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.
- My Research
- Career
- Publications
- Grants and Funding
- Teaching
- Supervision
- Professional Activities
- Contact
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
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Journals
Year Citation 2020 Dissanayake, I., Hart, J. D., Becroft, E. C., Sumby, C. J., & Newton, C. G. (2020). Bisketene equivalents as diels-alder dienes. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 142(31), 13328-13333.
Scopus22019 Hart, J. D., Burchill, L., Day, A. J., Newton, C. G., Sumby, C. J., Huang, D. M., & George, J. H. (2019). Visible‐Light Photoredox Catalysis Enables the Biomimetic Synthesis of Nyingchinoids A, B, and D, and Rasumatranin D. Angewandte Chemie, 131(9), 2817-2820.
2019 Yahiaoui, O., Pašteka, L. F., Blake, C. J., Newton, C. G., & Fallon, T. (2019). Network Analysis of Substituted Bullvalenes.. Org Lett, 21(23), 9574-9578.
Scopus4 WoS3 Europe PMC12019 Hart, J., Burchill, L., Day, A., Newton, C., Sumby, C., Huang, D., & George, J. (2019). Visible-light photoredox catalysis enables the biomimetic synthesis of nyingchinoids A, B, and D, and rasumatranin D. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 58(9), 2791-2794.
Scopus7 WoS52019 Horvath, K. L., Newton, C. G., Roper, K. A., Ward, J. S., & Sherburn, M. S. (2019). A broad-spectrum synthesis of tetravinylethylenes. Chemistry - A European Journal, 25(16), 4072-4076.
Scopus3 WoS2 Europe PMC12018 Newton, C., Braconi, E., Kuziola, J., Wodrich, M., & Cramer, N. (2018). Axially chiral dibenzazepinones by a palladium(0)-catalyzed atropo-enantioselective C−H arylation. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, 57(34), 11040-11044.
Scopus42 WoS39 Europe PMC32018 Newton, C. G., Braconi, E., Kuziola, J., Wodrich, M. D., & Cramer, N. (2018). Axially Chiral Dibenzazepinones by a Palladium(0)-Catalyzed Atropo-enantioselective C−H Arylation. Angewandte Chemie, 130(34), 11206-11210.
2017 Newton, C., Wang, S., Oliveira, C., & Cramer, N. (2017). Catalytic enantioselective transformations involving C-H bond cleavage by transition-metal complexes. Chemical Reviews, 117(13), 8908-8976.
Scopus343 WoS339 Europe PMC802017 Newton, C. G., Tran, D. N., Wodrich, M. D., & Cramer, N. (2017). One-Step Multigram-Scale Biomimetic Synthesis of Psiguadial B. Angewandte Chemie, 129(44), 13964-13968.
2017 Newton, C., Tran, D., Wodrich, M., & Cramer, N. (2017). One-Step Multigram-Scale Biomimetic Synthesis of Psiguadial B. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, 56(44), 13776-13780.
Scopus24 WoS23 Europe PMC72016 Mackay, E., & Newton, C. (2016). Masked ketenes as dienophiles in the diels-alder reaction. Australian Journal of Chemistry, 69(12), 1365-1374.
Scopus3 WoS32016 Newton, C. G., Kossler, D., & Cramer, N. (2016). Asymmetric Catalysis Powered by Chiral Cyclopentadienyl Ligands. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 138(12), 3935-3941.
Scopus98 WoS98 Europe PMC332015 Newton, C., & Sherburn, M. (2015). Total synthesis of the pseudopterosin aglycones. Natural Product Reports, 32(6), 865-876.
Scopus11 WoS9 Europe PMC32015 Newton, C., Drew, S., Lawrence, A., Willis, A., Paddon-Row, M., & Sherburn, M. (2015). Pseudopterosin synthesis from a chiral cross-conjugated hydrocarbon through a series of cycloadditions. Nature Chemistry, 7(1), 82-86.
Scopus44 WoS40 Europe PMC162015 Mackay, E., Newton, C., Toombs-Ruane, H., Lindeboom, E., Fallon, T., Willis, A., . . . Sherburn, M. (2015). [5]Radialene. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 137(46), 14653-14659.
Scopus20 WoS18 Europe PMC22011 Cergol, K. M., Newton, C. G., Lawrence, A. L., Willis, A. C., Paddon-Row, M. N., & Sherburn, M. S. (2011). 1,1-Divinylallene. Angewandte Chemie, 123(44), 10609-10612.
2011 Cergol, K. M., Newton, C. G., Lawrence, A. L., Willis, A. C., Paddon-Row, M. N., & Sherburn, M. S. (2011). 1,1-divinylallene. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, 50(44), 10425-10428.
Scopus26 WoS22 Europe PMC62010 Mulchin, B., Newton, C., Baty, J., Grasso, C., Martin, W., Walton, M., . . . Stocker, B. (2010). The anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and tuberculostatic activities of a series of 6,7-substituted-5,8-quinolinequinones. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, 18(9), 3238-3251.
Scopus53 WoS52 Europe PMC17 -
Book Chapters
Year Citation 2019 Newton, C., & Cramer, N. (2019). Chiral Cp Ligands for Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Carbon–Hydrogen Bond Functionalization. In K. Tanaka (Ed.), Rhodium Catalysis in Organic Synthesis: Methods and Reactions (pp. 629-644). Germany: John Wiley & Sons.
2016 Newton, C., & Sherburn, M. (2016). Cross-conjugation in synthesis. In H. Hopf, & M. Sherburn (Eds.), Cross Conjugation: Dendralene, Radialene and Fulvene Chemistry (pp. 413-443). Germany: John Wiley & Sons.
Scopus5
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
Connect With Me
External Profiles
