Education

• Newcastle University , 2003, PhD, Chemistry

• University of Hull, 1999, BSc, Chemistry - Drug Design and Toxicology

Publications

• Development and Scale-Up of 7-COOH CBD Synthesis, a Key Cannabinoid Metabolite May 2024

  This article describes the process development required for the manufacture of a cannabidiol (CBD) metabolite, 7-carboxy cannabidiol (7-COOH CBD), starting from ∼0.5 mT of CBD.

• A Crystalline B12 Dimer from β-Cyano-Neocobyrate August 2008

  The crystal structure of β-cyano-neocobyric acid reveals a new vitamin B12 dimerization motif (see figure) that involves α-face interactions and Co-coordinated f-propionate side chains. This motif is reminiscent of the carboxylate-bonded heme dimer in β-haematin and hemozoin, the disposal form of heme in Plasmodium malaria.

• Fluorination and chlorination of nitroalkyl groups November 2007

  Heterocycles substituted with a nitromethyl (CH2NO2) or phenyl-nitromethyl (CHPhNO2) group were prepared by reaction of a methyl- or phenylmethyl-substituted heterocycle, respectively, with lithium di-isopropylamide followed by quenching the intermediate carbanion with methyl nitrate.

• Adenosyl-176-norcobinamide – A likely biosynthetic precursor to natural 176-norvitamin B12 derivatives February 2007

  The “complete” corrinoid 176-norpseudovitamin B12 was recently isolated as the cyano-Co(III)-form of the corrinoid cofactor of tetrachlorethene reductive dehalogenase of the anaerobe Sulfurospirillum (formerly Dehalospirillum) multivorans.

• Partial Synthesis of CoαCoβ-Dicyano-176-Norcobinamide December 2006

  Recent interest in norvitamin B12-derivatives, homologues of complete vitamin B12-derivatives, lacking the methyl group at carbon 176, stems from the identification of the corrinoid cofactor of the tetrachloroethene reductive dehalogenase of Sulfurospirillum multivorans as 176-nor-pseudovitamin B12.

• Vitamin B12: A Methyl Group without a Job? January 2006

• Biological Organometallic Chemistry of B12 January 2006

  Vitamin B12, the “antipernicious anemia factor” required for human and animal metabolism, was discovered in the late 1940s. B12-derivatives are cobalt complexes of the unique and remarkably complex corrin ligand, that belongs to the class of the natural tetrapyrroles.

• Synthesis of 2-(nitromethyl)ornithine from ornithine mediated by cobalt(III) March 2002

  Rac.-p-(tris(2-aminoethyl)amine-2-(nitromethyl)ornithine)cobalt(III) trichloride (2d) was obtained by a simple three-step procedure from ornithine using cobalt template chemistry. p-(Tris(2-aminoethyl)amine-ornithine)cobalt(III) trichloride (2a) was obtained from tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (tren) and (S)-ornithine in the presence of cobalt(II), which was oxidised to cobalt(III) during the reaction.