Chemistry (Synthesis Cluster)

Our department has a proud tradition of research excellence including three former Nobel Laureates. These include Lord Porter (Professor of Physical Chemistry 1955-66) who introduced the technique of flash photolysis to study the mechanisms of very fast reactions, and alumni Sir Richard Roberts and Sir Harry Kroto who discovered "split genes" and the C60 molecule buckminsterfullerene, respectively. Our continued international reputation for research is demonstrated in the Research Excellence Framework 2014, which rated 98 per cent of our research as world-class or internationally excellent.

The Department of Chemistry has a thriving research school with about 150 doctoral research students (PhD), including international students from 15 different countries and around 25 post-doctoral researchers. We publish over 100 peer-reviewed papers every year. PhD degrees across the broad area of chemistry that comprises our four research clusters: Chemical Biology,Polymers, Materials and Surface Chemistry, Spectroscopy and Theoretical Chemistry and Synthetic Chemistry.

The section’s activities encompass a wide range of projects in organic and inorganic chemistry which are based around the syntheses of new compounds and study of their properties and applications.

Specific examples include:

• homogeneous and polymer supported catalysis with transition-metal complexes;
• reactivity and reaction mechanisms of organometallic complexes;
• new organic synthetic pathways using transition metal complexes;
• asymmetric synthetic methodology and asymmetric catalysis;
• cycloaddition reactions in syntheses;
• syntheses of unnatural amino acids;
• photo- and electro-chemically active metal complexes and materials;
• synthesis and application of high-energy compounds;
• interaction of metal complexes with DNA;
• transition-metal based coordination and supramolecular chemistry;
• self-assembly and crystal engineering;
• modelling intermolecular interactions in transition metal compounds.

Requirements

• For postgraduate study, the University has an English Language requirement of an IELTS overall score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component. Other acceptable English Language qualifications are possible as well; all English language qualifications should have been completed no more than two years before the start date of your Sheffield course.
• A good Master's degree, or a first class Honours degree or equivalent
• Draft your PhD research project proposal
• Proof of your previous qualifications.
• Academic references (Two).
• English language certificate (EU and Overseas applicants).
• A supporting statement.
• Curriculum vitae/Resume.