Organolithiums are amongst the most widely used reagents in synthetic chemistry, but are unsustainable given the low natural abundance of lithium (≤20 ppm) which is increasingly required for battery technology. Sodium is >1,000 more naturally abundant than lithium, offering substantial sustainability benefits. This exciting project, in partnership with the globally leading agrochemical company Syngenta, will develop and apply new organosodium reagents in organic synthesis. This will build upon our recent work employing group 1 metals to enable sustainable, mechanochemical processes (see: Nature Synthesis, 2025, ASAP and J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147, 40895). The aim of the project is to develop a series of new catalytic reactions, enabling the sustainable synthesis of biologically relevant molecules. The student will receive cutting-edge training in synthetic techniques (catalysis, mechanochemistry, reaction optimization), purification and analysis (NMR, HPLC, MS, X-ray crystallography). Moreover, a 12-week placement and regular meetings with Syngenta will give the student first-hand experience of research in a world-leading industrial setting.
For more information about research in the Armstrong group, please see our webpages here.
Application closing date: 18 January 2026
For more information and to apply visit https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/phd-studentship-in-synthetic-organic-chemistry-mechanochemical-synthesis-and-reactivity-of-next-generation-organometallic-reagents/?p192869
