1987 BSc. University of Bath.
1990 PhD. University of Warwick.
1990 – 1991 Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, University of Heidelberg.
1992 – 2001 Lecturer and Senior Lecturer, Cardiff University.
2001 – 2007 Reader, Queen Mary, University of London.
2007 – 2025 Reader, University of East Anglia.
2025 – Honorary position, University of East Anglia.

My research involves the design and generation of novel organometallic compounds for application as catalysts in asymmetric organic synthesis. In addition to the synthesis of natural products, the resulting methodologies are also applied to the discovery of pharmaceuticals. Underpinning much of this work is the use of multiple stereochemical elements to vary and systematically optimise the activity and selectivity of a target compound. The importance of catalysis and stereoselectivity in origin of life studies is also of interest.

Selected Recent Publications

Programmable wide-range pH gradients for NMR titrations: application to antibody-drug conjugate linker group modifications
M. Wallace, J. M. Sharpe, K. Baj, M. Ngwube, J. Thirlway, P. L. K. Higgs, G. R. Stephenson, J. A. Iggo, T. E. Storr and C. J. Richards, Analyst 2025, 150, 2872-2879.

Double Asymmetric Synthesis: Faster Reactions are More Selective and a Model to Estimate Relative Rate
C. J. Richards and O. Stephen Ojo, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2023, 21, 7115-7128.

An Expedient Copper-Catalysed Asymmetric Synthesis of γ-Lactones and γ-Lactams. Application to the Synthesis of Lucidulactone A
O. Stephen Ojo, D. L. Hughes and C. J. Richards, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2023, 21, 4144-4149.

Application of Ferrocene-Based Palladacycle Precatalysts to Enantioselective Aryl-Aryl Kumada Coupling.
R. A. Arthurs, D. L. Hughes and C. J. Richards, Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2022, e202101077.

Copper(I) Complexes of P-Stereogenic Josiphos and Related Ligands
R. A. Arthurs, A. C. Dean, D. L. Hughes and C. J. Richards, Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2021, 2719-2725.

Planar Chiral Palladacycle Precatalysts for Asymmetric Synthesis
R. A. Arthurs, D. L. Hughes and C. J. Richards, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2020, 18, 5466.

Stereoselective Synthesis of all Possible Phosferrox Ligand Diastereoisomers Displaying Three Elements of Chirality: Stereochemical Optimization for Asymmetric Catalysis
R. A. Arthurs, D. L. Hughes and C. J. Richards, J. Org. Chem. 2020, 85, 4838.

Ferrocenyloxazoline-Derived Planar Chiral Palladacycles: C-H Activation, Transmetalation, and Reversal of Diastereoselectivity
R. A. Arthurs, D. L. Hughes and C. J. Richards, Organometallics, 2019, 38, 4271.

Stereoselective and Stereospecific Reactions of Cobalt Sandwich Complexes. Application to the Synthesis of a New Class of Single Enantiomer Bulky Planar Chiral P-N and P-P Ligands
R. A. Arthurs, P. N. Horton, S. J. Coles and C. J. Richards Chem. Eur. J. 2018, 24, 4310.

Catalyst Optimisation for Asymmetric Synthesis by Ligand Chirality Element Addition – A Perspective on Stereochemical Cooperativity
C. J. Richards and R. A. Arthurs, Chem. Eur. J. 2017, 48, 11460.

Deuterium as a Stereochemically Invisible Blocking Group for Chiral Ligand Synthesis
R. A. Arthurs and C. J. Richards, Org. Lett. 2017, 19, 702.

Enantiopure ferrocene-based planar-chiral iridacycles: stereospecific control of iridium-centred chirality
R. A. Arthurs, M.  Ismail, C. C. Prior, V. S. Oganesyan, P. N. Horton, S. J. Coles and C. J. Richards, Chem. Eur. J. 2016, 22, 3065