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Faculty and Staff Profiles

Mahesh Lakshman

Professor

School/Division

Division of Science

Department

Chemistry

Office

Marshak 1235

p: 212-650-7835

e: lakshman@sci.ccny.cuny.edu

w: View my website >>

  • Profile

    Prof. Lakshman obtained the PhD degree from the University of Oklahoma and did postdoctoral work as a Fogarty Fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIDDK).  He then took up an industrial position as Senior Scientist before returning to academia 1998.  Prof. Lakshman started his academic career at the University of North Dakota before joining CCNY. From 2008-2011, Prof. Lakshman was the Executive Officer for the CUNY PhD program in Chemistry.

  • Education

    B.Sc. University of Bombay
    M.Sc. University of Bombay
    MS University of Oklahoma
    PhD University of Oklahoma

  • Research Interests

    Prof. Lakshman's research is in organic chemical synthesis pertaining to questions of biological interest.  The program has many facets but can be broadly divided into the following areas.

    A. Nucleoside Modifications. Here new metal-catalyzed as well as uncatalyzed routes are being invented, to enable nucleoside modification.

    B. Studies on Environmental Pollutants. In this area, structural and biological effects of DNA modification by environmental pollutants are studied.  In addition, new chemical methodology to create model systems for studying metabolic activation processes of environmental pollutants are being developed.

    C. New Chemical Methodology. New methods to create molecules, and new physiologically important molecules are developed, via new approaches.

    Research is conducted with the idea that Fundamental Understanding drives New Chemistry (FUNCy).  Thus, development of chemical methodology and synthesis of novel molecules require a sound understanding of mechanistic organic chemistry, as being integral to the research.

  • Publications

    Representative Recent Publications

    Gurram, V.; Pottabathini, N.; Garlapati, R.; Chaudhary, A. B.; Patro, B.; Lakshman, M. K.: C-C cross-coupling reactions of O6-alkyl-2-haloinosine derivatives and a one-pot cross-coupling/O6-deprotection procedure, Chemistry-An Asian Journal, 2012, 7, in press.

    Kokatla, H. P.; Lakshman, M. K: Two-step, one-pot synthesis of inosine, guanosine, and 2'-deoxyguanosine O6-ethers, Current Protocols in Nucleic Acid Chemistry (John Wiley and Sons, Inc.) 2012, in press.

    Lakshman, M. K.; Deb, A.; Chamala, R. R.; Pradhan, P.; Pratap, R.: Direct arylation of 6-phenylpurine and 6-arylpurine nucleosides by ruthenium-catalyzed C-H bond activation, Angewandte Chemie, International Edition 2011, 50, 11400-11404. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201104035
    Featured on the inside cover

    Kokatla, H. P.; Thomson, P. F.; Bae, S.; Facile reduction of amine N-oxides by diboron compounds, Journal of Organic Chemistry 2011, 76, 7842-7848. DOI: 10.1021/jo201192c

    Kokatla, H. P.; Lakshman, M. K.: One-pot etherification of purine nucleosides and pyrimidines, Organic Letters 2010, 12, 4478-4881. DOI: 10.1021/ol101655h

    Thomson, P. F.; Lagisetty, P.; Balzarini, J.; De Clercq, E.; Lakshman, M. K.: Palladium-catalyzed aryl amination reactions of 6-bromo and 6-chloropurine nucleosides, Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis 2010, 352, 1728-1735. DOI: 10.1002/adsc.200900728

    Kumar, A.; Akula, H. K.; Lakshman, M. K.: Simple synthesis of amides and Weinreb amides using PPh3 or polymer-supported PPh3 and iodine, European Journal of Organic Chemistry 2010, 2709-2715. DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.200901420
    Highlighted in Synfacts 2010, #8, 968

    Lakshman, M. K.; Singh, M. K.; Parrish, D.; Balachandran, R.; Day, B. W.: Azide-tetrazole equilibrium of C-6 azidopurine nucleosides and their ligation reactions with alkynes, Journal of Organic Chemistry 2010, 75, 2461-2473. DOI: 10.1021/jo902342z

    Pratap, R.; Parrish, D.; Gunda, P.; Venkatraman, D. V.; Lakshman, M. K.: Influence of biaryl phosphine structure on C-N and C-C bond formation, Journal of the American Chemical Society 2009, 131, 12240-12249.

    Lakshman, M. K.; Frank, J.: A simple method for C-6 modification of guanine nucleosides, Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry 2009, 7, 2933-2940. DOI: 10.1039/B905298D
    Featured on the cover of the issue

    Singh, M. K.; Lakshman, M. K.: A simple synthesis of nitriles from aldoximes, Journal of Organic Chemistry 2009, 74, 3079-3084. DOI: 10.1021/jo900100v
    Among the "Top 20 most downloaded articles for the previous month" (April 2009)
    Highlighted in ChemInform 2009, 40, doi: 10.1002/chin.200935087

    Bae, S.; Chaturvedi, S.; Lakshman, M. K.: O6-(Benzotriazol-1-yl)inosine derivatives, a new class of compounds for modification at the C-6 of purine nucleosides, Current Protocols in Nucleic Acid Chemistry (John Wiley and Sons, Inc.) 2009, Supplement 36, 1.22.

    Lakshman, M. K.; Choudhury, A.; Bae, S.; Rochttis, E.; Pradhan, P.; Kumar, A.: Synthesis of N6,N6-dialkyl adenine nucleosides using hexaalkylphosphorus triamides produced in situ, European Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2009, 152-159. DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.200800752

  • Additional Information

    Awards and Recognitions

    The City College of New York President's S.T.A.R. (Service, Teamwork, Action, and Results) Award 2011

    "Excellent Service to the Editors and Authors of EurJOC European Journal of Organic Chemistry" Certificate of Recognition from Wiley-VCH and ChemPubSoc Europe

    "In Honor of Outstanding Scholarly Achievements to the Creation and Transmittal of Knowledge" Certificate of Recognition from The City University of New York, 2007

    Certificate of Appreciation from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for "Commitment to Advancing Underrepresented Minority Students in Mathematics, Science and Engineering and for Partnering with the Foundation's Minority Program," 2007

    Profiled in the June 1 issue of India Abroad, 2007

    "For Securing Major Institutional Grant Funds in 2005" Certificate of Recognition from The City University of New York, 2006

    "In Honor of Outstanding Scholarly Achievements to the Creation and Transmittal of Knowledge" Certificate of Recognition from The City University of New York, 2004

    "Outstanding Mentor Award" The City College of New York, 2003-2004

    "In Honor of Outstanding Scholarly Achievements to the Creation and Transmittal of Knowledge" Certificate of Recognition from The City University of New York, 2002

    "In Honor of Outstanding Scholarly Achievements to the Creation and Transmittal of Knowledge" Certificate of Recognition from The City University of New York, 2001

    Professional Service

    Co-Chair Oral Presentation Session at the 14th International Conference, Lucknow, India, 2010

    Editorial Board Member Organic Chemistry International

    Editorial Board Member Current Chemical Biology

    Editorial Board Member Acta Chimica Slovenica

    Ad hoc and Panel Reviewer for The National Institutes of Health, The National Science Foundation, The American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund

    Reviewer for various national and international journals (for example: Angewandte Chemie, International Edition, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Nature Protocols, Organic Letters, The Journal of Organic Chemistry, The Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, European Journal of Organic Chemistry, Chemical Research in Toxicology, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, Tetrahedron, Tetrahedron Letters, Synthesis, Synlett)

    Administrative Service

    Executive Officer, The City University of New York PhD Program in Chemistry, July 2008-June 2011

    Chair, Masters Program Committee

    Chair, Search Committee for a Lecturer in Organic Chemistry

    Chair, Search Committee for a Faculty Member in Organic Chemistry

    Member, Outstanding Teaching/Mentoring Award Committee

    Member, Search Committee for a Faculty Member in Organic Chemistry

    Member, Search Committee for Organic and Biochemistry Technicians

    Member, Executive Committee of the Chemistry Department

    Member, Search Committee for NMR Facility Manager

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