Accepting PhD Students

PhD projects

Organometallic Chemistry: Synthesis, Structure and Application
We are interested in using a new class of ligands called carbones that are best described as neutral, C-centred, 4-electron donor ligands that are extremely useful in isolation of electron deficient main group (e.g. P and Bi) and transitional metal (e.g. Ru)species.

Green and Sustainable Chemistry
We are developing complexes based on earth abundant aluminium that act as very powerful Lewis acids for a variety of organic transformation such as Diels-Alder, Michael additions, borylations, dearomatisations, etc.

Medicinal chemistry
We collaborate with Retrotope (https://www.retrotope.com/) about the development of catalytic protocols for site-specific deuteration (i.e. H/D exchange) of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Deuterated PUFAs have been identified as an unique approach to treat various neurodegenerative diseases including dementia (e.g. Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s’).

20022023

Research activity per year

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Personal profile

Biography

Dr Drasko Vidovic obtained BSc at Simon Fraser University, Canada in 2002. He then moved to University of Texas at Austin, USA, for his PhD studies under the supervision of Prof Alan Cowley. In 2007, after finishing his PhD studies, Dr Vidovic joined the research group of Prof Simon Aldridge at Oxford University, UK. He stated his independent career in Singapore in the late 2010 and joined Monash University as a Senior Lecturer in December 2017.

Research interests

Our main research interests broadly fall within the field of green and sustainable catalysis. We are predominantly developing catalysts based on earth abundant aluminium for various organic transformations, such as Diels Alders cycloadditions, Michael additions, borylations, etc., including polymerization of cyclic dienophiles to create functionalized polyolefins. Our collaborative efforts with a pharmaceutical company Retrotope (https://www.retrotope.com/) are focused on catalytic, site-specific deuteration (H/D exchange) of polyunsaturated fatty acids as means to fight all forms of dementia (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's etc.), atherosclerosis, retinal diseases etc.  

 

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
  • SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy

Research area keywords

  • Catalysis
  • Aluminium
  • Green and Sustainable Chemistry
  • ruthenium
  • deuteration (H/D exchange)
  • polyunsaturated fatty acids
  • renewable materials
  • anti-corrosive materials
  • lubricants

Network

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