Dr. Sindhu Mathai received her Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in chemistry from M. G. University, Kottayam, in 1994 and 1999, respectively. She received her Ph. D. from Cochin University of Science and Technology in February 2005, and the research work was carried out at CSIR-NIIST, Trivandrum, under the guidance of Dr. G. Vijay Nair. During her doctoral studies, she worked on ‘Novel 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of acyclic carbonyl ylides and related chemistry’. Subsequently, she joined as a post-doctoral fellow (2005-2006) under the direction of Prof. Alan R. Katritzky, University of Florida, to investigate the synthesis of triazole polymers as potential rocket propellant binders. Afterward, she received the Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship to pursue her research (2006-2008) at Regensburg University, Germany, under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Oliver Reiser. While working as an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, she was engaged in the multi-step total synthesis of biologically active natural products like Chinensiolides; members of the Guaianolide family. She returned to India in May 2008 and joined Lupin Research Park, Pune, as a Manager Grade Research Scientist in the Medicinal Chemistry Division and continued there till March 2010. There she focused on the investigation of antidiabetic agents and has one international patent to her credit in this regard. In 2012, Dr. Sindhu Mathai joined Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, as Assistant Professor of Chemistry and continued there until July 2019. Presently, she is serving as Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Chemistry, CUSAT. Her current research interests include developing novel methodologies in organic synthesis, heterogeneous catalysis, synthesis of bioactive molecules, and development of polymers for organic solar cells.

• Development of novel methodologies for organic synthesis.
• Design and synthesis of natural as well as un-natural compounds of biological importance.
• Synthesis of novel polymers for solar cell applications.
• Heterogeneous catalysis towards palladium catalysed cross coupling reactions.

1. Wang, L.; Song, Y.; Gyanda, R.; Sakhuja, R.; Meher, N. K.; Hanci, S.; Gyanda, K.; Mathai, S.; Sabri, F.; Ciaramitaro, D. A.; Bedford, C. D.; Katritzky, A, R.; Duran, R. S. Preparation and mechanical properties of cross-linked 1,2,3-triazole-polymers as potential propellant binders. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 2010, 117, 2612-2621.

2. Katritzky, A. R.; Meher, N. K.; Hanci, S.; Gyanda, R.; Tala, S. R.; Mathai, S.; Duran, R. S.; Bernard, S.; Sabri, F.; Singh, S. K.; Doskocz, J.; Ciaramitaro, D. A. Preparation and characterization of 1,2,3-triazole-cured polymers from endcapped azides and alkynes. Journal of Polymer Science Part A Polymer Chemistry, 2008, 46, 238-256.

3. Nair, V.; Mathai, S.; Viji, S.; Mathew, S. Stereoselective synthesis of highly substituted tetrahydrofuran derivatives via Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of acyclic carbonyl ylides to activated styrenes. Res. Chem. Intermed. 2006, 32, 1-7.

4. Nair, V.; Mathai, S.; Mathew, S. C.; Rath, N. P. A stereoselective synthesis of spiro-dioxolanes via the multicomponent reaction of dicarbomethoxycarbene, aldehydes and 1,2- or 1,4-diones. Tetrahedron 2005, 61, 2849-2856

5. Nair, V.; Mathai, S.; Augustine, A.; Viji, S.; Radhakrishnan, K. V. The Huisgen reaction of azomethine ylide to isatins: A facile synthesis of spiro-oxindoles. Synthesis 2004, 16, 2617-2619.

6. Nair, V.; Nair, S. M.; Mathai, S.; Liebscher, J.; Ziemer, B.; Narsimulu, K. The Rh(II)-catalyzed reaction of diethyl diazomalonate with thietanes: a facile synthesis of tetrahydrothiophene derivatives via sulfonium ylides. Tetrahedron Lett. 2004, 45, 5759-5762.

7. Nair, V.; Mathai, S.; Varma, R. L. The three-component reaction of dicarbomethoxycarbene, aldehydes, and β-nitrostyrenes: a stereoselective synthesis of substituted tetrahydrofurans. J. Org. Chem. 2004, 69,1413-1414.

8. Nair, V.; Mathai, S.; Nair, S. M.; Rath, N. P. A facile three-component reaction of dicarbomethoxycarbene, aldehydes and o-quinones: synthesis of novel spiro-dioxolanes. Tetrahedron Lett. 2003, 44, 8407-8409.

9. Nair, V.; Panicker, S. B.; Mathai, S. Bromination of cyclopropanes using potassium bromide and cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate (CAN): synthesis of 1,3-dibromides. Res. Chem. Intermed. 2003, 29, 227-231

10. Nair, V.; Augustine, A.; Panicker, S. B.; Suja, T. D.; Mathai, S. Cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate (CAN)-mediated sulfonylation of styrenes: some interesting observations. Res. Chem. Intermed. 2003, 29, 213-226

11. Nair, V.; Panicker, S. B.; Thomas, S.; Santhi, V.; Mathai, S. Oxidative fragmentation of 1-aryl-1-cycloalkenes using cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate (CAN): some novel observations. Tetrahedron 2002, 58, 3229-3234

1. Arora, S. K.; Banerjee, R.; Kamboj, R. K.; Loriya, R.; Mathai, S.; Joshi, M.; Suthar, B.; Cheeralavancha, R.; Gote, G.; Bagul, R.; Wetal, R.; Patel, S.; Dixit, R.; Waghchoure, A.; Goel, R.; Sreedhara Swamy, K. H. Novel protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B inhibitors, WO2009/109999A1

• Mathai, S.; Reiser, O. Investigations towards the total synthesis of Chinensiolide B: A naturally Occurring Guaianolide. Proceedings of the National Seminar on Current Trends in Organic and Medicinal Chemistry (CTOMC), 2016, ISBN: 978-93-5258-618-9
• Mathai, S. Investigations towards the Synthetic Applications of Gallium (III)triflate as a Superior Lewis acid Catalyst in Organic Transformations, Proceedings of the National Seminar on New Frontiers in Theoretical Chemistry (NFTC), 2018, ISBN: 978-93-5311-469-5.

• Served as a recourse person in the “National Science Day 2020” celebration sponsored by KSCSTE on 19th February 2020 at Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta.
• Served as a recourse person in the training programme ‘Academic Programme for HSST Chemistry’ on 24th November 2016 at Govt. Boys Higher Secondary School, Pathanamthitta.
• Investigations towards the total synthesis of Chinensiolide B; Mathai, S.; Schall, A.; Schanderl, M.; Reiser, O.; 5th Eurasian Meeting on Heterocyclic Chemistry, Kuwaitcity, Kuwait, March 1-6, 2008.
• Total synthesis of guaianolides; Schall, A.; Kalidindi, S.; Jeong, W-B; Mathai, S.; Laventine, D.; Nosse, B.; Bandicchor, R.; Reiser, O.; 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, United States, March 25-29, 2007.

• Proceedings of the National Seminar on Current Trends in Organic and Medicinal Chemistry (CTOMC) on January 27, 2016. ISBN: 978-93-5258-618-9
• Book of Abstracts, National Seminar on “Current Trends in Chemistry CTriC 2020” on February 6-7, 2020 organised by Department of Applied Chemistry, CUSAT

• Member, P. G. Board of Studies, M. G. University, Kottayam (2017-2020)
• Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship (2005)
• CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) Senior Research Fellowship, Government of India (2003)
• Secured place among the top 20% awardees in the merit list of joint CSIR-UGC test in the subject Chemical Sciences (2001); selected for SPM examination
• CSIR Junior Research Fellowship, Government of India (2001)
• UGC-NET, Lectureship (1999)
• Qualified Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE 2000) with a percentile score of 97.73, conducted by Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India
• Received Rashtrapathi Guide award (1992)

Industrial Experience

• Manger Grade Research Scientist at the Medicinal Chemistry Division of Lupin Limited (Research Park), Pune, India, from May 2008 to March 2010

Post-doctoral experience

• Post-doctoral fellow at the University of Regensburg, Germany under the direction of Prof. Dr. Oliver Reiser (01/2008-02/2008)
• Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the University of Regensburg, Germany under the direction of Prof. Dr. Oliver Reiser (06/2006-11/2007)
• Post-doctoral researcher at the University of Florida, USA, under the direction of Prof. Alan R. Katritzky (01/2005-01/2006)

Teaching experience

• Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta, Kerala (September 2012- July 2019)
• Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Chemistry, Cochin University of Science and Technology (July 2019-till today)

• Reagents and Synthesis
• Natural Products
• Organic Functional Group Chemistry
• Organic Synthesis
• Transition Metals in Organic Synthesis

• PI: Investigations towards the Synthetic Applications of Gallium (III)triflate as a Superior Lewis acid Catalyst in Organic Transformations (UGC Minor Project: 2014-2016)
• PI: Investigations on the dipolar cycloaddition reactions of azomethine imines with 1,2-diones, 1,4-diones, and bisarynes: Synthesis of novel structurally important heterocycles (UGC-BSR)
• PI: Novel heterogeneous palladium catalysts based on sterically hindered N-heterocyclic carbenes for coupling reactions: A green synthetic methodology (‘Seed Money for New Research Initiatives’ funded by CUSAT).