The Clarke Group		Chemistry

	The Clarke Group
Welcome
Research Interests
Research Papers
Research Lectures
Meet the Group
Vacancies
Information
Group Resources

Dr. Paul A. Clarke (E-mail: paul.clarke@york.ac.uk)

Dr. Paul Clarke began his career at the University of Bath where he obtained his B.Sc(Hons) in 1993. He remained at Bath to study the utility and mechanism of intramolecular dioxirane epoxidation reactions under the supervision of Dr. A. Armstrong. In 1996, he obtained his Ph.D and moved to Florida State University where he spent two years working with Prof. R. A. Holton on the synthesis and functionalisation of taxane ring systems. In 1999, he returned to the UK to work on a carbenoid insertion approach to peptide synthesis with Prof. C. J. Moody at the University of Exeter. In September 1999, he was appointed as a lecturer in Organic Chemistry at the University of Nottingham, then in January 2006, he moved to his current position as a senior lecturer in Organic Chemistry at the University of York. Aside from chemistry his interests include following the fortunes of Plymouth Argyle football club and the Florida State Seminoles. When not involved in these activities he can usually be found enjoying a beer!

	University of York Links
Department of Chemistry

Kristaps Ermanis

Kris joined the group in Oct 2010 from Latvia to study for a MSc(research) in organic synthesis. Kris’s research project is the synthesis of the C20-C32 tetrahydropyran core of phorboxazole B, using anti-selective aldol reactions and oxy-Michael reactions as the key steps.

Philip Sellars

Philip is a native of Barnsley and graduated from the University of St. Andrews in summer 2008. Upon graduation he returned to Yorkshire to carry out Ph.D. studies in the Clarke group. Phil’s research is focused on the Asymmetric Pot, Atom and Step Economic (PASE) synthesis of highly functionalised piperid-4-ones and is funded by the Department of Chemistry at the University of York.

Bun Yeung

Bun joined the group from Hong Kong in Oct 2010, to study for a PhD in organic synthesis. Bun’s work is focused on the development of the asymmetric dihydropyran-forming Maitland-Japp reaction and conversion of these dihydropyrans into both 2,6-cis and 2,6-anti tetrahydropyrans. These structural units are found in natural products like lasonolide A and phorboxazole B.

Past Group Members

Rebecca Davie (2000-2003)

Towards the synthesis of the ABC-rings of FR182877.

Matthew Grist (2000-2003)

Synthesis of a DEF-ring core of hexacyclinic acid and FR182877.

Blaithin Boland (2002-2003)

Development of Methodology Towards the Synthesis of Reduced Heterocycles.

Krzysztof Ambroziak (2003-2004)

Asymmetric catalysis using metal salen complexes.

William Martin (2001-2004)

New Strategies for the Synthesis of Tetrahydropyrans.

Martin Smith (2001-2004)

Desymmetrisation of 1,n-diols using lanthanide (III) salts.

Pablo Suarez (2004-2005)

The Asymmetric Maitland-Japp Reaction.

Richard Black (2002-2005)

Transannulation Reactions in Natural Product Synthesis.

Dr. Nigel Bainbridge (2005-2006)

Strategies for the Synthesis of the FR182877 Ring Systems.

Dr. Matthew Vale (2004-2006)

The Absolute Asymmetric Preparation of Amino acids and Carbohydrates.

Andrew Cridland (2003-2006)

Synthesis of the ABC-Rings of Hexacyclinic acid.

Dr. Wencke Steinle (2005-2007)

Synthesis of the C33-C46 Tail of the Phorboxazoles.

Dr. Andrey Zaytzev (2006-2007)

Pot, Atom and Step Economic Synthesis of Highly functionalised Piperidines

Mei-Hsuan Tsai (Maggie) (2006-2007)

Towards the Synthesis of Prelactone B

Gabriele Rolla (2004-2007)

Towards the Synthesis of the ABC-rings of Hexacyclinic acid

Soraia Santos (2004-2007)

Pot, Atom and Step Economic Synthesis of Highly Functionalised THPs: Synthesis of the bis-Pyran Unit of Phorboxazole B

Jason Hargreaves (2005-2009)

Strategies for the synthesis of the C20-C32 Core of the Phorboxazoles

Dr. Elin Abraham (2008-2009)

Synthesis of the Polyene Tail of the Phorboxazoles

Dr. Dan Woollaston (2008-2010)

Strategies for the synthesis of the C20-C32 Core of the Phorboxazoles and the Pinguisanes

Andrew Reeder (2007-2010)

Towards the synthesis of the Pinguisane-type sesquiterpenoids

Mudassar Iqbal (2007-2010)

Studies on the total synthesis of Hexacyclinic acid

Nimesh Mistry (2007-2011)

Synthesis of the C1-C19 bis-pyran unit of phorboxazole B and synthesis of sialic acid analogues

Joby Winn (2008-2011)

Transannulation reactions in the synthesis of sesquiterpene natural products

Laurence Burroughs (2008-2011)

Prebiotic genesis of carbohydrates