity of the complexes’ Chem Commun. 2006, 4614-4616.

3) M. North, D.L. Usanov and C. Young; ‘Lewis acid catalyzed asymmetric cyanohydrin synthesis’ Chem. Rev. 2008, 108, 5146-5226.

4) Y.N. Belokon, W. Clegg, R.W. Harrington, V.I. Maleev, M. North, M. Omedes Pujol, D.L. Usanov and C. Young; ‘Mechanism-guided development of VO(salen)X complexes as catalysts for the asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrin trimethylsilyl ethers’ Chem. Eur. J. 2009, 15, 2148-2165.

 

 

 

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