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Steven Malcolmson

Associate Professor of Chemistry
Chemistry
Box 90346, Durham, NC 27708-0346
1103 French Science Center, Durham, NC 27708

Overview


The discovery of catalysts is of great importance to the practice of modern synthetic chemistry, both to improve upon the existing catalog of chemical transformations and to generate new modes of reactivity.  Research in the Malcolmson lab focuses on the discovery of novel methods for the efficient and selective synthesis of small molecule scaffolds through the design and development of new catalysts.  In these transformations, we seek to realize new synthetic bond disconnections while also controlling some aspect of selectivity (e.g., enantio-, and/or site selectivity).  The catalysts and methods developed in the group are being applied to the synthesis of biologically active molecules to drive the development of new chemistry as well as help to address problems in human health.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Associate Professor of Chemistry · 2020 - Present Chemistry, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

In the News


Published September 21, 2021
Meet the Newly Tenured Faculty of 2021
Published March 23, 2016
New Class of Molecular ‘Lightbulbs’ Illuminate MRI

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Recent Publications


Catalytic Enantioselective Methods for Synthesis of 1,2-Amino Tertiary Alcohols and Their Analogues.

Journal Article Chemical reviews · November 2025 Vicinal amino alcohols, also called 1,2- or β-amino alcohols, are an important class of chemical modalities that may serve as chiral ligands for metal-based catalysts or as catalysts themselves and are found within numerous pharmaceutically active compound ... Full text Cite

Preparation of 1,4-Diamines by Enantio- and Diastereoselective Cu-Josiphos-Catalyzed Reductive Couplings of Azatrienes and Imines: Regiodivergence Enabled by Catalyst Structure and Reagent Tailoring.

Journal Article Journal of the American Chemical Society · August 2025 We introduce a method for the 6,5-hydrofunctionalization of 2-azatrienes with N-phosphinoyl imine electrophiles under CuH catalysis to prepare 1,4-diamines bearing two stereogenic centers with excellent regio-, diastereo-, and enantiocontrol. In com ... Full text Cite

Catalysis-enabled amine sorting.

Journal Article Nature chemistry · December 2024 Full text Cite
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Recent Grants


Strategies for the Catalytic Synthesis of Nitrogen-Containing Molecules

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2022 - 2027

Developing Next-Generation Hyperpolarization Methods for Chemical Analysis

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2020 - 2025

A Reverse Polarity Stereoselective C-C Bond-Forming Strategy for Preparing Chiral Amines

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2017 - 2023

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Education, Training & Certifications


Boston College · 2010 Ph.D.
Boston University · 2004 B.A.