Speaker: Prof. Abhishek Dey
School of Chemical Science, Indian Association for the
Cultivation of Science, Kolkata, WB, India, 700032
Title: "Bio-inspired Chemistry On Electrodes: Methods to
Functional Modelling."
Day and Date: Wednesday, January 07, 2026
Day and Date: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
Time: 16.00 Hrs.
Venue: Room no. 350, Chemistry Department
Second floor, Annex
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Hosted by Prof. Debabrata Maiti
Abstract One of the major goals of bio-inspired chemistry has been to mimic the function of elegant metallo-enzymes. Such functional modelling has been difficult to attain in solution for reactions that require multiple protons and multiple electrons (nH+/ne-). This series of lectures will demonstrate how the combination of heterogeneous electrochemistry, electrode and molecule design one may control both electron transfer (ET) and proton transfer (PT) of these nH+/ne- reactions can allow the development of functional analogues of metallo-enzymes. The first lecture will discuss work of this group in creating functional models of cytochrome c oxidase (O2 + 4e- + 4H+ 2H2O), monooxygenases (RCH2 + O2 + 2e- + 2H+ R-CHOH + H2O), heme decabonylase and dioxygenases (S + O2 SO2; S = organic substrate), which work in aqueous medium and room temperatures. The second lecture with discuss the development of functional models of Hydrogenases (H+ + e- ½ H2) which not only act as bidirectional catalysts but also circumvent the issue of O2 sensitivity of hydrogenases.