Karl Collins
Karl was born in the depths of Yorkshire, but moved to Manchester to study chemistry.
Following his Master’s in chemistry, which included a year working in pharma, he stayed on at the University of Manchester for PhD in organic synthesis with David Procter. While his chemistry improved his accent didn’t, and the mixture of northern influences were further aggravated when he moved to Germany for a postdoc in catalysis with Frank Glorius. Now speaking an awkward mix of northern English with German grammar and bad German with terrible grammar, Karl decided to remain in Germany and currently works as a medicinal chemistry laboratory head at Bayer Pharma, Wuppertal. He has dedicated interests beyond medicinal chemistry in photochemistry, contemporary catalysis and screening methodologies for reaction evaluation and exploration.
Opinion'Coffee machine' synthesiser's first steps
Cartridge-based machine enables non-experts to make heterocycles
OpinionIn search of ultimate selectivity
A catalyst that reacts only with aryl iodides, spurning bromides and chlorides
OpinionCombining Lewis acid and redox catalysis
Organic phenalenyl cations perform a dual role without transition metals
OpinionMaking light work of synthesis
The LED zeppelin is flying high, but is it all hot air asks Karl Collins
OpinionKetones perform at the palladium
C–H activation takes the stress out of organometallic couplings
OpinionForcing fluorines into shape
Sometimes unnatural molecules can be more challenging to synthesise than natural metabolites
OpinionNickel catalyst couples alcohols and carbon dioxide
Flexibility and low cost make nickel a firm favourite in catalysis
OpinionFunctionalising pyridines with phosphonium salts
Newly-independent research groups often bring new perspectives to synthesis
OpinionLighting up crowded corners
Combining photocatalysis with organocatalysis opens doors to chiral quaternary centres
OpinionAn odd couple
Coupling unactivated phenols with amines requires an unusual approach, as Karl Collins discovers
OpinionScratching chiral surfaces
Heterogeneous asymmetric catalysis beyond hydrogenation is tricky, says Karl Collins
OpinionA witches’ brew for trifluoromethylation
Karl Collins is surprised by the difficulty of a seemingly simple alkylation
OpinionDispelling nickel’s catalytic demons
Stable Ni(IV) complexes could help nickel rival its flashier platinum-group cousins, says Karl Collins
OpinionBack to basics for silylation
Karl Collins applauds the simplicity of adding silicon to heterocycles with KOtBu
OpinionAlkynes reverse reactivity
A mild coupling of alkynes with thiol nucleophiles appeals to Karl Collins
OpinionTwisting activity from amides
When amides get out of shape, a whole new world of asymmetric aldol reactions opens up, says Karl Collins
OpinionShow the way but leave no trace
Karl Collins examines a stealthy strategy for directed C–H activation