Anshika Kalra
ANSHIKA KALRA
Email:------------, Phone:------------, Rolla, MO, ------------/in/anshikakalra/
SUMMARY
• Detail-oriented synthetic chemist with expertise in organic, organometallics, inorganic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis.
• Experienced in design, synthesis, formulation and characterization of small-to-complex organic molecules, ligands and organometallic catalyst.
• Expertise in the area of C–H bond functionalization and non-precious transition metal catalysis chemistry.
• Experienced in process and product development, purification, optimization, and capable of analytical data analysis, from pilot to large scale reactions.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to contribute to multiple projects simultaneously.
SKILLS
• Independently designed, synthesized eight new challenging bulky chiral guanidyl arms based organometallic catalysts to address the issues of enantioselectivity in the amination of light alkanes and carried out its detailed mechanistic and kinetic studies.
• As a team designed, synthesized and fully characterized a family of fifty new catalytic systems that rely on tripodal framework based anionic metal reagents (M=Mn, Fe, Co and Ni) and performed its detailed mechanistic, kinetic and computational studies. Also explored its application to the catalytic aziridination of a wide range of olefinic substrates.
• Mentored 3 undergraduate students on their projects on “Identification and exploration of metal reagent/N-group donor combinations suited for successful amination of alkanes and aromatics”.
• Excellent organization, interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal).
• Creative and analytical thinker, performance driven, superior problem-solving, computer and mathematical skills.
• Proficient in using ChemDraw, Scifinder and Microsoft office.
• Ability to learn and work in a fast-paced environment and under strict deadlines, can blend and fit beautifully into mixed cultures and very open-minded to receive feedback from others.
• As a graduate teaching assistant, supervised and provided the technical training to the group of undergraduate students.
• As an NMR teaching assistant, was involved in its maintenance and providing mandatory software training to the group of other graduates and undergraduates.
EDUCATION
PhD – Chemistry, Jan 2015–February 2021 (Expected)
Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO, USA.
Dissertation title- “Synthesis of tripodal based chiral guanidine framework metallo-organic catalysts for C-N bond construction via nitrene-transfer chemistry”
MSc – Chemistry, 2011–2013
Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
Dissertation title- “Synthesis of unsymmetrical selenides and their characterization using various spectroscopic techniques”
Honors: First Class
BSc – Chemistry, 2008– 2011
Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
Honors: First Class
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 2015–Present Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Chemistry
• Designing of multi-step synthetic pathway of compounds involving 6-7 steps.
• Synthesis of organic framework-based ligands including the chiral guanidyl arms ligands using techniques such as glove box and schlenk lines.
• Improved the yields of few of the bulky chiral framework guanidyl arms ligands from <10% to 65% by trying different synthetic routes and optimization conditions.
• Developed a new method for the synthesis of sterically hindered tripodal tert-butyl armed ligand (yield= 85%, reaction time= 10min) which otherwise tend to be difficult to install.
• Evaluated the compounds using techniques such as NMR (1H, 2H, 1D,2D,19F), HPLC, IR, UV, GC-MS, ESI-MS, EPR, crystallization, sublimation, distillation, X-ray crystallography, column chromatography.
• Preparation and characterization of monoanionic metal reagents mostly using less toxic, earth abundant and non-expensive first row transition metals (M= Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Cu) and demonstrated that attenuated levels of electrophilicity of these anionic reagents are more suitable for discriminating aromatic vs. aliphatic alkene for aziridination purposes.
• Successfully reported the highest ratio (62:1) as compared to the literature (19:1) in the case of styrene versus 1- hexene competitive aziridination reaction, using one of our anionic metal reagents.
• Investigated the wide range of different substrates for studying the C=C bond activation activity of the synthesized catalysts especially the aliphatic alkenes which has not been explored well so far in the literature.
• Developed a more sustainable chiral metal catalysts for enantioselective transformation of C–H and C=C to C–N or C–C bond using less toxic, earth abundant and non-precious metals like Mn, Fe and Cu than commonly used Ru, Rh, Pd and Ir which are toxic and expensive too.
• Attempted a range of different substrates for the enantioselective aziridination and amination reactions with the synthesized chiral metal catalysts as the substrate scope is quite restricted so far in this field.
• Synthesized, purified, characterized and explored various kinds of reported nitrene and carbene sources at variable temperature and time conditions with different synthesized chiral catalyst for the purpose of achieving high enantiomeric excess.
• Detailed mechanistic and kinetic studies of the synthesized metal catalysts (Hammett Plot, Kinetic isotopic effect (KIE), Stereo control, Radical clock studies, Comparative Reaction Profile and Selectivity) supported the role of carboradicals in catalytic aziridination reactions.
• Experienced in the synthesis, purification and characterization of highly air and moisture sensitive deuterated styrenes used for studying the KIE effect.
• Executed redox potential of the synthesized metal complexes inside the glove box using cyclic voltammetry.
• DFT computational work (in collaboration) verified the electronic structure of key metal-nitrene intermediates and evaluated the thermodynamics of aziridine formation for different metal complexes which agreed with the experimental data.
• Experienced in handling of pyrophoric, air and moisture sensitive compounds.
• Experienced in controlling the variable low-temperature reactions.
Panjab University, Chandigarh, India 2013–2014
Research Assistant, Department of Chemistry
• Synthesized and characterized organochalcogen based pyrimidine derivatives.
• Investigated and evaluated the structure, reactivity of these derivatives for their antibacterial applications.
PUBLICATIONS
• V. Bagchi, A. Kalra, P. Das, P. Paraskevopoulou, S. Gorla, L. Ai, Q. Wang, S. Mohapatra, A. Choudhury,T. Cundari, P. Stavropoulos, “Comparative nitrene-transfer chemistry to olefinic substrates M=mediated by a library of anionic Mn(II) triphenylamido-amine reagents and M(II) Congeners (Fe, Co, Ni) favoring aromatic over aliphatic alkenes”, ACS Catalysis, 2018, 8, 9183.
• V. Bagchi, A. Kalra, P. Das, P. Paraskevopoulou, S. Gorla, A. Choudhury, P. Stavropoulos, “Synthesis and characterization of a library of Co(II) triphenylamido-amine reagents and M(II) analogs (M = Mn, Fe) and its application to the catalytic aziridination of olefinic substrates”, ACS Catalysis. (Manuscript submitted)
• “Development of novel first-row transition-metal reagents for application in the catalytic amination of non-functionalized alkanes and aromatics”, A. Kalra, P. Stavropoulos. (In preparation)
• “Design and synthesis of cationic metal reagents with chiral framework guanidinyl arms and exploring its scope in challenging amination and aziridination reactions via nitrene transfer chemistry”, A. Kalra, A. Choudhury, P. Stavropoulos. (In preparation)
PRESENTATIONS
• “Asymmetric C-H bonds to C-N bonds mediated by the cationic guanidine framework based chiral ligands”, Midwest ACS Symposium, Wichita, KS, 2019.
• “Design and synthesis of cationic metal reagents with chiral framework guanidinyl arms and exploring its scope in challenging amination and aziridination reactions via nitrene transfer chemistry”, National Organic Symposium, Bloomington, IN, 2019.
• “Comparative nitrene-transfer chemistry to olefinic substrates mediated by a library of anionic Mn(II) triphenylamido-amine reagents and M(II) congeners (Fe, Co, Ni) favoring aromatic over aliphatic alkenes”, Missouri Inorganic Day, Rolla, MO, 2018.
• “Comparative nitrene-transfer chemistry to olefinic substrates mediated by a library of anionic Mn(II) triphenylamido-amine reagents and M(II) congeners (Fe, Co, Ni) favoring aromatic over aliphatic alkenes”, 256th ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA, 2018.
AFFILIATIONS
• American Chemical Society Member.
• Member of American Red Cross Society.
ANSHIKA KALRA
Email:------------, Phone:------------, Rolla, MO, ------------/in/anshikakalra/
SUMMARY
• Detail-oriented synthetic chemist with expertise in organic, organometallics, inorganic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis.
• Experienced in design, synthesis, formulation and characterization of small-to-complex organic molecules, ligands and organometallic catalyst.
• Expertise in the area of C–H bond functionalization and non-precious transition metal catalysis chemistry.
• Experienced in process and product development, purification, optimization, and capable of analytical data analysis, from pilot to large scale reactions.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to contribute to multiple projects simultaneously.
SKILLS
• Independently designed, synthesized eight new challenging bulky chiral guanidyl arms based organometallic catalysts to address the issues of enantioselectivity in the amination of light alkanes and carried out its detailed mechanistic and kinetic studies.
• As a team designed, synthesized and fully characterized a family of fifty new catalytic systems that rely on tripodal framework based anionic metal reagents (M=Mn, Fe, Co and Ni) and performed its detailed mechanistic, kinetic and computational studies. Also explored its application to the catalytic aziridination of a wide range of olefinic substrates.
• Mentored 3 undergraduate students on their projects on “Identification and exploration of metal reagent/N-group donor combinations suited for successful amination of alkanes and aromatics”.
• Excellent organization, interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal).
• Creative and analytical thinker, performance driven, superior problem-solving, computer and mathematical skills.
• Proficient in using ChemDraw, Scifinder and Microsoft office.
• Ability to learn and work in a fast-paced environment and under strict deadlines, can blend and fit beautifully into mixed cultures and very open-minded to receive feedback from others.
• As a graduate teaching assistant, supervised and provided the technical training to the group of undergraduate students.
• As an NMR teaching assistant, was involved in its maintenance and providing mandatory software training to the group of other graduates and undergraduates.
EDUCATION
PhD – Chemistry, Jan 2015–February 2021 (Expected)
Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO, USA.
Dissertation title- “Synthesis of tripodal based chiral guanidine framework metallo-organic catalysts for C-N bond construction via nitrene-transfer chemistry”
MSc – Chemistry, 2011–2013
Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
Dissertation title- “Synthesis of unsymmetrical selenides and their characterization using various spectroscopic techniques”
Honors: First Class
BSc – Chemistry, 2008– 2011
Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
Honors: First Class
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 2015–Present Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Chemistry
• Designing of multi-step synthetic pathway of compounds involving 6-7 steps.
• Synthesis of organic framework-based ligands including the chiral guanidyl arms ligands using techniques such as glove box and schlenk lines.
• Improved the yields of few of the bulky chiral framework guanidyl arms ligands from <10% to 65% by trying different synthetic routes and optimization conditions.
• Developed a new method for the synthesis of sterically hindered tripodal tert-butyl armed ligand (yield= 85%, reaction time= 10min) which otherwise tend to be difficult to install.
• Evaluated the compounds using techniques such as NMR (1H, 2H, 1D,2D,19F), HPLC, IR, UV, GC-MS, ESI-MS, EPR, crystallization, sublimation, distillation, X-ray crystallography, column chromatography.
• Preparation and characterization of monoanionic metal reagents mostly using less toxic, earth abundant and non-expensive first row transition metals (M= Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Cu) and demonstrated that attenuated levels of electrophilicity of these anionic reagents are more suitable for discriminating aromatic vs. aliphatic alkene for aziridination purposes.
• Successfully reported the highest ratio (62:1) as compared to the literature (19:1) in the case of styrene versus 1- hexene competitive aziridination reaction, using one of our anionic metal reagents.
• Investigated the wide range of different substrates for studying the C=C bond activation activity of the synthesized catalysts especially the aliphatic alkenes which has not been explored well so far in the literature.
• Developed a more sustainable chiral metal catalysts for enantioselective transformation of C–H and C=C to C–N or C–C bond using less toxic, earth abundant and non-precious metals like Mn, Fe and Cu than commonly used Ru, Rh, Pd and Ir which are toxic and expensive too.
• Attempted a range of different substrates for the enantioselective aziridination and amination reactions with the synthesized chiral metal catalysts as the substrate scope is quite restricted so far in this field.
• Synthesized, purified, characterized and explored various kinds of reported nitrene and carbene sources at variable temperature and time conditions with different synthesized chiral catalyst for the purpose of achieving high enantiomeric excess.
• Detailed mechanistic and kinetic studies of the synthesized metal catalysts (Hammett Plot, Kinetic isotopic effect (KIE), Stereo control, Radical clock studies, Comparative Reaction Profile and Selectivity) supported the role of carboradicals in catalytic aziridination reactions.
• Experienced in the synthesis, purification and characterization of highly air and moisture sensitive deuterated styrenes used for studying the KIE effect.
• Executed redox potential of the synthesized metal complexes inside the glove box using cyclic voltammetry.
• DFT computational work (in collaboration) verified the electronic structure of key metal-nitrene intermediates and evaluated the thermodynamics of aziridine formation for different metal complexes which agreed with the experimental data.
• Experienced in handling of pyrophoric, air and moisture sensitive compounds.
• Experienced in controlling the variable low-temperature reactions.
Panjab University, Chandigarh, India 2013–2014
Research Assistant, Department of Chemistry
• Synthesized and characterized organochalcogen based pyrimidine derivatives.
• Investigated and evaluated the structure, reactivity of these derivatives for their antibacterial applications.
PUBLICATIONS
• V. Bagchi, A. Kalra, P. Das, P. Paraskevopoulou, S. Gorla, L. Ai, Q. Wang, S. Mohapatra, A. Choudhury,T. Cundari, P. Stavropoulos, “Comparative nitrene-transfer chemistry to olefinic substrates M=mediated by a library of anionic Mn(II) triphenylamido-amine reagents and M(II) Congeners (Fe, Co, Ni) favoring aromatic over aliphatic alkenes”, ACS Catalysis, 2018, 8, 9183.
• V. Bagchi, A. Kalra, P. Das, P. Paraskevopoulou, S. Gorla, A. Choudhury, P. Stavropoulos, “Synthesis and characterization of a library of Co(II) triphenylamido-amine reagents and M(II) analogs (M = Mn, Fe) and its application to the catalytic aziridination of olefinic substrates”, ACS Catalysis. (Manuscript submitted)
• “Development of novel first-row transition-metal reagents for application in the catalytic amination of non-functionalized alkanes and aromatics”, A. Kalra, P. Stavropoulos. (In preparation)
• “Design and synthesis of cationic metal reagents with chiral framework guanidinyl arms and exploring its scope in challenging amination and aziridination reactions via nitrene transfer chemistry”, A. Kalra, A. Choudhury, P. Stavropoulos. (In preparation)
PRESENTATIONS
• “Asymmetric C-H bonds to C-N bonds mediated by the cationic guanidine framework based chiral ligands”, Midwest ACS Symposium, Wichita, KS, 2019.
• “Design and synthesis of cationic metal reagents with chiral framework guanidinyl arms and exploring its scope in challenging amination and aziridination reactions via nitrene transfer chemistry”, National Organic Symposium, Bloomington, IN, 2019.
• “Comparative nitrene-transfer chemistry to olefinic substrates mediated by a library of anionic Mn(II) triphenylamido-amine reagents and M(II) congeners (Fe, Co, Ni) favoring aromatic over aliphatic alkenes”, Missouri Inorganic Day, Rolla, MO, 2018.
• “Comparative nitrene-transfer chemistry to olefinic substrates mediated by a library of anionic Mn(II) triphenylamido-amine reagents and M(II) congeners (Fe, Co, Ni) favoring aromatic over aliphatic alkenes”, 256th ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA, 2018.
AFFILIATIONS
• American Chemical Society Member.
• Member of American Red Cross Society.