Darren Riley

Prof DL Riley
	Telephone: +27 (0)12-420-3097 Email: [email protected] Office: NS1, Room 4-63 Position: Associate Professor Academic qualifications: PhD (Wits) NRF Rating: C2
Teaching I am involved in teaching organic chemistry at an undergraduate and postgraduate. Topics covered in my classes include disconnection theory, carbonyl chemistry, aromatic chemistry, pericyclic chemistry and general organic chemistry. Modules: CHM 215, CMY 384, CMY 708, CMY 709
Research interests My research interests include the application and utilisation of flow chemistry and other advance manufacturing technologies in the fields of process chemistry and drug discovery. My research team develops novel flow syntheses of pharmaceuticals, investigates aspects of reaction engineering, and develops new flow-based chemical reactors with an overarching goal of developing more economical, greener and safer processes for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals. In addition, we also look at the application of flow technology to expedite drug discovery with a focus on the development of neuroprotective and anti-Alzheimer’s agents. Please visit our Flow Chemistry research group website.
Recent Publications View all publications here: Google Scholar D Riley Journal articles (2016-2021)
Application of reactor engineering concepts in continuous flow chemistry: a review, Nicole C. Neyt and Darren L. Riley, Reaction Chemistry and Engineering, 2021, DOI: 10.1039/D1RE00004G
Improved batch and flow syntheses of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib, Chantal Scholtz and Darren L. Riley, Reaction Chemistry and Engineering, 2021, 6, 138-146
A concise, rapid and high yielding flow synthesis of aryldiazonium tetrafluoroborates. Chantal Scholtz and Darren L. Riley, Arkivoc, 2020, v, 119-128
Binding pose analysis of hydroxyethylamine based β-secretase inhibitors and application thereof to the design and synthesis of novel indeno[1,2-b]indole based inhibitors, C. Johan van der Westhuizen, Divan G. van Greunen, Werner Cordier, Margo Nell, Vanessa Steenkamp, André Stander, Jenny-Lee Panayides and Darren L. Riley, Arkivoc, 2020, v, 84-107
Design and synthesis of sulphonyl acetamide analogues of quinazoline as anticancer agents, J.Khazir, B.A. Mir, M. Pandita, L. Pilcher, D. Riley and G. Chashoo, Medicinal Chemistry Research, 2020, 29, 916-925.
Synthesis and anticancer activity of N-9– and N-7- substituted 1,2,3 triazole analogues of 2,6-di-substituted purine, J.Khazir, B.A. Mir, G.Chashoo, L. Pilcher and D. Riley, Medicinal Chemistry Research, 2020, 29, 33-45.
Design, synthesis and anticancer evaluation of acetamide and hydrazine analogues of pyrimidine, J.Khazir, B.A. Mir, G.Chashoo, T. Maqbool, D. Riley and L. Pilcher, Journal of Heterocyclic Chemistry, 2020, 57, 1306-1318
A reaction energy profile and fragment attributed molecular system energy change (FAMSEC)-based protocol designed to uncover reaction mechanisms: a case study of the proline-catalysed aldol reaction, I. Cukrowski, G. Dhimba and D.L. Riley, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 2019, 21, 16694-16705
Novel N-benzylpiperidine carboxamide derivatives as potential cholinesterase inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, D.G. van Greunen, C.J. van der Westhuizen, W. Cordier, M. Nell, A. Stander, C. van der Westhuyzen, V. Steenkamp, J.-L. Panayides, D.L. Riley. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2019, 179, 680-693.
Landscape and opportunities for active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing in developing African economies, D.L. Riley, I. Strydom, R. Chikwamba and J.-L. Panayides, Reaction Chemistry and Engineering 2019, 4, 457-489
Landscape and opportunities for active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing in developing African economies, D.L. Riley, I. Strydom, R. Chikwamba and J.-L. Panayides, Reaction Chemistry and Engineering 2019, 4, 457-489 Immobilized tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) for Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reactions under flow conditions, G.V. Ramaotsoa, I. Strydom, J.-L. Panayides, D.L. Riley Reaction Chemistry and Engineering 2019, 4, 372-382 Mild and selective reductions of aldehydes utilising sodium dithionite under flow conditions. N.C. Neyt, D.L. Riley Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2018, 14, 1529-1536 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.14.129 Approaches for performing reductions under continuous flow conditions. D. L. Riley, N.C. Neyt. Synthesis, 2018, 50 (14), 2707-2720 DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1610153 Batch-flow hybrid synthesis of the anti-psychotic clozapine. N.C. Neyt, D. L. Riley. Reaction Chemistry and Engineering, 2018, 3, 17-24. DOI: 10.1039/C7RE00146K Targeting Alzheimer’s disease by investigating previously unexplored chemical space surrounding the cholinesterase inhibitor donepezil. D.G. van Greunen, W. Cordier, M. Nell, C. van der Westhuyzen, V. Steenkamp, J. Panayides, D.L. Riley. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2017, 127, 671-690. New syntheses of (±)-tashiromine and (±)-epitashiromine via enaminone intermediates, Riley, D. L.; Michael, J. P.; de Koning, C. B. Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry 2016, 12, 2609–2613. Design and synthesis of ring C opened analogues of α-santonin as potential anticancer agents J. Khazir, B.A. Mir, L.A. Pilcher, D.L. Riley, G. Chashoo, A. Islam, A.K. Saxena, H.M.S. Kumar, Medicinal Chemistry Research, 2016, 25: 2030-2041. An improved process for the preparation of tenofovir diisoproxil fumarate,D.L. Riley, D.R. Walwyn, C.D. Edlin, Organic Process Research and Development, 2016, 20, 742-750
Collaborations My research group has active research collaborations with: Dr Jenny-Lee Panayides – Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Prof Mimi Hii, Prof Klaus Hellgardt and Dr Philip Miller – Imperial College London Prof Ignacy Cukrowski – University of Pretoria, Department of Chemistry Prof Vanessa Steenkamp – University of Pretoria, Department of Pharmacology Dr Werner Cordier – University of Pretoria, Department of Pharmacology Dr Andre Stander – University of Pretoria, Department of Physiology Formulation Labs Chemical Process Technologies. Pelchem Pty (Ltd)
Postgraduate students Divan van Greunen, MSc, 2016, Targeting Alzheimer's disease by investigating previously unexplored chemical space surrounding the cholinesterase inhibitor Donepezil Carl Johan van der Westhuizen, MSc, 2017, Nucleophilic substitution reactions of α-haloketones : a computational study Nicole Candice Neyt, MSc 2017, Batch-Flow hybrid synthesis of the antipsychotic Clozapine Bryan Bulling, MSc, 2018, Reaction mechanism of solvated n-BuLi with thiphene in THF: A theoretical and spectroscopic study Chantal Scholtz, PhD, 2019, The automated flow synthesis of fluorine containing organic compounds Divan van Greunen, PhD, 2019, The design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel compounds against biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease Sergio Lovisa, MSc, 2020, The in-silico evaluation and synthesis of silicon-based analogues of the cholinesterase inhibitor Donepezil Lorinda Tarien van Wyk, MSc, 2020, Utilization of flow chemistry for the synthesis of bupropion, fluoxetine and amitraz Gakanego Valerie Maswanganyi, PhD, 2020, The synthesis of immobilised reagents based on a polymerised triphenylphosphine scaffold for use in flow chemistry applications. Kgotso, Moagi, MSc, 2020, Reaction Mechanism of 2-monosubstituted Quinoxalines with Organolithium Compounds: A Theoretical Study George Dhimba, PhD, 2020, A theoretical study of the mechanism of (S) proline-catalyzed aldol reactions Carl Johan van der Westhuizen, PhD, 2020, Combining in silico and in vitro approaches to discover novel inhibitors of Acetylcholinesterase Anshe Michelle Reinhardt, MSc, 2020, The synthesis of analogues and bioisosteres of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor donepezil in an attempt to identify novel anti-Alzheimer's agents Lerato Dibokwane, MSc, 2021, Flow chemistry in application to the multi-step synthesis of donepezil and Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reactions Nicole Candice Neyt, PhD, 2021, Engineering reaction chemistry with flow technology: A discussion on method development and multi-step organic synthesis.