Kathiravan Suppan
Research engineerI am a Docent in Organic Chemistry at Linnaeus University. My work is driven by a passion for advancing the field of organic synthesis through the lenses of catalysis and sustainability. With extensive experience in both academic and industrial research environments—including my roles as a Group Leader and Researcher at Attana AB—I focus on bridging the gap between fundamental mechanistic understanding and practical, eco-friendly solutions for complex molecular transformations.
My career has been dedicated to pushing the boundaries of catalytic science to minimize environmental impact while maximizing synthetic efficiency. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and a deep expertise in transition metal catalysis, organic synthesis, and electrochemical methods, I strive to contribute to the evolution of a more sustainable chemical industry.
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Teaching
"I teach organic chemistry and general chemistry courses within the chemistry program and the undergraduate program. Additionally, I supervise students in project courses and degree projects at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels."
Research
Research
My research centers on developing innovative synthetic methodologies that address global challenges in resource efficiency and energy consumption. By exploring the intricate interactions between catalysts and substrates, my work aims to unlock new pathways for greener and more efficient chemical processes.
Central Research Areas:
Electrosynthesis and Electrophotocatalysis: We develop innovative platforms where electricity and light energy work synergistically to drive reactions under mild conditions, such as electrochemical C-H annulation.
Late-Stage Functionalization (LSF): A core focus involves developing selective methods for the functionalization of drugs and complex molecules in their final synthetic stages.
Sustainable Organic Synthesis: We emphasize the design of atom-efficient pathways, including the use of non-ionic deep eutectic solvents (DES) for click reactions and ruthenium-catalyzed C-H activation.
Transition Metal Catalysis: Our work explores non-classical organic synthesis via transition metal catalysis, including cobalt, copper, rhodium, and iridium-catalyzed C-H activation and bond formation
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Publications
Selected publications
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Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2024). Recent advances in electrochemical C–N bond formation via C–H/N–H activation with hydrogen evolution. Current Research in Green and Sustainable Chemistry. 8.
Status: Published -
Dhillon, P., Anaspure, P., Wiklander, J.G., Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2023). Diyne-steered switchable regioselectivity in cobalt(ii)-catalysed C(sp(2))-H activation of amides with unsymmetrical 1,3-diynes. Organic and biomolecular chemistry. 21 (9). 1942-1951.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Anaspure, P. (2023). Electrochemical rhodium catalysed alkyne annulation with pyrazoles through anodic oxidation - a metal oxidant/additive free methodology. Organic and biomolecular chemistry. 21 (9). 2024-2033.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Anaspure, P., Zhang, T., Nicholls, I.A. (2021). Tandem Iridium-Catalyzed Decarbonylative C-H Activation of Indole : Sacrificial Electron-Rich Ketone-Assisted Bis-arylsulfenylation. Organic Letters. 23 (9). 3331-3336.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2019). Cobalt-Catalyzed Oxidative Annulation of Berizothiophene-[b]-1,1-dioxide through Diastereoselective Double C-H Activation. Organic Letters. 21 (24). 9806-9811.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Suriyanarayanan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2019). Electrooxidative Amination of sp2 C–H Bonds : Coupling of Amines with Aryl Amides via Copper Catalysis. Organic Letters. 21 (7). 1968-1972.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2017). Cobalt Catalyzed, Regioselective C(sp(2))-H Activation of Amides with 1,3-Diynes. Organic Letters. 19 (18). 4758-4761.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2014). Rhodium(III)-catalysed aerobic synthesis of highly functionalized indoles from N-arylurea under mild conditions through C-H activation. Chemical Communications. 50 (95). 14964-14967.
Status: Published
Article in journal (Refereed)
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Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2026). Electrochemical deuteration : A sustainable strategy for isotope incorporation in organic molecules. Current Opinion in Electrochemistry. 57.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2026). Kolbe radical-initiated electrochemical desulfurization of thioamides under aerobic conditions. Chemical Communications. 62. 3811-3814.
Status: Published -
Wtulich, J., Nicholls, I.A., Kathiravan, S. (2025). Ruthenium-catalysed late-stage C-H alkynylation of carboxylic acids using sustainable deep eutectic solvents. New Journal of Chemistry. 49 (16). 6666-6673.
Status: Published -
Dhillon, P., Kathiravan, S., Wiklander, J.G., Nicholls, I.A. (2025). Iridium/Silver-Catalyzed H/D Exchange for Perdeuteration of Indoles and Site-Selective Deuteration of Carbazoles : Application in Late-Stage Functionalization. Journal of Organic Chemistry. 90 (33). 11791-11801.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2024). Recent advances in electrochemical C–N bond formation via C–H/N–H activation with hydrogen evolution. Current Research in Green and Sustainable Chemistry. 8.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Dhillon, P., Zhang, T., Nicholls, I.A. (2024). Synthesis of Unsymmetrical Urea Derivatives via PhI(OAc)2 and Application in Late-Stage Drug Functionalization. Molecules. 29 (23).
Status: Published -
Dhillon, P., Anaspure, P., Wiklander, J.G., Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2023). Diyne-steered switchable regioselectivity in cobalt(ii)-catalysed C(sp(2))-H activation of amides with unsymmetrical 1,3-diynes. Organic and biomolecular chemistry. 21 (9). 1942-1951.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Anaspure, P. (2023). Electrochemical rhodium catalysed alkyne annulation with pyrazoles through anodic oxidation - a metal oxidant/additive free methodology. Organic and biomolecular chemistry. 21 (9). 2024-2033.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Zhang, T., Nicholls, I.A. (2023). Iridium catalysed C2 site-selective methylation of indoles using a pivaloyl directing group through weak chelation-assistance. RSC Advances. 13 (17). 11291-11295.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Anaspure, P., Zhang, T., Nicholls, I.A. (2021). Tandem Iridium-Catalyzed Decarbonylative C-H Activation of Indole : Sacrificial Electron-Rich Ketone-Assisted Bis-arylsulfenylation. Organic Letters. 23 (9). 3331-3336.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2019). Cobalt-Catalyzed Oxidative Annulation of Berizothiophene-[b]-1,1-dioxide through Diastereoselective Double C-H Activation. Organic Letters. 21 (24). 9806-9811.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Suriyanarayanan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2019). Electrooxidative Amination of sp2 C–H Bonds : Coupling of Amines with Aryl Amides via Copper Catalysis. Organic Letters. 21 (7). 1968-1972.
Status: Published -
Nilsson, S.M.E., Suriyanarayanan, S., Kathiravan, S., Yli-Kauhaluoma, J., Kotiaho, T., et al. (2019). Enantioselective hyperporous molecularly imprinted thin film polymers. RSC Advances. 9 (58). 33653-33656.
Status: Published -
Suriyanarayanan, S., Olsson, G.D., Kathiravan, S., Ndizeye, N., Nicholls, I.A. (2019). Non-Ionic Deep Eutectic Liquids : Acetamide-Urea Derived Room Temperature Solvents. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 20 (12).
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2017). Cobalt Catalyzed, Regioselective C(sp(2))-H Activation of Amides with 1,3-Diynes. Organic Letters. 19 (18). 4758-4761.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2017). Rhodium(III)-catalysed, redox-neutral C(sp(2))-H alkenylation using pivalimide as a directing group with internal alkynes. Tetrahedron Letters. 58 (1). 1-4.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2017). Monoprotected L-Amino Acid (L-MPAA), Accelerated Bromination, Chlorination, and Iodination of C(sp(2))-H Bonds by Iridium(III) Catalysis. Chemistry - A European Journal. 23 (29). 7031-7036.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Ghosh, S., Hogarth, G., Nicholls, I.A. (2015). Copper catalysed amidation of aryl halides through chelation assistance. Chemical Communications. 51 (23). 4834-4837.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2015). Palladium Catalyzed Vinyltrifluoromethylation of Aryl Halides through Decarboxylative Cross-Coupling with 2-(Trifluoromethyl)acrylic Acid. Organic Letters. 17. 1874-1877.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2014). Rhodium-Catalyzed Oxidative Perfluoroalkenylation by Carbonyl Group Directed C-H Bond Activation. European Journal of Organic Chemistry. (32). 7211-7219.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2014). Rhodium(III)-catalysed aerobic synthesis of highly functionalized indoles from N-arylurea under mild conditions through C-H activation. Chemical Communications. 50 (95). 14964-14967.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S., Raghunathan, R. (2013). Expedient Synthesis of Novel Ferrocenyl Spiropyrrolidines Through 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddition Reaction. Journal of Heterocyclic Chemistry. 51 (4). 906-910.
Status: Published
Article in journal (Other academic)
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Kathiravan, S. (2019). Electrochemically enabled copper-catalyzed C-H amination using electricity as an oxidant. Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society. 257.
Status: Published -
Kathiravan, S. (2017). Towards novel perfluoroalkylation of arenes. Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society. 254.
Status: Published
Article, review/survey (Refereed)
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Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2025). Recent Advancements in Nickel-Catalyzed Electrochemical Reductive Cross-Coupling. ACS Organic & Inorganic Au. American Chemical Society (ACS). 5 (6). 406-450.
Status: Published
Chapter in book (Refereed)
- Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2019). Cobalt catalyzed (sp2) C-H activation reactions with multi-unsaturated substrates for five-and six-membered nitrogen heterocycle synthesis. Targets in heterocyclic systems : Chemistry and properties. Societa Chimica Italiana. 363-383.
- Kathiravan, S., Nicholls, I.A. (2016). Rh-Catalyzed Five-Membered Heterocycle Synthesis. Noble Metal Noble Value: Ru-, Rh-, Pd-catalyzed Heterocycle Synthesis. World Scientific. 127-172.