Associate ProfessorChristopher Fitchett
Qualifications & Memberships
Research Interests
We are broadly interested in the synthesis of new and interesting organic molecules, particularly focusing on colossal aromatic molecules. Such compounds are intrinsically interesting as materials, but are also being investigated for their ability to form novel coordination and organometallic supramolecular assemblies. The preparation of such systems requires the use of modern organic synthetic techniques, including developing new reactions. The formation of new and interesting materials is the ultimate goal. These are subsequently examined for their chemical, physical and properties.
We are currently working on the following projects:
~ The synthesis of large aromatic molecules with novel electronic and photo-chemical behavior.
~ Controlling intermolecular interactions is supramolecular assemblies.
~ The preparation and investigation of asymmetric catalysts using propeller based chirality.
~ Anion transporters for therapeutic applications.nic reactions.
~ The development of X-ray charge density analysis at the University of Canterbury.
Recent Publications
- Kerr WR., Squire MA. and Fitchett CM. (2022) Synthesis and structural isomerism of sterically hindered isobornyl amide tethered N-heterocyclic carbene complexes. Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 982 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jorganchem.2022.122519.
- Wu T., Brooksby PA., Fitchett CM. and Downard AJ. (2021) Immobilisation of Iron Porphyrin from an Equilibrium Solution with Diazonium-Functionalised Axial Ligand: Dependence of Film Composition on Grafting Potential. ChemElectroChem 8(16): 3105-3112. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/celc.202100712.
- Wu T., Fitchett CM. and Downard AJ. (2021) Para-Fluoro-Thiol Reaction on Anchor Layers Grafted from an Aryldiazonium Salt: A Tool for Surface Functionalization with Thiols. Langmuir 37(38): 11397-11405. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c02012.
- Wu T., Fitchett CM., Brooksby PA. and Downard AJ. (2021) Building Tailored Interfaces through Covalent Coupling Reactions at Layers Grafted from Aryldiazonium Salts. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 13(10): 11545-11570. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c22387.
- Shillito GE., Bodman SE., Mapley JI., Fitchett CM. and Gordon KC. (2020) Accessing a Long-Lived 3LC State in a Ruthenium(II) Phenanthroline Complex with Appended Aromatic Groups. Inorganic Chemistry 59(23): 16967-16975. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c02102.