Directory Person

The research activity of Dr. Chatterjee’s team mainly focuses on mechanistic studies of thermal reactions (of catalytic and biochemical importance) in solution, using PGMs, such as Ru, Pd, and Pt. This include studies on synthesis, characterization and reactivities of PGM complexes.

Modern kinetic techniques are applied in order to elucidate the molecular nature of the investigated reactions. The aim of the studies is to contribute towards a better understanding of the reactions and their detailed mechanistic course.

In addition, current work includes:

1. Developing a homogeneous catalytic system using Ru complexes for enantioselective oxidation of organic substrate to value added products.

2. Kinetic and mechanistic investigation of the interaction of M(pac) complexes (pac = polyaminopolycarboxylate; M = Ru, Pt, Pd) with DNA constituent biomolecules in order to explore a new family of metallo-drugs for potential use in chemotherapy.

3. Kinetic and mechanistic investigation of the interaction of Ru-(pac) complexes with NO, and subsequent studies of NO scavenging in biological system (using a murine macrophages).

4. Kinetic and mechanistic investigation of interaction of Ru-(pac) complexes with biologically important thio-molecules and cysteine protease inhibition studies with Ru-(pac) complexes using bromalein, papain and ficin.