Viresh Rawal named Ambassador in Chemical Sciences by France’s National Center for Scientific Research
Professor Viresh Rawal is about to embark on an inspiring journey as the Ambassador in Chemical Sciences in France, under the CNRS program. Starting on September 16, 2024, Rawal will tour several French CNRS laboratories, sharing his expertise in synthesizing complex bioactive molecules, with a special focus on enantioselective reactions.
CNRS, or Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (National Center for Scientific Research), is France's largest government-funded research organization. Founded in 1939, CNRS is renowned for its wide-ranging contributions to science and technology. It operates under the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research and is a multidisciplinary institution, conducting research across all fields of knowledge, including the sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
Reflecting on this opportunity, Rawal said, “Being invited as an ambassador for the CNRS is a special privilege: I am looking forward to reconnecting with my long-standing chemical friends and establishing new links and collaborations with young researchers in the French academic landscape.”
Rawal's work is known for breaking new ground in chemical synthesis. He doesn't just follow conventional paths—he forges new ones, often embracing risky but rewarding strategies that result in innovative, efficient, and precise syntheses. This approach is central to his mission to deepen scientific understanding of molecular structures and reactivity. As Rawal puts it, “While most sciences involve the discovery, study, and understanding of nature, synthesis offers something more: an unlimited opportunity for creativity and invention.”
This creativity shines through in his team's groundbreaking research on the Aspidosperma family of indole alkaloids. They discovered that chiral salen-based complexes could catalyze Diels-Alder reactions with remarkable precision and high enantioselectivity. Alongside the development of chiral ‘squaramide’ catalysts, these breakthroughs have significantly advanced the field of asymmetric catalysis, sparking nearly two thousand studies worldwide that explore new methodologies using squaramides.
Looking to the future, Rawal is optimistic about the continuing evolution of chemical synthesis, particularly in enantioselective reactions. He points to the exponential growth in new synthetic methods over the past 30 years, fueled by advances in chiral catalysts and asymmetric reactions. “I expect this field to continue to flourish over the next few years, helped by the new approaches that AI and machine learning will make possible,” he noted.
As Rawal prepares for his tour in France, his visit is set to be a pivotal moment for the CNRS and the global scientific community, paving the way for new international collaborations and innovations in chemical sciences.