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Christian Malapit

Assistant Professor

B.S.: Far Eastern University, Philippines, 2005
M.S.: Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines, 2009
Ph.D.: University of Connecticut, 2016
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan, 2019
NIH Pathway to Independence Fellow, University of Utah, 2021

Research Statement

We are a synthetic chemistry lab with specific research interests in organic chemistry, organometallic catalysis, and synthetic electrochemistry. We seek to develop new reactions and mechanisms that expand both the scope and sustainability of synthetic chemistry and energy systems. Particular emphases of our program include the rational design of transition-metal catalysts and the creative use of electrochemistry to enable the conversion of readily available starting materials into value-added products, such as pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and energy-storing molecules.

Selected Publications

Malapit, C. A.; Prater, M.; Cabrera-Pardo, J. R.; Li, M.; Pham, T. D.; McFadden, T. P.; Blank, S.; Minteer, S. D. “Advances on the merger of electrochemistry and transition-metal catalysis for selective organic synthesis.” Chemical Reviews 2022, 122, 3180.

Malapit, C. A.; Borrell, M.; Milbauer, M. W.; Brigham, C. E.; Sanford, M. S. “Nickel Catalyzed Decarbonylative Amination of Carboxylic Acid Esters.” Journal of the American Chemical Society 2020, 142, 5918.

Malapit, C. A.; Bour, J. R.; Laursen, S. R.; Sanford, M. S. “Mechanism and Scope of Nickel-Catalyzed Decarbonylative Borylation of Carboxylic Acid Fluorides.” Journal of the American Chemical Society 2019, 141, 17322.

Malapit, C. A.; Bour, J. R.; Brigham, C. E.; Sanford, M. S. “Base-Free Nickel-Catalysed Decarbonylative Suzuki-Miyaura Coupling of Acid Fluorides.” Nature 2018, 563, 100.

Malapit, C. A.; Chitale, S. M.; Thakur, S. M.; Taboada, R.; Howell, A. R. “Pt-Catalyzed Rearrangement of Oxaspirohexanes to 3-Methylenetetrahydrofurans: Scope and Mechanism.” The Journal of Organic Chemistry 2015, 80, 5196.

Selected Honors and Awards

  • NIH Pathway to Independence Fellow (2021-2025)
  • Boehringer Ingelheim PhD Fellow (2013-2016)
  • Connecticut Chemistry Research Award (2016)
  • Randolph T. Major Outstanding Research Award (UConn, 2014)
  • William Masterton Excellence in Teaching Award (UConn, 2012)
  • National Award for Most Outstanding MS Thesis in Chemistry (Philippines, 2009)
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