Prof. Subhas Chandra Pan, IIT Guwahati, India
"Organocatalytic Asymmetric Desymmetrization Reactions for the Synthesis of Chiral Pyrroles and Oxazoles"
In synthetic chemistry, desymmetrization of prochiral or meso-substrates with pre-existing stereogenic centers has been shown to be a useful and effective technique. It has garnered significant interest due to its application in the easy assembly of valuable molecular complexity, particularly in an enantioselective and diastereoselective manner.1 Since its inception, organocatalysis has undoubtedly developed into a potent toolbox in asymmetric catalysis,2 opening up new possibilities for desymmetrizing reactions. We have recently developed catalytic asymmetric de novo synthesis of chiral pyrroles through desymmetrizing oxidative [3+2]-cycloaddition and Van Leusen reaction.3 Recently, we have developed a desymmetrizing Friedel-Crafts reaction of pyrroles.4 Also, we will show our recently discoveries on the desymmetrization of bis-pyrroles5 and synthesis of oxazoles via desymmetrization.6
1) Y. Xu, T.-Y. Zhai, Z. Xu, L.-W. Ye, Trends in Chemistry 2022, 4, 191.
2) B. Han, X.H. He, Y.-Q. Liu, G. He, C. Peng, J.-L. Li, Chem. Soc. Rev. 2021, 50, 1522.
3) R. Khuntia, D. Maity, S. C. Pan, Chem. Eur. J. 2025, 31, e202404511.
4) R. Khuntia, S. Sarkar, A. Roy, S. C. Pan, Org. Lett. 2025, 27, 12035.
5) J. Barman, S. C. Pan, manuscript submitted.
6) D. D. Sahoo, S. C. Pan, manuscript submitted.
Professor Subhas Chandra Pan obtained his B.Sc. degree in Chemistry Honours in 2001 from Calcutta University and M.S. degree in 2004 from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. During his MS thesis he worked in Prof. Goverdhan Mehta's laboratory on the total synthesis of epoxyquinone natural products. He obtained his PhD degree in 2008 under the guidance of Prof. Benjamin List at the Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany. After doing postdoctoral studies at Harvard University with Prof. E J Corey and at the Scripps Research Institute, Florida with Prof. Glenn C. Micalizio, he joined IIT Guwahati as Assistant Professor in 2011 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2015 and to Full Professor in 2019. His research interest encompasses organo- and metal-catalyzed diastereo- and enantioselective reactions.
Awards:
DAE Young Scientist Research Award 2012
Thieme Chemistry Journal Award 2018
Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), 2021.
Editorial Advisory Board (EAB) of the Journal of Heterocyclic Chemistry from September 2020 onwards.
Early Career Editorial Board of Tetrahedron and Tetrahedron Letters from 2024.
CRSI Bronze medal 2025