Pushing Boundaries in Organic Chemistry: IISc Prof. Santanu Mukherjee at Sai Life Sciences

As part of Sai Life Sciences’ ongoing initiative to foster meaningful scientific engagement through interactions with distinguished researchers, Prof. Santanu Mukherjee, Professor in the Department of Organic Chemistry at IISc Bangalore, visited our Integrated R&D campus for a full-day programme of knowledge exchange.

He delivered an insightful masterclass on his group’s work in enantioselective desymmetrization—a powerful strategy for rapidly building molecular complexity and enabling the formation of multiple stereocenters in a single step. The session highlighted organocatalytic desymmetrization reactions developed in his laboratory, including formal C(sp²)–H alkylation and the de novo construction of (hetero)arenes, and their application in the enantioselective synthesis of [3]-ladderanol, [5]-ladderanoic acid, and related analogues. He also discussed recent advances using alkoxy-directed dienamine catalysis for generating unnatural benzo-analogues of ladderanol.

In addition to the masterclass, Prof. Mukherjee joined Dr. Santosh Kulkarni for an engaging Fireside Chat with our scientific community. From the importance of documenting every detail in the lab to the question of what it will take for an Indian chemist to win the Nobel Prize, the conversation offered a candid exploration of the discipline, ambition, and ecosystem needed to push science forward. He reflected on global shifts shaping organic chemistry, the realities of research culture, and why rigor often matters more than brilliance.

Dr. Santanu Mukherjee, one of the country’s leading organic chemists and a global expert in asymmetric catalysis. After research stints in Germany and the US, including Harvard University, he returned to IISc Bangalore to build a laboratory that is now known for breakthrough enantioselective transformations and innovative catalytic approaches. With numerous recognitions and editorial appointments, he continues to shape the direction of contemporary organic chemistry.