Rate My Professor Mohan Krishnan

Dr. A. K. Mohanakrishnan serves as Professor and Head of the Department of Organic Chemistry at the University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai. He earned his B.Sc. in Chemistry, M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry, and Ph.D., establishing a strong foundation in synthetic organic chemistry. Joining the Department of Organic Chemistry in 2000 as an Assistant Professor, he has advanced through the ranks to his current leadership role, contributing to the department's legacy of producing over 175 Ph.D. graduates, including two Bhatnagar awardees. His tenure reflects a commitment to advancing organic synthesis methodologies and mentoring the next generation of chemists.

Dr. Mohanakrishnan's research focuses on synthetic organic chemistry, with significant contributions to the development of novel reactions and total syntheses. Key publications include 'Lewis acid-mediated Michaelis-Arbuzov reaction at room temperature: a facile preparation of arylmethyl/heteroarylmethyl phosphonates' (Organic Letters, 2011, GG Rajeshwaran, M Nandakumar, R Sureshbabu, AK Mohanakrishnan, 189 citations); 'Pd-mediated C–H arylation of EDOT and synthesis of push–pull systems incorporating EDOT' (Tetrahedron, 2007, P Amaladass, JA Clement, AK Mohanakrishnan, 108 citations); 'A versatile construction of the 8H-quino[4,3-b]carbazole ring system as a potential DNA binder' (The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 1995, AK Mohanakrishnan, PC Srinivasan, 92 citations); 'Synthetic studies on indolocarbazoles: Total synthesis of staurosporine aglycon' (Organic Letters, 2011, GG Rajeshwaran, AK Mohanakrishnan, 85 citations); 'Functionalization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene' (Tetrahedron, 1999, AK Mohanakrishnan, A Hucke, MA Lyon, MV Lakshmikantham, MP Cava, 80 citations); 'Studies in the Dithienylbenzo[c]thiophene Series' (The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 1998, AK Mohanakrishnan, MV Lakshmikantham, C McDougal, MP Cava et al., 74 citations); 'Lewis acid/Bronsted acid mediated benz-annulation of thiophenes and electron-rich arenes' (Organic Letters, 2014, SM Rafiq, R Sivasakthikumaran, AK Mohanakrishnan, 62 citations). These works demonstrate innovations in heterocycle synthesis, arylation reactions, and materials-relevant compounds, influencing subsequent research in organic and medicinal chemistry.