Dissertation: Reaction monitoring tools enable facile optimization of catalytic reactions (Bruce-Salmenkivi)
Optimization of catalytic reactions often relies on checking the yield only at a single time point. This approach can easily lead to a false optimum, especially if the product or the catalyst degrades as the reaction proceeds. Reaction monitoring provides real-time information on reaction progress, allowing the researcher to avoid catalysts or conditions that are neither robust nor reliable.
“My research has focused on troubleshooting challenging catalytic reactions using reaction monitoring tools, with the aim of developing safer and more operationally straightforward protocols. During the optimization stage, reaction monitoring uncovered several previously unrecognized challenges, including undesirable side reactions and catalyst deactivation, for which I wanted to find solutions,” says Veera Bruce-Salmenkivi.
As a result, this work has led to the development of three new catalytic methods that enable efficient synthesis of valuable molecular building blocks.
Safer and more user-friendly protocols for known catalytic reactions
Part of the research was carried out at Orion Pharma in Espoo, where Bruce‑Salmenkivi focused on studying the amidation of carboxylic acids, a reaction that is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry. The remaining two reactions investigated were examples of Claisen rearrangements.
“The methods I have developed are user-friendly and address the key challenges of these reactions. I hope they will become part of the everyday toolbox of organic chemists,” Bruce-Salmenkivi concludes.
The research project received funding from the Research Council of Finland and Orion Pharma.
M.Sc Veera Bruce-Salmenkivi defends her doctoral dissertation "Troubleshooting Catalytic Organic Reactions Assisted by Reaction Monitoring” on 29.5.2026 at 12:00 at Ylistönrinne Campus in lecture hall FYS1. Opponent is Professor Daniele Castagnolo (University College London) and custos is Professor Petri M. Pihko (University of Jyväskylä). The language of the defense is English. The defense can be followed remotely via the following website: https://r.jyu.fi/dissertation-bruce-salmenkivi-290526
