The Paton Research Group

Predictive Computational Chemistry

Research in the Paton group is focussed on the development and application of computational tools to accelerate chemical discovery. Quantum chemistry, open source software and statistical modeling tools are used to explore organic reactivity and selectivity aided by extensive collaborations with experimentalists.

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Research

Data Driven Chemistry FI

Data-Driven Chemistry

Computer aided catalyst design

Catalyst Discovery and Design

reaction mechanism

Reaction Mechanism and Selectivity

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Latest News!!

Recent Publications

Mechanistic Studies Yield Improved Protocols for Base-Catalyzed anti-Markovnikov Alcohol Addition Reactions.

Luo, C.; Alegre-Requena, J. V.; Sujansky, S. J.; Pajk, S.; Gallegos, L. C.; Paton, R. S.; Bandar, J. S. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, accepted

Multi-objective goal-directed optimization of de novo stable organic radicals for aqueous redox flow batteries.

Sowndarya, S. S. V.; Law, J.; Tripp, C.; Duplyakin, D.; Skordilis, E.; Biagioni, D.; Paton, R. S.; St. John, P. C. Nat. Mach. Intell. 2022,accepted

[18F]Difluorocarbene for Positron Emission Tomography.

Sap, J. B. S.; Meyer, C. F.; Ford, J.; Straathof, N. J. W.; Dürr, A. B.; Lelos, M. J.; Paisey, S. J.; Mollner, T. A.; Hell, S. A.; Trabanco, A.; Genicot, C.; am Ende, C. W.; Paton, R. S.; Tredwell, M.; Gouverneur, V. Nature 2022 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04669-2

Asymmetric Azidation under Hydrogen Bonding Phase-Transfer Catalysis: A Combined Experimental and Computational Study.

Wang, J.; Horwitz, M.; Dürr, A.; Ibba, F.; Pupo, G.; Gao, Y.; Ricci, P.; Christensen, K.; Pathak, T.; Claridge, T. W.; Lloyd-Jones, G.; Paton, R. S.; Gouverneur, V. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 4572–4584

Reading and Erasing of the Phosphonium Analogue of Trimethyllysine by Epigenetic Proteins.

Kamps, J. J. A. G.; Belle, R.; Poater, J.; Kumar, K.; Pieters, B. J. G. E.; Salah, E.; Brown, T.;  Claridge, T. D. W.; Paton, R. S.; Bickelhaupt, F. M.; Kawamura, A.; Schofield, C. J.; Mecinović, J. Commun. Chem. 2022. DOI: 10.1038/s42004-022-00640-4

Homologation of Electron-Rich Benzyl Bromide Derivatives via Diazo C–C Bond Insertion.
Modak, A.; Alegre-Requena, J. V.; Lescure, L.; Rynders, K. J.; Paton, R. S.; Race, N. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 86–92
Modeling catalysis in allosteric enzymes: Capturing conformational consequences.

Klem, H.; McCullagh, M.; Paton, R. S. Top. Catal. 2022, 65, 165–186

A Quantitative Metric for Organic Radical Persistence Using Thermodynamic and Kinetic Features.

Sowndarya, S. S. V.; St. John, P. C.; Paton, R. S.Chem. Sci. 2021, 12, 13158-13166.

Real-time Prediction of 1H and 13C Chemical Shifts with DFT accuracy using a 3D Graph Neural Network.

Guan, Y.; Sowndarya, S. S. V.; Gallegos, L. C.; St. John, P. C.; Paton, R. S. Chem. Sci. 2021, 12, 12012-12026.

Controlling Intramolecular Interactions in the Design of Selective, High-Affinity, Ligands for the CREBBP Bromodomain.

Brand, M.; Clayton, J.; Moroglu, M. ; Schiedel, M.; Picaud, S.; Bluck, J. P.; Skwarska,A.; Chan, A. K. N.; Laurin, C. M. C.; Scorah, A. R.; See, L.; Rooney, T. P. C.; Fedorov, O.; Perell, G.; Cortopassi, W. A.; Christensen, K. E.; Cooper, R. I.; Paton, R. S.; Pomerantz, W. C. K.; Biggin, P. C.; Hammond, E. M.; Filippakopoulos, P.; Conway, S. J. J. Med. Chem. 2021, 64, 10102–10123

Reactions of NO3 with Aromatic Aldehydes: Gas phase Kinetics and Insights into the Mechanism of the reaction.

Ren,Y.; Zhou, L.; Mellouki, A.; Daele, V.; Idir, M.; Brown, S.; Rusic, B.; Paton, R. S.; Ravishankara, A. R. Atmos. Chem. Phys. 2021, 21, 13537–13551.