Christopher Newton

Dr Christopher Newton

DECRA Fellow

School of Physical Sciences

Faculty of Sciences

Christopher Newton obtained his undergraduate degree from Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand), and his PhD from the Australian National University under the supervision of Professor Michael Sherburn. Chris then moved to Lausanne, Switzerland to conduct a postdoctoral stay in the group of Professor Nicolai Cramer, before returning to Australia in 2018 to begin his independent academic career as a DECRA Fellow at the University of Adelaide.

Conceptualising Efficient Synthesis

The art and science of organic synthesis has reached a level where one can envision a synthetic route to almost any designed or natural molecule. Despite this spectacular achievement, the ability to access meaningful quantities of complex organic molecules is often impossible via current means. Traditionally, complex targets are synthesised from cheap, readily available feed-stocks, through lengthy sequences of chemical transformations. Each reaction requires expensive reagents, solvents, specialised equipment, and complex purification procedures, while also generating waste that has to be disposed of appropriately. Research in the Newton group is focused on directly addressing the problem of step-economy through the development of new reactions and strategies that enable the rapid generation of molecular complexity.

 

For more details check out our research group website at: https://www.newton-lab.org/

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  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2018 ARC DECRA Fellow University of Adelaide
    2015 - 2018 EPFL Postdoctoral Fellow École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2021 Award Thieme Chemistry Journals Award International Award Germany —
    2017 Award Bayer Synthetic Organic Chemistry Postdoc Workshop Bayer Germany —
    2015 Award RACI Mander Award for Best PhD Thesis in Organic Chemistry National Award Australia —
    2015 Award Vice-Chancellor’s Human Development and Resources Travel Grant Australian National University Australia —
    2010 Scholarship Research School of Chemistry Supplementary Scholarship Australian National University Australia —
    2010 Scholarship Alan Sargeson Merit Scholarship Australian National University Australia —
    2010 Scholarship Australian Postgraduate Award Australian National University Australia —
    2009 Scholarship Summer Research Scholarship Australian National University Australia —
    2009 Scholarship Curtis–Gordon Research Scholarship in Chemistry Victoria University of Wellington New Zealand —

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    2010 - 2014 Australian National University Australia PhD
    2006 - 2009 Victoria University of Wellington New Zealand Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with Honours (1st Class)

  • Certifications
    Date Title Institution name Country
    2020 ACS Reviewer Lab American Chemical Society —

  • Research Interests
    Catalysis and Mechanisms of Reactions Natural Products Chemistry Organic Chemical Synthesis Organic Chemistry Transition Metal Chemistry

2018: Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA), Australian Research Council

2016: EPFL Postdoctoral Fellowship, Marie Skłodowska–Curie Action

2019 – 2020: Bioorganic Chemistry
3rd Year Bachelor Course, ca. 40 students, 8 lectures, 4 tutorials

2018 – 2020: Asymmetric Synthesis
3rd Year Bachelor Course, ca. 40 students, 4 lectures, 2 tutorials

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  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2019 Co-Supervisor Enantioselective Hydroacylation for the Synthesis of Spirocycles Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Jacob David Hart
    2018 Co-Supervisor Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Products Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Aaron John Day

  • Other Supervision Activities
    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2019 - 2019 Principal Supervisor Enantioselective Hydroacylation University of Adelaide — Honours Full Time Daniel Overend
    2019 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Bisketene Equivalents as Diels–Alder Dienes University of Adelaide — Doctorate Full Time Isuru Dissanayake
    2018 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Bisketene Equivalents as Diels–Alder Dienes University of Adelaide — Honours Full Time Isuru Dissanayake
    2018 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Enantioselective Hydroacylation University of Adelaide Visiting Masters student from The University of Rostock, Germany Master Full Time Jennifer Kuziola

  • Mentoring
    Date Topic Location Name
    2020 - 2020 Principles & Practice of Research II University of Adelaide Joe Milne
    2019 - 2020 Summer Scholar University of Adelaide Emma Becroft
    2019 - 2019 Principles & Practice of Research III University of Adelaide Liam Franov
    2019 - 2019 Research Volunteer University of Adelaide Makeisha Cole
    2018 - 2019 Summer Scholar University of Adelaide Liam Franov
    2018 - 2018 Research Volunteer University of Adelaide Lewis McFarlane
    2018 - 2018 Principles & Practice of Research II University of Adelaide Lewis McFarlane
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  • Community Engagement
    Date Title Engagement Type Institution Country
    2019 - 2020 Co-host of "Chemistry Spectacular" 2019 Public Community Engagement University of Adelaide Australia
    2018 - 2020 Department of Chemistry Seminar Coordinator Scientific Community Engagement University of Adelaide Australia

  • Presentation
    Date Topic Presented at Institution Country
    2020 - 2020 Bisketene Equivalents as Diels–Alder Dienes — N/A (National Online Seminar Series) Australia
    2020 - 2020 Bisketene Equivalents as Diels–Alder Dienes — University of Edinburgh United Kingdom
    2020 - 2020 (Towards) The Rapid Generation of Structural Complexity — University of Georgia United States
    2019 - 2019 Bisketene Equivalents as Diels–Alder Dienes RACI Adelaide Synthesis Symposium Flinders University Australia
    2019 - 2019 Towards Efficient Synthesis of Complex Aromatics — University of Wollongong Australia
    2019 - 2019 Towards Efficient Synthesis of Complex Aromatics — University of New South Wales Australia
    2019 - 2019 Bisketene Equivalents as Diels–Alder Dienes SynthCon5 N/A (Conference) —
    2019 - 2019 (Towards) The Rapid Generation of Structural Complexity — Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery Australia
    2019 - 2019 Bisketene Equivalents as Diels–Alder Dienes Heron8 N/A (Conference) Australia
    2019 - 2019 (Towards) The Rapid Generation of Structural Complexity — Technical University of Braunschweig Germany
    2019 - 2019 (Towards) The Rapid Generation of Structural Complexity — University of Zurich Switzerland
    2018 - 2018 One‐Step Multigram‐Scale Biomimetic Synthesis of Psiguadial B RACI Organic Division National Congress (Organic18) University of Western Australia Australia
    2018 - 2018 Towards Efficient Synthesis of Complex Aromatics — Victoria University of Wellington New Zealand
    2018 - 2018 Towards Efficient Synthesis of Complex Aromatics — Flinders University Australia
    2018 - 2018 Towards Efficient Synthesis of Complex Aromatics — University of Adelaide Australia
    2017 - 2017 One‐Step Multigram‐Scale Biomimetic Synthesis of Psiguadial B — University of Bern Switzerland
    2014 - 2014 Synthesis and Application of 1,1-Divinylallene RACI National Congress N/A (Conference) Australia
    2012 - 2012 Synthesis and Application of 1,1-Divinylallene 19th International Conference on Organic Synthesis N/A (Conference) Australia

  • Review, Assessment, Editorial and Advice
    Date Title Type Institution Country
    2018 - ongoing Reviewer for JACS, Org. Lett., J. Nat. Prod., and Org. Chem. Front. Journal Review University of Adelaide Australia
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