Peter DaBell
I have worked at the RSC since April 2019, having previously completed a PhD in synthetic organic chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. My strong interest in research and new scientific discovery, but lack of enthusiasm for repeated failed reactions, is why I left the lab and entered a career in publishing. Outside of work I enjoy watching, playing and obsessing over football, as well as following motorsport and playing guitar.
ResearchPlasma-based approach leads to more reactive oxygen donors for alkene epoxidation
Yield of epoxidation reaction increased, and waste reduced, by using CO2-derived atomic oxygen and plasma-based conditions
ResearchSafer fluorination process developed using flow electrochemistry
Automated system for constructing carbon–fluorine bonds quenches fluorine compounds to reduce exposure and risk to lab chemists
ResearchChemists reconsider the impact of through-space effects
Through-space electrostatic effects are shown to be dominant in certain radical reactions, where previously through-bond interactions were thought to determine reaction rate
ResearchBig data behind cheat sheets for optimising Buchwald–Hartwig cross-couplings
Interactive tools based on data from 62,000 reactions could help chemists eliminate human biases when selecting reaction conditions
ResearchHydrogen bond imparts more stability on transition state than expected
Study reveals importance of repulsive interactions
ResearchAlgorithm devises synthetic contingency plans for Covid-19 drug
Retrosynthesis software tool can identify multiple synthetic routes that use inexpensive and diverse starting materials while avoiding patented methods