Research interests (Prof. G. Mehta)

RESEARCH INTERESTS
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The science of organic synthesis deals with the creation of diverse molecular architectures through controlled, efficient and logically orchestrated carbon - carbon and carbon - heteroatom bond connectivities. The choice of the target structure for synthesis could be vast, varied and almost unlimited, ranging from naturally occurring molecules to functional entities that exhibit tailor-made physico-chemical characteristics. In the design of molecules, shape, symmetry, energetics, diastereoselectivity, chirality, brevity and efficiency of the synthetic sequence and novelty of the strategy are the key elements. Thus organic synthesis is a unique branch of science that blends art and aesthetics with creation and utility. Our synthetic interests include molecules of Nature as well as those molecular entities that are creations of human imagination.

DESIGN OF NEW MOLECULAR ENTITIES
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We have conceived of bucky bowls, hetero-bowls and ladderanes as new molecular entities, and achieved the synthesis of several of these molecules for the first time following conceptually simple, innovative protocols.

BOWLS AS MOLECULAR OBJECTS : HETERO-BOWLS

BUCKY BOWLS : SLICING THE BUCKY BALL

DESIGN OF NOVEL POLYCYCLITOLS
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Arising out of our interest in the synthesis of carbasugars and analogues, we have devised new polycyclic and polyhydroxylated entities for which we coined the name 'polycyclitols'. Many of these compounds prepared by us in the recent years exhibit promising and selective glycosidase inhibitory profile.

TOTAL SYNTHESIS OF NATURAL PRODUCTS
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Nature, the master craftsman of molecules, has almost an inexhaustible array of molecular entities, replete with myriad combination of rings, functionalities and stereochemical diversity. Many of these natural products exhibit unique biological activity and are lead compounds for drug discovery and for unraveling complex biomolecular interactions. My group has been interested in the synthesis of a variety of natural products that combine structural novelty and challenge of carbocyclic ring construction with potential biological activity. Some of the accomplishments of my group in the area of total synthesis in the past few years are indicated below.

PROBING STEREOGENESIS
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Long range electronic control of p - face selectivities in nucleophilic and electrophilic additions to trigonal carbon centers as well as in [4+2]-cycloadditions has been a theme of ongoing interest in my research group. Several probe systems where the stereo-induction center is in iso-steric environment but amenable to long range electronic perturbations have been devised. The results obtained so far indicate that the stereoselectivities can remote controlled through the interplay of several electronic effects. Efforts are underway to impart greater predictability to the stereochemical outcome.