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Chemists have traditionally used harsh conditions and unsustainable methods to synthesize many complex organic compounds, including fine chemicals and pharmaceutical drugs. The thermodynamic and/or kinetic unfavourability of chemical reactions is often the underlying reason for the need to use harsh and unsustainable synthetic strategies. Photocatalysis, which uses light as the source of energy, has been shown as a mild and greener alternative to speed-up slow reactions. Nevertheless, most state-of-the-art photocatalysts are based on precious metals and require tedious steps for their recovery and reuse. The Bhide research group will invent new ways to leverage the physical and chemical properties of inexpensive organic photocatalysts to drive chemical reactions and enable easy recycling of these photocatalysts.

To enhance the recovery of photocatalysts, our lab will create methods to covalently attach molecular photocatalysts to various substrates, such as cotton, glass wool, glass beads, and silica nanoparticles. Anchoring photocatalysts to these substrates will aid in their separation from the reaction mixture using common techniques of filtration or centrifugation. Moreover, we will perform the detailed characterization of our substrate-bound photocatalysts using well-established spectroscopic techniques. Results from the spectroscopic analyses will help us determine the effect of structure and properties of our photocatalysts on their catalytic performance and recovery. This work will be key in the development of the next-generation photocatalysts for the sustainable synthesis of complex organic compounds.

The Bhide Group is well-suited for students with various research backgrounds and expertise. Extensive hands-on training will be provided on various spectroscopic techniques, which are highly desired skills both in academia and in the chemical industry. Students will also get a chance to hone their scientific communication skills by getting involved in research grant writing, publishing peer-reviewed scientific papers, and sharing their research at major chemistry conferences.