ºÚÁÏÉçÇø

Biography

Dr Roly J Armstrong MºÚÁÏÉçÇø graduated with an MSci in Natural Sciences from Pembroke College, University of Cambridge in 2011, spending his final year working in the laboratory of Professor Steven Ley. He then moved to the University of Oxford to carry out a DPhil under the supervision of Professor Martin Smith, working on asymmetric phase-transfer catalysis. In 2015 he joined the University of Bristol as a postdoctoral research associate with Professor Varinder Aggarwal, investigating new methods for stereoselective olefination. In 2017 he returned to the University of Oxford to take up a postdoctoral position with Professor Timothy Donohoe, where his research focused upon developing new methods for stereoselective iridium-catalysed enolate alkylation.
 
In 2018, Roly secured a Junior Research Fellowship at the University of Oxford (University College) and in October 2021, was appointed to the School of Natural and Environmental Science at Newcastle University as a lecturer in chemistry. His research interests involve developing new, sustainable methods for organic synthesis, including mechanochemistry, catalysis and stereoselective synthesis.

Collaboration has played a big part in shaping the direction of my research and has also been among the most enjoyable aspects of being a scientist.

Roly Armstrong

Q&A

Can you tell us more about your work?

My research programme focuses on the development of new methods for the synthesis of organic molecules, with an emphasis on improving both selectivity and sustainability. This includes a particular focus on the stereoselective synthesis of C–N atropisomeric compounds – molecules that exhibit three dimensionality due to restricted rotation about a carbon–nitrogen bond. These chiral architectures are increasingly recognised as important motifs in areas such as medicinal chemistry, where their molecular shape and stereochemistry can have a profound influence on biological activity. 

In parallel, my group investigates the use of Group 1 metals in organic synthesis. Our research has shown that mechanochemistry, where chemical transformations are driven by mechanical force, can unlock the unique reactivity of elements such as sodium, enabling the development of more sustainable and efficient synthetic processes.

Are there any scientific developments, either recent or on the horizon, that you are excited about? 

It has been exciting to witness the rapid emergence of atropisomerism as a key concept in medicinal chemistry, where it is now playing a transformative role, particularly in anti-cancer drug discovery. Over the past decade, the field has evolved from a relatively specialised topic into a major area of innovation. This brings substantial opportunities to develop new synthetic methods that can provide efficient access to these unusual three-dimensional molecules and broaden their application in drug discovery.

How can scientists try to improve the environmental sustainability of research? Can you give us any examples from your own experience or context? 

One particularly exciting and emerging concept is to take problematic waste streams – e.g. plastic waste that is difficult to recycle – and use them as sustainable feedstocks for synthetic chemistry. For example, in our recent work, we have shown that Teflon, which is the archetypal example of a so-called ‘forever chemical’, can be efficiently broken down with sodium metal under mechanochemical conditions to form sodium fluoride which is an important additive in toothpaste and drinking water.

How important would you say collaboration is for producing high quality science? How has collaboration influenced your work? 

I have been fortunate to work with many fantastic collaborators across areas including inorganic chemistry, computational analysis, medicinal chemistry, optical materials and analytical chemistry. These interactions have enabled my research group to tackle challenges at the interfaces of disciplines that would not be possible with synthetic organic chemistry alone. Collaboration has played a big part in shaping the direction of my research and has also been among the most enjoyable aspects of being a scientist.

What is your favourite element and why? 

If you had asked me that question five years ago, the answer would undoubtedly have been carbon or nitrogen. Increasingly, however, I am developing a soft spot for metallic sodium. Sodium is abundant, inexpensive, and sustainable, yet it has largely been overlooked in synthetic chemistry because of its poor compatibility with many organic solvents. Our recent work has shown that mechanochemistry – a technique that uses little or no solvent – can overcome these limitations, unlocking the potential of sodium for more sustainable organic synthesis.