Pritam Mukhopadhyay

Research Summary:
Our group’s research interests involve various aspects of design, synthesis and stabilization of organic radical ions. One of the major achievements of the group has been to stabilize various types of organic radicals, e.g., radical anions, radical cations and zwitterionic radicals through intramolecular non-covalent interactions. The isolated organic radicals have been found to be ambient stable and, in some cases, even stable to chromatography.

The group’s other areas of interest include synthesis of organic multi-electron redox active systems. Research in this area has led to the isolation of some of the strongest electron acceptors and also electron donors, including electron-sponges and electron-reservoirs.

In addition, the group is interested in the design and synthesis of organic molecular and supramolecular materials, e.g., organic near-infrared and mid-IR absorbers, panchromatic molecules, multi-channel radical-based sensors, organic semiconductors, organic ferroelectrics, organic piezoelectrics, and organic NLO-active materials. Along with these areas, the group has started working on the synthesis of organic redox-active drugs as well as hybrid drug molecules.

The research scholars in the group are trained in organic and organometallic synthesis, purification of complex systems, isolation and handling of reactive compounds. The scholars get trained in various spectroscopic, spectrometric and electrochemical techniques, as well as become proficient in growing of single crystals and single crystal X-ray crystallography. The students have access to AFM, PFM and Rheometer for studying novel supramolecular materials. The students also acquire skills in the basic and advanced aspects of computational studies.

Ongoing Projects and Major projects undertaken in the past:
1. Design, Synthesis and Supramolecular Integration of Spin Crossover Complexes with Stable Radical Ions: Towards Redox-, Color- and Magneto-SwitchabIe Materials. SERB (Ongoing).
2. Development of pi-conjugated supramolecular motifs as organic radical precursors ….organic electronics and multifunctional biomedical imaging. DST-WOS (2021-2023, as a Mentor).
3. Exploring design, synthetic and computational tools…..and their self-assembled soft materials. DST, Govt. of India (2015-2020).
4. Design and Synthesis of Naphthalenediimide-based Organic Radical Ions and their Tuned Metal Complexes for Magnetic Studies. SERB (2017-2019, as Mentor of NPDF)