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Kieran Nolan
B.Sc, Ph.D. (York University, Canada)
Lecturer, Organic Chemistry

Name: Dr Kieran Nolan
Phone Number: 5913
Room Number: X122
Email Address:

 

Supramolecular-Medicinal Chemistry

Our research into the development of chemoreceptors focuses on two classes of macrocycles, the calixarenes and phthalocyanines. We are particularly interested in the biomedical and sensor applications of these chemoreceptor systems.

Current research projects include:

• Calixarene synthesis with emphasis on solid support techniques.
• Pyrogallolarenes and their biological applications.
• Red shifted non-aggregated phthalocyanines for applications in oxygen sensing and cancer detection
• Environmental chemistry – solar degradation of organic pollutants, nuclear waste extraction

Calixarenes:

The calixarenes are a class of cyclooligomers formed via a phenol-formaldehyde condensation. The calixarenes exist in a `cup' like shape with a defined upper and lower rim and a central annulus. Their rigid conformation enables the calixarenes to act as host molecules as a result of their preformed cavities. By functionally modifying either the upper and/or lower rims it is possible to prepare various hosts with differing selectivity's for various ions and small molecules. Our current research focuses on developing new synthetic strategies for the preparation of unsymmetrical calixarenes via both solution and solid support methods. Of particular interest is the development of new calixarenes prepared from pyrogallol-aldehyde condensations, such compounds have shown anti-viral activity.

Phthalocyanines:

The phthalocyanines are a rich blue coloured dye which have found diverse industrial applications in paints, inks, optical data storage and liquid crystal displays. The structure of phthalocyanine is shown below, it is a planar macrocyclic ligand composed of four isoindoline units, which can exist in either a metallated or metal free form. Our group is particularly interested in developing new red shifted non-aggregated phthalocyanines for applications in oxygen sensing, bioanalytical applications, cancer detection .

Our group is particularly interested in developing new phthalocyanines for applications in both oxygen sensing and in photodynamic therapy. Presently we are developing new red shifted phthalocyanines containing various macrocyclic moieties substituted in the peripheral benzene rings of the phthalocyanine.

Recent Publications

1. Preparation and sensor evaluation of a Pacman phthalocyanine, Shane O’Malley, Benjamin Schazmann, Dermot Diamond and Kieran Nolan, Tetrahedron Letters, 2007,48, 9003-9007.
2. Versatile Reagents: Ferrocenyl Azolium Compounds as Auxiliary Ligands for the Heck Reaction and Highly Effective Antifungal Agents , Andrea Dallas, Henry Kuhtz, Alan Farrell, Brid Quilty, and Kieran Nolan, Tetrahedron Letters, 2007, 48, 1017- 1021.
3. The Selective Preparation of Partial Cone O-Aryl Calix[4]arene Ethers from 1,3-Dimethoxycalix[4]arene: A new Platform for the Preparation of Non-Aggregated Dyes, Shane O’Malley, Nameer Alhashimy , John O’Mahony, Aisling Kieran , Mary Pryce and Kieran Nolan, Tetrahedron Letters, 48, 2007, 681-684.
4. Homochiral Tripodal Imidazolium Receptors: Structural and Anion-Receptor Studies. Nameer Alhashimy, Dermot Brougham, Joshua Howarth, Alan Farrell, Brid Quilty and Kieran Nolan Tetrahedron Letters, 48, 2007, 125-128.
5. Development of a calix[4]arene sensor for soft metals based on nitrile functionality: Relating structural tuning to an Ion Selective Electrode response. Benjamin Schazmann, Shane O’Malley, Kieran Nolan and Dermot Diamond, Supramolecular Chemistry, 18 (6), 2006, 515-522.