The Workgroup for Organic Chemistry of the Austrian Chemical Society (GÖCH) cordially invites you to this year’s Adolf Lieben Lectureship series which will be held in October 2026. Named after one of the Austrian pioneers in organic chemistry, this lecture series aims on bringing some of the most innovative and influential organic chemists to Austria each year.

"Memory of Chirality in Radical Chemistry"

Prof. PAOLO MELCHIORRE

(University of Bologna, Italy)

VENUES AND DATES:

• Oct. 5: University Innsbruck

  17:15, (L.EG.220)

  Local host: T. Magauer

  
  

• Oct. 6: JKU Linz

  17:15, (HS 5)

  Local host: M. Waser

  
  

• Oct. 7: TU Graz

  Local host: R. Breinbauer

  
  

• Oct. 8: ISTA Klosterneuburg

  Local host: B. Pieber

  
  

• Oct. 9: Uni Wien - Award Ceremony

  Local host: D. Bonifazi

  
  

ABSTRACT:

Radical intermediates are often considered incompatible with the preservation of stereochemical information because of their high reactivity, conformational freedom, and rapid stereochemical scrambling. This lecture will discuss strategies to impose “memory of chirality” in radical chemistry by using excited-state catalytic intermediates and confined reaction environments. Engineered photoenzymes use the confined space of an active site to control excited-state radical intermediates and preserve stereochemical information during bond formation.¹ This concept provides a blueprint for developing stereospecific radical strategies outside biological systems, where molecular organization, confinement, and direct photoexcitation can impose memory of chirality in radical chemistry.²

(1) Tseliou, V.; Kqiku, L.; Berger, M.; Schiel, F.; Poelarends, G. J.; Melchiorre, P. Nature 2024, 634, 848–854.

(2) This research is supported by the European Research Council (ERC-2023-AdG 101141690 – PHOTOZYME).

SPOSNOR:

We are grateful to TCI for generous continued sponsoring.