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Active Research

Research Work

2025

Visible-Light-Driven Asymmetric C–H Functionalization

PhotoredoxEnantioselectiveC–H Activation
Active
Visible-light photoredox catalysis apparatus

Development of dual photoredox/chiral phosphoric acid catalytic systems for enantioselective radical C–H functionalization of indoline frameworks relevant to antiviral agents.

2024

Total Synthesis of Lycorine-Type Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids

Total SynthesisAlkaloidsAnti-Cancer
Active
Total synthesis research bench work

Stereocontrolled 16-step total synthesis routes to lycorine, lycoricidine, and narciclasine — bioactive alkaloids with proven anti-cancer activity against MDR tumour cell lines.

2024

AI-Assisted Retrosynthesis for Tropical Disease Drug Leads

Machine LearningDrug DiscoveryTropical Diseases
Newly Funded
AI-assisted retrosynthesis planning research

Integration of graph-neural-network retrosynthetic planning tools with DFT validation to identify 3–5 step routes to anti-malarial and anti-leishmanial compound libraries.

2020

Copper-Catalysed Aerobic Chan-Lam Amination — Mechanistic Studies

Copper CatalysisC–N CouplingMechanistic
Completed
Mechanistic study of copper-catalysed amination

Comprehensive mechanistic elucidation via EPR, kinetics, and DFT of Cu-mediated C–N bond formation. 8 publications, 1 patent, 34 citations. Completed 2024.

Scientific Output

Selected Publications

View All 187 →

* Corresponding author · ✝ Equal contribution · Full list on Publications page

2025
Dual Photoredox/Chiral Phosphoric Acid Catalysis for Enantioselective Radical C–H Amination
Pillai, R.✝; Sharma, D.✝; Kumar, A.; Paul, A.*
Journal of the American Chemical Society · 2025, 147, 3821–3835
10.1021/jacs.5c00221
2024
Pd(II)/MPAA-Catalysed Direct C-3 Arylation of Free Indoles: Scope, Mechanism, and Synthetic Applications
Krishnamurthy, P.; Rajan, S.; Paul, A.*
ACS Catalysis · 2024, 14, 8890–8907
10.1021/acscatal.4c01882
2024
Stereocontrolled Total Synthesis of (–)-Lycoricidine via a Rh-Catalysed [2+2+2] Cycloaddition Strategy
Pillai, R.; Bhat, M.; Gupta, N.; Paul, A.*
Angewandte Chemie International Edition · 2024, 63, e202317445
10.1002/anie.202317445
Intellectual Property

Filed Patents

📋
2024 · IN 202411054321
Process for Enantioselective Synthesis of 3-Aminoindolines via Visible-Light Photoredox Catalysis
Inventors: Paul A., Pillai R., Sharma D. · CSIR–IICT · Filed: March 2024
📋
2023 · IN 202311079234
Iron-Catalysed Aerobic Aromatic C–H Hydroxylation Process Using Aqueous Reaction Media
Inventors: Paul A., Rao V., Kumar A. · CSIR–IICT · Granted: Nov 2024
📋
2021 · WO 2021/245678 A1
Copper-Mediated Chan-Lam C–N Coupling Under Mild Aerobic Conditions: Catalyst Formulation and Process
Inventors: Paul A., Rajan S. · PCT International Patent · Granted: 2023
Recognition

Honours & Awards

🏆
2022
SERB National Science Chair
Science & Engineering Research Board, Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India
🏅
2021
CDRI Award for Excellence in Drug Research
CSIR–Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow
🎖️
2020
Fellow, National Academy of Sciences India (FNASI)
Allahabad, India
🎖️
2019
Fellow, Indian Chemical Society (FICS)
Kolkata, India
🏆
2018
CSIR Young Scientist Award — Chemical Sciences
Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, New Delhi
🏅
2017
INSA Medal for Young Scientists
Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi
🎖️
2015
DST–INSPIRE Faculty Award
Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India
Grants

Research Funding

2025
SERB–CRG: Visible-Light Asymmetric Radical C–H Functionalization

₹3.2 Crore · 4 years (2025–2029) · Core Research Grant, Science & Engineering Research Board, DST

Active
2024
DBT–Twinning Programme: AI-Guided Drug Lead Synthesis

₹2.8 Crore · 3 years (2024–2027) · Joint project with CSIR–CDRI Lucknow · Department of Biotechnology

Active
2022
CSIR Mission Mode: Synthesis of Anti-Malarial Scaffolds

₹1.5 Crore · 3 years (2022–2025) · Network project across CSIR–IICT, CSIR–CDRI, CSIR–IICB

Active
2018
DST–FIST: Modernisation of Synthesis Laboratories at CSIR–IICT

₹90 Lakhs · Equipment grant for NMR, HPLC, mass spectrometry upgrades · Completed 2023

Completed