News

  • New article in Organic Letters about novel diaryl fluorohalomethyl sulfonium salts and their application by Arturs & Janis. Well done!

    Fluorohalomethylsulfonium Salts as a Fluorohalocarbene Source

    Herein, we report efficient synthesis of novel diaryl fluorohalomethyl sulfonium salts. The application showcased proficient reagents for Freon-free fluorochloro-, fluorobromo-, and fluoroiodocarbene transfer to alkenes. The developed mild, room temperature conditions for the cyclopropanation do not require any metal catalysts and allow synthetic access to diverse cyclopropanes.

    Read more: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.orglett.4c02327

    Acknowledgement: Latvian Council of Science project lzp-2022/1-0335

  • Our group members attended the BOS 2024 Conference (July 7-10, Riga) and presented their research during a poster session.

    The BOS conferences are comprised of plenary lectures by a distinguished roster of Baltic and international speakers, and poster sessions held in a congenial atmosphere to stimulate discussion. We aim for a balanced program of academic and industrial speakers presenting fundamental and practical aspects of organic synthesis.

    Conference programme: https://boschem.eu/bos2024/schedule/

    Conference abstract book: https://boschem.eu/bos2024/abstract-book/

    Posters were presented by:

       Nagarajan Ramkumar                  Arturs Sperga                             Laura Paunina                Anete Patricija Raiskuma              

    and Ketrina Plantus

     

     

  • Ketrina has received her Bachelor's degree! Nicely done!

    Ketrina has defended her Bachelor's Thesis "Synthetic application of 2-fluorocyclopropyl-1-sulfinate" at the Riga Technical University (12.06.2024.).
    Congratulations on the first milestone in the career of a chemical scientist!

  • Laura has received her Master's degree! Congrats!

    Laura has defended her Master's Thesis “Synthesis of amino acids containing N-Heterocycles” at the University of Latvia (07.06.2024.).
    Congratulations and good luck in starting your PhD studies!

  • The award ceremony for winners of the Latvian Academy of Sciences competition - The Best Achievements in Latvian Science in 2023 was held on February 23, 2024.

    The prize was given for research in applied science: ''Innovative reagent that significantly expands the possibilities for chemists to incorporate fluorine atoms''.
    Authors: LAS corresponding member Janis Veliks, Ph.D. Nagarajan Ram Kumar, Dr.chem. Larisa Baumane, Dr.chem. Dzintars Zacs. #Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis.

    Video recording of the award ceremony: https://youtu.be/ksglFEJvWNE?si=2Chjfdz9KmsjlY_l

  • Wow! Janis received The Thieme Chemistry Journals Award ! #2024

    The Thieme Chemistry Journals Award is presented every year to up-and-coming researchers worldwide who are in the early stages of their independent academic career as assistant or junior professors. The awardees are selected exclusively by the editorial board members of SYNTHESIS, SYNLETT, and SYNFACTS who constantly watch out for promising, young individuals working in chemical synthesis and catalysis or closely related areas of organic chemistry.

    Since 1999 – when the award was given for the first time to young researchers – it is its aim to send a sign of recognition and career encouragement to the new generation of organic chemists.

    https://www.thieme.de/en/thieme-chemistry/thieme-chemistry-journals-award-107359.htm

  • We are happy to announce that Janis has been selected as the scientist of the month of September in the calendar #ZinātneLatvijai 2024!

    For the seventh year, the Ministry of Education and Science has been creating the calendar and exhibition #ZinātneLatvijai, which tells about Latvian scientists who carry Latvia's name in the world and inspire creativity.

    Research as a creatively intuitive process. The calendar “Research Latvia 2024” – stories about 12 passionate personalities, outstanding in their field and endowed with unlimited creativity. Scientists help find solutions to global challenges and everyday problems through their research.

     

    http://youtu.be/jKLoX-2vv2c?si=gFMd8dBRatCpjtkz

  • Renate has received The Emīlija Gudriniece Prize of Latvian Academy of Sciences – for the best work in chemistry or technology of chemistry in 2023!

    Congratulations to Ph.D. Renate Melngaile for receiving The Emīlija Gudriniece Prize of Latvian Academy of Sciences on her Doctoral Thesis "Development of Fluoromethylene Transfer Reagents".

     

    https://www.lza.lv/aktualitates/jaunumi/1782-lza-senats-apstiprina-vardbalvu-un-jauno-zinatnieku-balvu-laureatus

  • Dr.sc.nat Janis Veliks, Ph.D. Nagarajan Ram Kumar, Dr.chem. Larisa Baumane, Dr.chem. Dzintars Zacs - winners of the Latvian Academy of Sciences annual award “ACHIEVEMENTS IN SCIENCE 2023”

    Congratulations to LAS corresponding member Janis Veliks, Ph.D. Nagarajan Ram Kumar, Dr.chem. Larisa Baumane, Dr.chem. Dzintars Zacs on receiving the Latvian Academy of Sciences annual award “ACHIEVEMENTS IN SCIENCE 2023” for their achievements on project “Innovative reagent that significantly expands the possibilities for chemists to incorporate fluorine atoms”.

    Researchers led by Dr.sc.nat. Janis Veliks have developed a new, stable, and non-aggressive reagent. In the presence of a catalyst and under the influence of blue LED light, this reagent generates fluoromethyl radicals – active particles containing fluorine that readily attach to organic molecules. This innovative reagent significantly expands the possibilities for chemists to incorporate fluorine atoms, paving the way for the construction of potential new drugs and the development of novel technologies for obtaining well-known substances.

    https://www.lza.lv/en/activities/news/1778-winners-of-the-annual-science-achievements-competition-2023-announced

    https://replay.lsm.lv/lv/ieraksts/ltv/317101/izstrada-jaunu-reagentu-fluoru-saturosu-molekulu-iegusanai

  • Congratulations to Renate for receiving PhD degree!

    Renate has successfully defended her PhD thesis! During doctoral studies she has been working on development of fluoromethylene transfer reagents and methodologies to access novel monofluorinated molecules. Congratulations and warmest regards from Veliks group!

  • Congratulations to Renate for her paper in OL!

    Read our latest work in OL: Synthetic Access to Fluorocyclopropylidenes

    Efficient reagent and methodology reported to access rare monofluorinated building-blocks - fluorocyclopropylidenes.

    https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.orglett.3c00579

  • Arturs has received Young Researchers Award 2023 of Latvian Academy of Sciences!

    Congratulations to Arturs for receiving Young Researchers Award 2023 of Latvian Academy of Sciences on his work on Iron Catalyzed Fluoromethylene Transfer.

    http://www.lza.lv/aktualitates/jaunumi/1448-lza-jauno-zinatnieku-balvu-laureati-2023-arturs-sperga

    Check out his ineterview on Latvian 1st Channel:

    https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/dzive--stils/tehnologijas-un-zinatne/14.03.2023-jaunais-zinatnieks-latvija-izstrada-jaunu-metodi-fluora-savienojumu-ieguvei.a500698/

    https://www.osi.lv/pasniegtas-lza-balvas-jaunajiem-zinatniekiem-tostarp-tris-osi-kimikiem/

  • Prime minister visits LIOS

    Presenting infrastructure available at our group to Latvian prime minister Mr. K. Kariņš.

  • Congratulations to Ram for his paper in ACIE!

    Read our latest work in ACIE: Merging Copper(I) Photoredox Catalysis and Iodine(III) Chemistry for the Oxy-monofluoromethylation of Alkenes

    [Bis(monofluoroacetoxy)iodo]benzene- a new reagent for radical monofluoromethylation under visible-light copper(I) photoredox catalysis.

    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.202219027?af=R

     

  • Organic Synthesis Laboratory - New reasearch group at LIOS

    We are glad to announce that Organic Synthesis Laboratory at LIOS starts working from 1st of October

  • Arturs won the best poster award of 12th Paul Walden Symposium

    Arturs Sperga has participated in 12th Paul Walden Symposium on organic chemistry on 28-29th of October.
    He won the award for the best poste for master degree students. Congratulations!