Waldbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
I obtained my master's degree in chemical engineering focusing on pharmaceutical industry at Budapest University of Technology and Economics. These studies provided me with a strong background in chemical technology and organic chemistry. After my graduation, I secured a highly competitive position in the Graduate School Excellence Program at Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster. Subsequently, I joined the research laboratory of Prof. Dr. Ryan Gilmour where I could not only apply but also extend on the knowledge I have obtained so far in organic chemistry. Furthermore, I gained specialized knowledge and unique skills in homogeneous catalysis (organocatalysis) and organofluorine chemistry. After my graduation, I joined the Catalysis Research Laboratory (CaRLa) in Heidelberg as a postdoctoral research fellow to broaden my knowledge with experiences in transition metal catalysis. There, I was involved in such research projects that aimed at the development of novel, metal-catalyzed transformations for industrial use. Through the regular meetings with the coworkers of BASF in Ludwigshafen, I have learned how to present results effectively and how to interact with people with diverse background. Working at Bruker as application scientist provided my first professional experience. In this position, I was responsible for performing demonstrations for potential customers, keeping contact with existing customers as well as providing them with application support. In addition, I interacted closely with other departments, such as production and R&D, and provided them with support by performing tests and collecting data sets. At the moment, I am in search of new challenges and a new position in chemistry. Since I am an enthusiastic, creative, and technical minded scientist who has not only diverse background and profound expertise in organic chemistry, but also sound knowledge in areas, such as instrumental analysis, chemical technology and polymer chemistry.
Working at Bruker as application scientist for combustion gas analysis (CGA) provided my first real professional experience. In this position, I was responsible for performing demonstrations for potential customers, keeping contact with existing customers as well as providing them with application support. Additionally, I was interacting with other departments, such as production and R&D, and provided them with support by performing tests and collecting data sets. Last but not least, I was representing the company and the product line on conferences and seminars (e.g. Werkstoffwoche 2017 in Dresden)
After my Ph.D. studied, I joined CaRLa - Catalysis Research Laboratory - in Heidelberg as a postdoctoral researcher to extend on the knowledge I have obtained so far with industry-near experiences. There, I was involved in such research projects that aimed at the development of novel, metal-catalyzed transformations for industrial use. Through the regular meetings with the coworkers of BASF in Ludwigshafen, I have learned how to present results effectively and how to interact with people with diverse background.
Ph.D. thesis under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Ryan Gilmour. Title: Fluorine in Organocatalysis. Description: During my Ph.D. research, a highly enantioselective method for the aziridination of cyclic enals with small, medium, and macrocyclic rings was developed, utilizing fluorinated organocatalysts. The high levels of enantioinduction was attributed to the fluorine-iminium ion gauche effect, which can control the conformation of the transient iminium ion and thus provides excellent shielding for the reaction center by positioning a bulky substituent above it. Furthermore, the utilization of the fluorine gauche effect in the preorganisation of transient intermediates relevant in organocatalysis (iminium ions) was successfully extended to a vicinally difluorinated system. During these research efforts novel difluorinated organocatalysts were prepared and tested, using experimental and theoretical methods. Lastly, an operationally simple and catalytic methodology for the difluorination of simple terminal olefins was developed, utilizing p-iodotoluene as catalyst and Selectfluor as stoichiometric oxidant. This protocol could be also utilized for the preparation of fluorinated chromane derivatives in certain cases, providing a novel retrosynthetic disconnection towards this biologically relevant structure.
Title of M.Sc. Thesis: 1,7-Electrocyclization of Azomethine Ylides Formed from 2-Heteroaryl Benzaldehydes Description: The aims of my master's thesis research were, on the one hand, the synthesis of a small library of 2-heteroaryl benzaldehydes, such as 2-(1H-indol-5-yl)benzaldehyde, and on the other hand, the study of how easily these molecules can participate in 1,7-electrocyclization, after being converted to the corresponding azomethine ylides with N-alkyl amino acids, such as sarcosine. It was found that in most cases the formation of the expected azepine derivatives, which are very important drug scaffolds, occurred with high levels of regioselectivity. However, in some cases an unexpected species with an 8-membered ring was identified as the main product of the transformation, whose formation was attributed to the presence of a competing, non-electrocyclizative reaction mechanism. Later, a series of basic DFT calculations were also conducted to support the experimental observations.