Prof Adrian Chaplin

Professor of Chemistry
Health & Safety Chair

a.b.chaplin@warwick.ac.uk
+44 (0)2476 1 51765
Chaplin GroupLink opens in a new window

About Me

Biography

Professor; University of Warwick, UK (08/2023 - present).
Royal Society University Research Fellow, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and then Reader; University of Warwick, UK (2011 - 2023).
EPSRC funded postdoctoral research assistant; WillisLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window and WellerLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window research groups, University of Oxford, UK (2009 - 2011).
R. J. P. Williams Junior Research Fellow; Wadham College, Oxford, UK (2009 - 2011) .
EPSRC funded postdoctoral research assistant; WellerLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window research group, University of Oxford, UK (2007 - 2009).
Docteur ès Sciences (PhD); DysonLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window research group, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland (2007).
BSc (Hons); Massey University, New Zealand (2002).

Recognition

2023 RSC Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson Prize [press releaseLink opens in a new window].
2015 RSC Harrison-Meldola Memorial Prize [press releaseLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window]
2014 ERC Starting Grant [press releaseLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window].
2011 Royal Society University Research Fellowship.

Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Research interests

Synthetic organometallic chemistry, encompassing fundamental aspects of structure and bonding, mechanism elucidation, reaction discovery and catalyst design. Research in my group is focused on the catalytic remediation and repurposing of nitrous oxide (N₂O), organometallic chemistry of late transition metal metalloradicals, and application of supramolecular-inspired encapsulating and interlocked ligands in small molecule activation reactions and catalysis. Our experimental work benefits from excellent research facilities and infrastructure at the University of Warwick and we proactively collaborate with experts in computational chemistry to support and drive our research forward.

[further details on the Chaplin group webpages]

Publications (selected)

T. M. Hood, S. H. Dewick, J. Liu, E. Richards* and A. B. Chaplin*. In Crystallo Hydrogenation of Nitrous Oxide Using a Rhodium(II) Hydride Complex. Inorg. Chem. 2026, 65, 22233–22238Link opens in a new window.
T. M. Hood, R. S. C. Charman, D. J. Liptrot* and A. B. Chaplin*. Copper(I) Catalysed Diboron(4) Reduction of Nitrous Oxide. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2024, 63, e202411692Link opens in a new window.
J. E. Smart, J. Emerson-King, R. J. Jeans, T. M. Hood, S. Lau, A. Bara-Estaún, U. Hintermair, P. G. Pringle, and A. B. Chaplin*. A Resorcin[4]arene-Based Phosphite-Phosphine Ligand for the Branched-Selective Hydroformylation of Alkyl Alkenes. ACS Catal. 2024, 14, 11803–11807Link opens in a new window.
T. Krämer,* M. R. Gyton, I. Bustos, M. J. G. Sinclair, S.-y. Tan, C. J. Wedge, S. A. Macgregor and A. B. Chaplin*. Stability and C–H Bond Activation Reactions of Palladium(I) and Platinum(I) Metalloradicals: Carbon-to-Metal H-Atom Transfer and an Organometallic Radical Rebound Mechanism. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 14087–14100Link opens in a new window.
B. Leforestier, M. R. Gyton and A. B. Chaplin*. Oxidative addition of a mechanically entrapped C(sp)–C(sp) bond to a rhodium(I) pincer complex. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 23500–23504Link opens in a new window.
C. M. Storey, A. Kalpokas, M. R. Gyton, T. Krämer* and A. B. Chaplin*. A shape changing tandem Rh(CNC) catalyst: preparation of bicyclo[4.2.0]octa-1,5,7-trienes from terminal aryl alkynes. Chem. Sci. 2020, 11, 2051–2057Link opens in a new window.
M. R. Gyton, B. Leforestier and A. B. Chaplin*. Rhodium(I) Pincer Complexes of Nitrous Oxide. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, 58, 15295–15298Link opens in a new window.
C. M. Storey, M. R. Gyton, R. E. Andrew and A. B. Chaplin*. Terminal Alkyne Coupling Reactions through a Ring: Mechanistic Insights and Regiochemical Switching. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 12003–12006Link opens in a new window.

[complete list on the Chaplin group webpages]

Teaching and supervision

Adrian lectures on CH164Link opens in a new window (atoms and molecules) and CH3G9Link opens in a new window (catalysis). He is a tutor for CH164Link opens in a new window, CH166Link opens in a new window, and CH277Link opens in a new window.

Past and present Chaplin group members and their accomplishments are detailed on our webpages. We are always interested to hear from talented and motivated scientists. If you are interested in joining the team, please get in touch.