Crudden Research Lab

Research

Self-Assembled Monolayers on Gold

N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) are ultra stable ligands for gold and other metal surfaces. We are broadening the application of NHCs to curved nanomaterials such as nanoparticles and nanoclusters

Asymmetric Catalysis & Organoboron Chemistry

Utilizing enantioenriched boronic esters as valuable starting materials for enantiospecific cross-coupling reactions. Continuous exploration of new enantiospecific transformations and mechanistic understanding.

Borenium Catalysis

Unique molecules containing a highly Lewis-acidic boron atom capable of catalyzing useful reduction reactions. Expansion of scope of the structure and reactivity of borenium ions towards new metal-free catalytic reactions.

Publications

N-Heterocyclic carbene-functionalized magic number gold nanoclusters

Nature Chem. 2019, 11, 419.

N-Heterocyclic Carbenes in Materials Chemistry

Chem. Rev. 2019, 119, 4986.

Cu-Catalyzed Desulfonative Amination of Benzhydryl Sulfones

Chem. Eur. J. 2019, 25, 1923

Generation and Conversion of an N-Heterocyclic Carbene on Pt(111)

Chem. Commun. 2018, 54, 12527

Synthesis of Diblock and Triblock Polymers from Cyclooctadiene and Norbornene Via ROMP in Miniemulsion

Macromolecular Rapid Comm, 2019, 40, 1900087

A Career In Catalysis: Howard Alper

ACS Catal., 2019, 9 (7), 6467 – 6483

Modular Synthesis of a-fluorinated Arylmethanes via Desulfonative Cross-Coupling

Nature Communications, 2019, accepted for publication.

Robust, Highly Luminescent Au13 Superatoms Protected by N-Heterocyclic Carbenes

ChemRxiv, 2019

Copper-Catalyzed Desulfonative Cross-Coupling of Benzhydryl Sulfones with Azoles

Chem. Lett., 2019, Advanced online publication.

Pyridine-Catalyzed Desulfonative Borylation of Benzyl Sulfones

The Boss

In 1996, Cathleen started her own research group at the University of New Brunswick. In 2002, she moved to Queen’s University.

In 2013, Cathleen was offered a position as a member of the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM) at Nagoya University where she runs a full-time satellite lab.

Cathleen is a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair and the recipient of the 2019 Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award.

“I truly believe that a happy student is a productive student. Therefore, I do my best to ensure that all my students are contented.”

“It’s very important that students are able to do their own problem solving and work independently, especially when it comes to research ideas. I try to encourage students to develop and pursue their own ideas.”

“I usually suggest that students choose two projects, one relatively safe and one more risky. This way, students can work a really exciting project and at the same time, be confident that they will leave my group with publications.”

Want to know more?

Teaching philosophy & bio

molecular catalysis. materials chemistry