Dr Christopher Jones
Senior Lecturer
School of Physical and Chemical Sciences
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London
Research
Organic chemistry, Methodology development, Heterocyclic synthesis, Reactive intermediates (arynes), Functionalised carbon nanomaterials
Interests
We are interested in developing new synthetic organic methodology that has the potential to impact upon contemporary socioeconomic issues such as new drug discovery and the need to find more sustainable chemical feedstocks. As such, we aim to harness the high levels of reactivity of arynes, carbenes and radicals (“reactive intermediates”), as they afford unique and powerful opportunities to control challenging new chemical and biological processes. In our group we are particularly focused on exploiting aryne reactivity for the development of new synthetic strategies, in addition to exploring related applications in functional carbon nanomaterial preparation. Overall, we strive to facilitate the employment of cheap and abundant hydrocarbon sources within chemical processes and therefore reduce our reliance upon more limited and heavily functionalised starting materials.Publications
Publications of specific relevance to the Centre for Chemical Research2024
Investigating the effect of Fe–N 5 configuration in the oxygen reduction reaction using N-heterocycle functionalized carbon nanotubesLi Q, Zhao Q, Pedersen A, Zhang M, Lin Z, Xu Y, Cullen PL, Sapelkin A, Di Tommaso D, Titirici M-M and Jones CR
Journal of Materials Chemistry A, Royal Society of Chemistry (Rsc) vol. 12 (41), 28074-28084.
26-09-2024
Alkynes fuel free carbene formationSiddiq K and Jones CR
Nature Chemistry, Nature Research vol. 16 (7), 1047-1048.
01-07-2024
syn -1,2-Diaminobenzocyclobutenes from [2+2] cycloaddition of 2-imidazolones with arynesUr Rehman Shah H, Li Q and Jones CR
Chemical Communications, Royal Society of Chemistry (Rsc)
01-01-2024
2023
Investigating the Role of Fe‐Pyrrolic N4 Configuration in the Oxygen Reduction Reaction via Covalently Bound Porphyrin Functionalized Carbon NanotubesLi Q, Xu Y, Pedersen A, Wang M, Zhang M, Feng J, Luo H, Titirici M and Jones CR
Advanced Functional Materials, Wiley vol. 34 (16)
31-12-2023
Pyridine Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes: Unveiling the Role of External Pyridinic Nitrogen Sites for Oxygen Reduction ReactionXu Y, Xie R, Li Q, Feng J, Luo H, Ye Q, Guo Z, Cao Y, Palma M, Chai G, Titirici MM and Jones CR
Small, Wiley
07-07-2023
Rarely used strained molecules step up for organic synthesisIdiris FIM and Jones CR
Nature, Springer Nature vol. 618 (7966), 683-685.
19-06-2023
Selective access to dihydrophenanthridines and phenanthridinones via cyclisation of aryl amines onto N -tethered arynesSun W, Uttendorfer M, Idiris FIM, Werling AYR, Siddiq K and Jones CR
Chemical Communications, Royal Society of Chemistry (Rsc) vol. 59 (79), 11823-11826.
01-01-2023
2022
Corrosion Inhibition and Disinfection of Heating and Cooling Water Systems Using In Situ Generated Hydrogen PeroxideCao Y, Xu Y, Li Q, Rose R-S, Abrahams I, Jones CR and Sheriff TS
New Journal of Chemistry, Royal Society of Chemistry
30-08-2022
2021
Protect to detect: A Golgi apparatus targeted probe to image mobile zinc through the use of a lipophilic cell-labile protecting group strategyFang L, Crespo-Otero R, Jones CR and Watkinson M
Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical: International Journal Devoted to Research and Development of Physical and Chemical Transducers, Elsevier vol. 338
24-03-2021
A simple Hückel model-driven strategy to overcome electronic barriers to retro-Brook silylation relevant to aryne and bisaryne precursor synthesis.Neal EA, Werling AYR and Jones CR
Chem Commun (Camb)
19-01-2021
2019
An alternative modular 'click-SNAr-click' approach to develop subcellular localised fluorescent probes to image mobile Zn2+ .Fang L, Trigiante G, Crespo-Otero R, Philpott MP, Jones CR and Watkinson M
Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Royal Society of Chemistry
17-10-2019
Endoplasmic reticulum targeting fluorescent probes to image mobile Zn2+Fang L, Trigiante G, Crespo-Otero R, Hawes CS, Philpott M, Jones CR and Watkinson M
Chemical Science, Royal Society of Chemistry (Rsc)
16-10-2019
A Ring Expansion Route to Benzofused N-Heterocycles via Aryne Insertion into 1,3-Diaza-heterocyclesYang Y, Xu Y and Jones C
European Journal of Organic Chemistry, Wiley
22-05-2019
One‐step chemical strategy for the formation of carbon nanotube junctions in aqueous solution: The Reaction of DNA‐WrappedCarbon Nanotubes with Diazonium SaltsClement P, Trinchera P, Cervantes-Salguero K, Ye Q, Jones CR and Palma M
Chempluschem, Wiley
30-04-2019
2018
Aryne-Mediated Arylation of Hantzsch Esters: Access to Highly Substituted Aryl-dihydropyridines, Aryl-tetrahydropyridines and Spiro[benzocyclobutene-1,1′-(3′,4′-dihydropyridines)]JONES CR, TRINCHERA P, SUN W, kurdi N, Crespo-Otero R, Palomas D, Javid F and Saeed A
Synthesis, Thieme Publishing vol. 50 (23)
25-10-2018
Intramolecular hydride transfer onto arynes: redox-neutral and transition metal-free C(sp3)-H functionalization of aminesJONES CR, IDIRIS F, Majesté C and Craven G
Chemical Science, Royal Society of Chemistry
08-02-2018
2017
Recent advances in fluoride-free aryne generation
from arene precursorsJONES CR and Idiris FIM
Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry, Royal Society of Chemistry Editors: Yu J-Q.
27-10-2017
Intermolecular Aryne Ene Reaction of Hantzsch Esters: Stable Co-valent Ene Adducts from a 1,4-Dihydropyridine ReactionJONES CR, Trinchera P, Sun W, Smith JE, Palomas D and Crespo-Otero R
Organic Letters, American Chemical Society Editors: Molander G.
17-08-2017
2014
Lithium 4,4′‐Di‐tert‐butylbiphenylideFerguson MD, Donohoe TJ and Jones CR
In Encyclopedia of Reagents For Organic Synthesis, Wiley 1-11.
27-05-2014
ChemInform Abstract: Total Synthesis of the Antitumor Antibiotic (.+‐.)‐Streptonigrin: First‐ and Second‐Generation Routes for de Novo Pyridine Formation Using Ring‐Closing Metathesis.Donohoe TJ, Jones CR, Kornahrens AF, Barbosa LCA, Walport LJ, Tatton MR, O'Hagan M, Rathi AH and Baker DB
Cheminform, Wiley vol. 45 (21), no-no.
08-05-2014
8.22 Partial and Complete Reduction of Pyrroles, Furans, Thiophenes, and their Benzo Analogs, Heterocycles Containing More Than One HeteroatomDonohoe TJ, Jones CR and Winter C
In Comprehensive Organic Synthesis II, Elsevier 794-837.
01-01-2014
2013
Total synthesis of the antitumor antibiotic (±)-streptonigrin: first- and second-generation routes for de novo pyridine formation using ring-closing metathesis.Donohoe TJ, Jones CR, Kornahrens AF, Barbosa LCA, Walport LJ, Tatton MR, O'Hagan M, Rathi AH and Baker DB
J Org Chem vol. 78 (24), 12338-12350.
20-12-2013
2012
Asymmetric Synthesis of the Fully Elaborated Pyrrolidinone Core of Oxazolomycin ADonohoe TJ, O’Riordan TJC, Peifer M, Jones CR and Miles TJ
Organic Letters, American Chemical Society (Acs) vol. 14 (21), 5460-5463.
12-10-2012
Can a C-H•••O interaction be a determinant of conformation?Jones CR, Baruah PK, Thompson AL, Scheiner S and Smith MD
Journal of The American Chemical Society vol. 134 (29), 12064-12071.
25-07-2012
The Hydrogenation of Heterocyclic Calix[4]arenes, a Transformation Leading to Novel Macrocyclic LigandsNeier R, Journot G, R. Jones C and Blangy V
Heterocycles, Clockss Archive vol. 85 (4)
01-01-2012
2011
Total Synthesis of (±)-Streptonigrin: De Novo Construction of a Pentasubstituted Pyridine using Ring-Closing MetathesisDonohoe TJ, Jones CR and Barbosa LCA
Journal of The American Chemical Society, American Chemical Society (Acs) vol. 133 (41), 16418-16421.
23-09-2011
2009
Plagiarizing proteins: enhancing efficiency in asymmetric hydrogenbonding catalysis through positive cooperativityJones CR, Dan Panto G, Morrison AJ and Smith MD
Angewandte Chemie - International Edition vol. 48 (40), 7391-7394.
21-09-2009
Plagiarizing Proteins: Enhancing Efficiency in Asymmetric Hydrogen‐Bonding Catalysis through Positive CooperativityJones CR, Pantoş GD, Morrison AJ and Smith MD
Angewandte Chemie, Wiley vol. 121 (40), 7527-7530.
17-09-2009
2008
A nonpeptidic reverse turn that promotes parallel sheet structure stabilized by C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds in a cyclopropane γ-peptideJones CR, Qureshi MKN, Truscott FR, Hsu STD, Morrison AJ and Smith MD
Angewandte Chemie - International Edition vol. 47 (37), 7099-7102.
01-09-2008
A Nonpeptidic Reverse Turn that Promotes Parallel Sheet Structure Stabilized by CH⋅⋅⋅O Hydrogen Bonds in a Cyclopropane γ‐PeptideJones CR, Qureshi MKN, Truscott FR, Hsu SD, Morrison AJ and Smith MD
Angewandte Chemie, Wiley vol. 120 (37), 7207-7210.
27-08-2008
Grants
Grants of specific relevance to the Centre for Chemical ResearchInnovations in ADC linker design - PhD studentship (AstraZeneca)Christopher Jones and Stellios Arseniyadis
£60,000 AZ AstraZeneca UK Limited
18-09-2023 - 16-03-2029
PAK UK Education Gateway Mobility Partnership for FacultyAlan Drew, Maria Crespo-Ribadeneyra, Annalisa Bruno, Devis Di Tommaso, Edo Boek, Mahdieh Sadabadi, Paul Balcombe and Christopher Jones
£26,500 British Council
01-04-2023 - 30-06-2024
Tandem gold-catalysis/aryne cycloaddition for the synthesis of functionalized aromatic heterocyclesChristopher Jones
£2,495 RSC The Royal Society of Chemistry
19-07-2021 - 10-09-2021
Design and assessment of solid-state alkali metal-ion conductor 1D channeled framework materialsPetra Szilagyi, Anthony Phillips and Christopher Jones
£99,990 EPSRC Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
01-12-2019 - 30-11-2022
Aryne-mediated metal-free C(sp3)-H bond functionalisation - summer placementsChristopher Jones
£1,680 RSC The Royal Society of Chemistry
11-06-2018 - 10-08-2018
Catalytic Generation & Harnessing of Reactive IntermediatesChristopher Jones
£675,134 EPSRC Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
01-10-2015 - 28-02-2021