Publications
Patents/patent applications
'Substituted pyrimidine derivatives useful in the treatment of autoimmune disease'
M. Cotter, J. M. Southern and S. J. Connon, GB1417163.1. (2014)
'Enantioselective organic anhydride reactions'
C. Cornaggia, F. Manoni, S. Tallon, E. Torrente and S. J. Connon, European Patent application, EP12159320.6 (March 2012)
'Kinetic resolution'
A. Peschiulli, B. Procuranti and S. J. Connon, European Patent application, EP09178565.9. (Dec. 2009).
'Intermediates in the enantioselective synthesis of 3-(aminomethyl)-5-methyl-hexanoic acid'
A. Peschiulli, L. Markey and S. J. Connon, European Patent application, EP09151679.9 (Jan. 2009).
'Novel metathesis catalysts'
S. J. Connon, S. Blechert, and BASF AG, German patent. DE 10234810.3., 2002, EU patent 03016465.1, 2003.
Peer reviewed publications (last update: 15-Feb-2018)
84. 'In vivo modification of tRNA with an artificial nucleobase leads to full disease remission in an animal model of multiple sclerosis'
S. Varghese, M. Cotter, F. Chevot, C. Fergus, C. Cunningham, K. H. Mills, S. J. Connon*, J. M. Southern*, and V. P. Kelly, Nucleic Acids Research, 2016.
83. 'Enantioselective alkylative kinetic resolution of 2‑oxindole-derived enolates promoted by bifunctional phase transfer catalysts'
E. Sorrentino and S. J. Connon*, Org. Lett. 2016, 18, 5204.
82. 'The first catalytic asymmetric cycloadditions of imines with an enolisable anhydride'
S. A. Cronin, A. Gutiérrez Collar, S. Gundala, C. Cornaggia, E. Torrente, F. Manoni, A. Botte, B. Twamley and S. J. Connon* Org. Biomol. Chem. 2016, 14, 6955.
81. 'Catalytic formal cycloadditions between anhydrides and ketones: excellent enantio and diastereocontrol, controllable decarboxylation and the formation of adjacent quaternary stereocentres'
C. Cornaggia, S. Gundala, F. Manoni, N. Gopalasetty and S. J. Connon*, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2016, 14, 3040.
This article was awarded Hot-paper status by referees.
80. 'A practical aryl unit for azlactone dynamic kinetic resolution: orthogonally protected products and a ligation-inspired coupling process'
S. Tallon, F. Manoni and S. J. Connon*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015, 54, 813.
79. 'An organocatalytic process for the hydrolytic cleavage of dithianes mediated by imidazolium ions: no harsh agents required'
L. Myles, N. Gathergood* and S. J. Connon*, Eur. J. Org. Chem., 2015, 188.
78. 'Low antimicrobial toxicity ionic liquids: solvents for asymmetric carbonyl- ene reactions of phenylglyoxal'
R. G. Gore, T. -K. -T. Truong, M. Spulak, S. J. Connon* and N. Gathergood*, Curr. Green Chem. 2014, 1, 239.
77. 'Catalytic asymmetric Tamura cycloadditions'
F. Manoni and S. J. Connon*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2014, 53, 2628.
Highlighted in Synfacts (2014, 423)
76. 'Diaminocyclopropenylidene organocatalysts: beyond N-Heterocyclic Carbenes'
S. J. Connon*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2014, 53, 1203.
75. 'A new generation of aprotic yet Brønsted acidic imidazolium salts: effect of ester/amide groups in the C-2, C-4 and C-5 on antimicrobial toxicity and biodegradation'
R. G. Gore, L. Myles, M. Spulak, I. Beadham, M. T. Garcia, S. J. Connon* and N. Gathergood*, Green Chem. 2013, 15, 2747.
These 3 Green Chemistry papers were published back to back, also featured on the cover.
74. 'A new generation of aprotic yet Brønsted acidic imidazolium salts: low toxicity, high recyclability and greatly improved activity'
L. Myles, R. G. Gore, N. Gathergood* and S. J. Connon*, Green Chem. 2013, 15, 2740.
73. 'Tandem ionic liquid antimicrobial toxicity and asymmetric catalysis study: carbonyl-ene reactions with trifluoropyruvate'
R. G. Gore, T. -K. -T. Truong, M. Pour, L. Myles, S. J. Connon* and N. Gathergood*, Green Chem. 2013, 15, 2727.
72. 'Organocatalytic aerobic oxidative cleavage of cyclic 1,2-diketones'
S. Gundala, C. -L. Fagan, E. G. Delany and S. J. Connon*, Synlett 2013, 1225.
71. 'Aerobic oxidation of NHC-catalysed aldehyde esterifications with alcohols: benzoin, not the Breslow intermediate, undergoes oxidation'
E. G. Delany, C. -L. Fagan, S. Gundala, K. Zeitler* and S. J. Connon*, Chem. Commun. 2013, 49, 6513.
70. 'NHC-catalysed aerobic aldehyde-esterifications with alcohols: no additives or cocatalysts required'
E. G. Delany, C. -L. Fagan, S. Gundala, A. Mari, T. Broja, K. Zeitler* and S. J. Connon*, Chem. Commun. 2013, 49, 6510.
69. '(S)-Proline-derived catalysts for the acylative kinetic resolution of alcohols: a remote structural change allows a complete selectivity switch'
O. Gleeson, Y. K. Gun’ko and S. J. Connon*, Synlett 2013, 1728.
68. 'C-5’ Substituted cinchona alkaloid derivatives catalyze the first highly enantioselective dynamic kinetic resolutions of azlactones by thiolysis'
C. Palacio and S. J. Connon*, Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2013, 5398.
67. 'The catalytic versatility of non-toxic 1,4-dialkyltriazolium salts: in situ modification facilitates diametrically opposed catalysis modes in one pot'
L. Myles, N. Gathergood* and S. J. Connon*, Chem. Commun. 2013, 49, 5316.
66. 'The asymmetric synthesis of terminal aziridines by methylene transfer from sulfonium ylides to imines'
S. A. Kavanagh, A. Piccinini and S. J. Connon*, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2013, 11, 3535.
65. 'The thiolate-catalyzed intermolecular crossed Tishchenko reaction: highly chemoselective coupling of two different aromatic aldehydes'
S. P. Curran and S. J. Connon*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2012, 51, 10866.
64. 'Highly enantioselective ylide-mediated synthesis of terminal epoxides'
A. Piccinini, S. A. Kavanagh and S. J. Connon*, Chem. Commun. 2012, 48, 7814.
63. 'Catalytic, enantio- and diastereoselective synthesis of γ-butyrolactones incorporating quaternary stereocentres'
F. Manoni, C. Cornaggia, J. Murray, S. Tallon and S. J. Connon*, Chem. Commun. 2012, 48, 6502.
Invited article
62. 'A catalytic asymmetric reaction involving enolizable anhydrides'
C. Cornaggia, F. Manoni, E. Torrente, S. Tallon and S. J. Connon*, Org. Lett. 2012, 14, 1850.
61. 'The dynamic kinetic resolution of azlactones with thiol nucleophiles catalysed by arylated, deoxygenated cinchona alkaloids'
Z. Rodriguez-Docampo, C. Quigley, S. Tallon, S. J. Connon*, J. Org. Chem. 2012, 77, 2407.
60. 'A novel C-5' substituted cinchona alkaloid-derived catalyst promotes additions of alkyl thiols to nitroolefins with excellent enantioselectivity'
C. Palacio and S. J. Connon*, Chem. Commun. 2012, 48, 2849.
59. 'Selenoate ions are highly active catalysts for homo- and crossed-Tishchenko reactions of expanded scope'
S. P. Curran and S. J. Connon*, Org. Lett. 2012, 14, 1074.
58. 'NHC-Catalysed, chemoselective crossed-acyloin reactions'
C. A. Rose, S. Gundala, C. -L. Fagan, J. F. Franz, S. J. Connon* and K. Zeitler*, Chem. Sci. 2012, 3, 735.
57. 'Organocatalytic asymmetric additions to meso-anhydrides and azlactones'
Z. Rodriguez Docampo and S. J. Connon*, ChemCatChem 2012, 4, 151.
56. 'Highly tunable arylated cinchona alkaloids as bifunctional catalysts'
C. Quigley, Z. Rodríguez Docampo and S. J. Connon*, Chem. Commun. 2012, 48, 1443.
6th Most accessed paper in Chemical Communications – September 2011
55. ‘The immobilisation of chiral organocatalysts on magnetic nanoparticles: the support particle cannot always be considered inert’
O. Gleeson, G. L. Davies, A. Peschiulli, R. Tekoriute, Y. K. Gun’ko* and S. J. Connon*, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2011, 9, 7929.
7th Most accessed paper in Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry – October 2011
54. 'A new class of urea-substituted cinchona alkaloid promote highly enantioselective nitroaldol reactions of trifluoromethylketones'
C. Palacio and S. J. Connon*, Org. Lett. 2011, 13, 1298.
Highlighted in Synfacts (2011, 559)
53. 'Urea-catalyzed transthioesterification: towards a new kinetic resolution methodology' S. Tallon, A. C. Lawlor and S. J. Connon*, Arkivoc 2011, (iv), 115.
Special issue in honour of Prof. Dr. S. Blechert
52. 'Chemoselective crossed acyloin condensations: catalyst and substrate control'
C. A. Rose, S. Gundala, K. Zeitler* and S. J. Connon*, Synthesis 2011, 190.
51. 'Microwave-assisted efficient thiolate-catalysed homo and crossed intermolecular Tishchenko reactions'
C. J. O'Connor, F. Manoni, S. P. Curran and S. J. Connon*, New J. Chem. 2011, 35, 551.
50. 'Highly chemoselective direct crossed aliphatic-aromatic acyloin condensations with triazolium-derived carbene catalysts'
S. E. O'Toole, C. A. Rose, S. Gundala, K. Zeitler* and S. J. Connon*, J. Org. Chem. 2011, 76, 347.
49. 'Efficient catalytic Corey-Chaykovsky reactions involving ketone substrates'
S. A. Kavanagh, A. Piccinini and S. J. Connon*, Adv. Synth. Catal. 2010, 352, 2089.
Highlighted in Synfacts (2010, 1418)
48. 'Concise synthesis and CDK/GSK inhibitory activity of the missing 9-azapaullones'
David P. Power, O. Lozach, L. Meijer,* D. H. Grayson,* and S. J. Connon*, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2010, 20, 4940.
47. 'Highly recyclable, imidazolium derived ionic liquids of low antimicrobial and antifungal toxicity: A new strategy for acid catalysis'
L. Myles, R. Gore, Marcel Špulák, N. Gathergood* and S. J. Connon*, Green Chem. 2010, 12, 1157.
46. 'Tunable bromomagnesium thiolate Tishchenko reaction catalysts: efficient intermolecular aldehyde-trifluoromethylketone coupling'
L. Cronin, F. Manoni, C. J. O'Connor and S. J. Connon*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 3045.
Highlighted in Synfacts (2010, 817)
45. 'Synergistic organocatalysis in the kinetic resolution of secondary thiols with concomitant desymmetrisation of an anhydride'
A. Peschiulli, B. Procuranti, C. J. O'Connor and S. J. Connon*, Nature Chemistry 2010, 2, 380. Highlighted in Synfacts (2010, 925)
44. 'Catalytic (asymmetric) methylene transfer to aldehydes'
A. Piccinini, S. A. Kavanagh, P. B. Connon and S. J. Connon*, Org. Lett. 2010, 12, 608.
Highlighted in Synfacts (2010, 349)
43. 'Pyridinium ion catalysis of carbonyl protection reactions'
B. Procuranti, L. Myles, N. Gathergood and S. J. Connon*, Synthesis 2009, 4082.
42. 'Highly enantioselective benzoin condensation reactions involving a bifunctional protic pentafluorophenyl-substituted triazolium precatalyst'
L. Baragwanath, C. A. Rose, K. Zeitler and S. J. Connon*, J. Org. Chem. 2009, 74, 9214.
41. 'The enantioselective benzoin condensation promoted by chiral triazolium precatalysts: stereochemical control via hydrogen bonding'
S. E. O'Toole and S. J. Connon*, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2009, 7, 3584.
40. 'The first magnetic nanoparticle-supported chiral DMAP analogue: highly enantioselective acylation and excellent recyclability'
O. Gleeson, R. Tekoriute, Y. K. Gun'ko and S. J. Connon*, Chem. Eur. J. 2009, 15, 5669.
39. 'The design of novel, synthetically useful (thio)urea-based organocatalysts'
S. J. Connon*, Synlett 2009, 354.
38. 'Unexpected catalysis: aprotic pyridinium ions as active and recyclable Brønsted acid catalysts in protic media'
B. Procuranti and S. J. Connon*, Org. Lett. 2008, 10, 4935.
Highlighted in Synfacts (2008, 1332)
37. 'Organocatalytic asymmetric addition of alcohols and thiols to activated electrophiles–efficient dynamic kinetic resolution and desymmetrization protocols'
A. Peschiulli, C. Quigley, S. Tallon, Y. K. Gun'ko* and S. J. Connon*, J. Org. Chem. 2008, 73, 6409.
36. 'Highly enantioselective desymmetrization of meso anhydrides by a bifunctional thiourea-based organocatalyst at low catalyst loadings and room temperature'
A. Peschiulli, Y. Gun'ko* and S. J. Connon*, J. Org. Chem. 2008, 73, 2454.
Highlighted in Synfacts (2008, 529)
35. 'N-Alkyl salts derived from ephedrine do not promote enantioselective Corey-Chaykovsky reactions involving sulfonium methylides under phase transfer conditions'
S. A. Kavanagh and S. J. Connon*, Tetrahedron Asymmetry 2008, 19, 1414.
34. 'Nucleophilic carbene-catalysed oxidative esterification reactions'
C. Noonan, L. Baragwanath and S. J. Connon*, Tetrahedron Lett. 2008, 49, 4003.
33. 'Urea derivatives are highly active catalysts for the base-mediated generation of terminal epoxides from aldehydes and trimethylsulfonium iodide'
S. A. Kavanagh, A. Piccinini, E. M. Fleming and S. J. Connon*, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2008, 6, 1339.
32. 'The catalytic asymmetric Strecker reaction–ketimines continue to join the fold'
S. J. Connon*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 1176.
31. 'Asymmetric catalysis with bifunctional cinchona alkaloid-based urea- and thiourea organocatalysts'
S. J. Connon*, Chem. Commun. 2008, 2499.
30. 'Computational study-led organocatalyst design: a novel, highly active urea-based catalyst for addition reactions to epoxides'
E. M. Fleming, C. Quigley, I. Rozas* and S. J. Connon*, J. Org. Chem. 2008, 73, 948.
29. 'Asymmetric organocatalytic reductions mediated by dihydropyridines'
S. J. Connon*, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2007, 5, 3407.
28. 'Nonenzymatic acylative kinetic resolution of Baylis-Hillman adducts'
C. O. Dálaigh and S. J. Connon*, J. Org. Chem. 2007, 72, 7066.
27. 'A magnetic nanoparticle-supported 4-N,N-dialkylaminopyridine catalyst: excellent reactivity combined with facile catalyst recovery and recyclability'
C. O. Dálaigh, S. A. Corr, Y. Gun'ko* and S. J. Connon*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2007, 46, 4329.
26. 'A reductase-mimicking thiourea organocatalyst incorporating a covalently bound NADH analogue: efficient 1,2-diketone reduction with in-situ prosthetic group generation and recycling'
B. Procuranti and S. J. Connon*, Chem. Commun. 2007, 1421.
25. 'Readily accessible 9-epi-amino cinchona alkaloid derivatives promote efficient, highly enantioselective additions of aldehydes and ketones to nitroolefins'
S. H. McCooey and S. J. Connon*, Org. Lett. 2007, 9, 599.
In the top 20 (No. 15) most cited articles in this journal in 2007-2008.
24. 'Stereoselective synthesis of highly functionalized nitrocyclopropanes via organocatalytic conjugate addition to nitroalkenes'
S. H. McCooey, T. McCabe and S. J. Connon*, J. Org. Chem. 2006, 71, 7494.
23. 'Novel axially chiral bis-(thio)arylurea-based organocatalysts for asymmetric Friedel-Crafts type reactions'
E. M. Fleming, T. McCabe and S. J. Connon*, Tetrahedron Lett. 2006, 47, 7037.
Prize for being in the top 50 cited articles in this journal from 2006-2009.
22. 'Asymmetric acyl-transfer promoted by readily assembled chiral 4-N,N-dialkylaminopyridine derivatives'
C. O. Dálaigh, S. J. Hynes, J. E. O'Brien, T. McCabe, D. J. Maher, G. W. Watson and S. J. Connon*, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2006, 4, 2785.
21. 'Chiral phosphoric acids: powerful organocatalysts for asymmetric addition reactions to imines'
S. J. Connon*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2006, 45, 3909.
20. 'Organocatalysis mediated by (thio)urea derivatives'
S. J. Connon*, Chem. Eur. J. 2006, 12, 5418.
19. 'Catalytic asymmetric acyl-transfer mediated by chiral pyridine derivatives'
S. J. Connon*, Lett. Org. Chem. 2006, 3, 333.
18. 'Urea- and thiourea-substituted cinchona alkaloid derivatives as highly efficient bifunctional organocatalysts for the asymmetric addition of malonate to nitroalkenes: inversion of configuration at C9 dramatically improves catalyst performance'
S. H. McCooey and S. J. Connon*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2005, 44, 6367.
17. 'Kinetic resolution of sec-alcohols using a new class of readily assembled (S)-proline-derived 4-(pyrrolidino)-pyridine analogues'
C. O. Dálaigh, S. J. Hynes, D. J. Maher and S. J. Connon*, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2005, 3, 981.
16. 'Novel amine-catalysed hydroalkoxylation reactions of alkenes and alkynes'
J. E. Murtagh, S. H. McCooey and S. J. Connon*, Chem. Commun. 2005, 227.
This article was awarded Hot-paper status by referees.
15. 'Acrylamide in the Baylis-Hillman reaction: expanded reaction scope and the unexpected superiority of DABCO over more basic tertiary amine catalysts'
C. Faltin, E. M. Fleming and S. J. Connon*, J. Org. Chem. 2004, 69, 6496.
14. 'Acceleration of the DABCO-promoted Baylis–Hillman reaction using a recoverable H-bonding organocatalyst'
D. J. Maher and S. J. Connon*, Tetrahedron Lett. 2004, 45, 1301.
Prize for being in the top 50 cited articles in this journal from 2004-2007.
13. 'Stabilised 2,3-pyridyne reactive intermediates of exceptional dienophilicity'
S. J. Connon and A. F. Hegarty*, Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2004, 3477.
12. 'A highly active and readily recyclable olefin metathesis catalyst'
S. J. Connon, A. M. Dunne and S. Blechert*, Catalysts for Fine Chemical Synthesis (Wiley Interscience – Ed. - S. Roberts), 2004, Vol. 3, 174.
11. 'Recent advances in alkene metathesis'
S. J. Connon and S. Blechert*, Topics In Organometallic Chemistry (Springer Verlag – Ed. P. Dixneuf) 2004, 11, 93.
10. 'Ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts with modified styrene ethers: influence of steric and electronic effects'
M. Zaja, S. J. Connon, A. M. Dunne, M. Rivard, N. Buschmann, J. Jiricek and S. Blechert*, Tetrahedron 2003, 59, 6545.
9. 'Practical olefin metathesis in protic media under an air atmosphere'
S. J. Connon, M. Rivard, M. Zaja and S. Blechert*, Adv. Syn. Catal. 2003, 345, 572.
8. 'Recent developments in olefin cross metathesis'
S. J. Connon and S. Blechert*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2003, 42, 1900.
In the top ten most cited articles list (No. 6) published in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. in 2003.
Also highlighted by Thomson Reuters' Essential Science Indicators to be one of the most cited papers in the research area of "OLEFIN CROSS-METATHESIS." For a profile of this article see:
7. 'A self-generating and recyclable polymer-bound olefin metathesis catalyst'
S. J. Connon, A. M. Dunne and S. Blechert*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2002, 114, 3835.
6. 'A mechanism switch in enyne metathesis reactions involving rearrangement: Influence of heteroatoms in the propargylic position'
N. Lucas, S. Randl, S. J. Connon and S. Blechert*, Adv. Syn. Catal. 2002, 344, 631.
5. 'A solid-supported phosphine-free ruthenium alkylidene for olefin metathesis in methanol and water'
S. J. Connon and S. Blechert*, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2002, 12, 1873.
4. 'Ring-opening cross metathesis of unstrained cycloalkenes'
S. Randl, S. J. Connon and S. Blechert*, Chem. Commun. 2001, 1796.
3. 'Highly efficient and recyclable polymer-bound catalyst for olefin metathesis reactions'
S. Randl, N. Buschmann, S. J. Connon and S. Blechert*, Synlett 2001, 1547.
2. 'Diels-Alder cycloadditions of stabilised 2,3-pyridynes'
A. F. Hegarty* and S. J. Connon, Tetrahedron Lett. 2001, 42, 735.
1. 'Substituted 3,4-pyridynes: clean cycloadditions'
A. F. Hegarty* and S. J. Connon, J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans. 1 2000, 1245.