Bochet Group

Professor Christian Bochet got a MSc degree in 1991 in inorganic chemistry (Prof. Alan Williams) and a PhD in organic chemistry in 1996 (Prof. Wolfgang Oppolzer) at University of Geneva. He was then postdoctoral associate at Stanford University (Prof. Barry M.Trost). In 1998, he set up an independent research group in organic photo-chemistry at the University of Geneva. In 2002, he was awarded a SNF-professorship and moved to the University of Fribourg, where he became full professor in 2006. He was the dean of the Faculty of Science and Medicine from 2016 to 2019. His current interests include organic synthesis in general, total synthesis of natural products and organic photochemistry. When not doing chemistry, he enjoys playing violin in the Geneva Symphony Orchestra, reading and running.

• Research Interest

  His research group LABORATORY FOR ORGANIC PHOTOCHEMISTRY’s current research program currently encompasses three directions:

  1. Organic photochemistry, which is the synthesis of organic molecules using light instead of toxic and expensive reagents or catalysts.
  2. Total synthesis of pharmaceutically active products. Most of today's pharmaceuticals (painkillers, antibiotics, anticancers, etc.) are produced synthetically, and the search for more efficient synthetic routes remains a priority for organic synthesis.
  3. Phosphorous-containing peptides.
     
     
• Selected Publications
  1. Remy, R.; Bochet, C.G. The Arene-Alkene Cycloaddition, Chem. Rev.2016, 116, 9816.
     
     
  2. Débieux, L.; Bochet, C. G. The all-photochemical synthesis of an OGP(10-14) precursor, Chem. Sci. 2012, 3, 405.
     
     
  3. Arnanz, S. M.; Bochet, C. G.; Del Campo, A. Wavelength selective caged surfaces: how many functional levels are possible? J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 5380.
     
     
  4. Haesler, J.; I. Schindelholz, I.; Riguet, E.; Bochet, C. G.; Hug, W., Absolute Configuration of Chirally Deuterated Neopentane,Nature 2007, 446, 526.
     
     
  5. Bochet, C. G., Orthogonal Photolysis of Protecting Groups. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 2001, 40, 2071.