The University of Sheffield
Department of Chemistry

Chris HunterProf. Christopher A. Hunter, FRS

Professor of Chemistry

Room: E17

Tel: +44-(0)114-22-29476

Fax: +44-(0)114-22-29436

email:

 


 

General  Research Teaching

Biographical Sketch

Prof. Hunter started his academic career at the University of Cambridge where obtained a BA in Chemistry in 1986 and an MA and PhD in Chemistry in 1989. From 1989 to 1991 he was a Lecturer at the University of Otago (NZ). In 1991 he was appointed Lecturer at the University of Sheffield, where he was promoted to Professor of Chemistry in 1997. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 2008.

Awards 

RSC Meldola Medal (1992); Lister Research Fellow (1994-1999); Zeneca Research Award in Organic Chemistry (1995); RSC Corday-Morgan Medal (1999); EPSRC Senior Research Fellow (2005-2010); RSC Tilden Prize (2009); RSC Physical Organic Chemistry Award (2011)

Research Keywords

Physical organic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, molecular recognition, intermolecular interactions, computer modelling, DNA structure, bioinformatics, NMR structure determination, protein folding, self-assembly.

Teaching Keywords

Organic Chemistry; Biological Chemistry

Selected Publications:

  • Musumeci, D., Hunter, C. A., Prohens, R., Scuderi, S. & McCabe, J. F. Virtual cocrystal screening. Chem Sci 2, DOI: 10.1039/C0SC00555J (2011).
  • The role of functional group concentration in solvation thermodynamics, N. J. Buurma, J. L. Cook, C. A. Hunter, C. M. R. Low and J. G. Vinter, Chem Sci 2010, 1, 242-246.
  • Structural Mechanics of DNA Wrapping in the Nucleosome, F. Battistini, C. A. Hunter, E. J. Gardiner and M. J. Packer, J. Mol. Biol. 2010, 396, 264-279.
  • Synthesis of a molecular trefoil knot by folding and closing on an octahedral coordination template, J. Guo, P. C. Mayers, G. A. Breault and C. A. Hunter, Nat Chem 2010, 2, 218-222.
  • Chemical Double Mutant Cycles for the Quantification of Cooperativity in H-Bonded Complexes, A. Camara-Campos, D. Musumeci, C. A. Hunter and S. Turega, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 18518-18524.
  • What is Cooperativity?, C. A. Hunter and H. L. Anderson, Angew Chem Int Edit 2009, 48, 7488-7499.
  • A Method for the Reversible Trapping of Proteins in Non-Native Conformations, L. Milanesi, C. Jelinska, C. A. Hunter, A. M. Hounslow, R. A. Staniforth and J. P. Waltho, Biochemistry-Us 2008, 47, 13620-13634.
  • Determination of protein-ligand binding modes using complexation-induced changes in H-1 NMR chemical shift, M. Cioffi, C. A. Hunter, M. J. Packer and A. Spitaleri, J. Med. Chem. 2008, 51, 2512-2517.
  • Preferential solvation and hydrogen bonding in mixed solvents, J. L. Cook, C. A. Hunter, C. M. R. Low, A. Perez-Velasco and J. G. Vinter, Angew Chem Int Edit 2008, 47, 6275-6277.
  • This older paper appears on the 125 Most Cited JACS Publications list: Hunter, C. A. & J. K. M. Sanders, J. K. M. The Nature of pi-pi Interactions. J Am Chem Soc 1990, 112, 5525-5534.

Research Interests

Research Chris Hunter

Weak intermolecular forces provide the key to understanding the relationship between structure and function in chemistry, biology and materials science. Through the study of supramolecular assemblies, we hope to develop a more complete description of the chemistry of weak non-covalent interactions. Our research approaches this area from four different angles:

  • Fundamental investigations of the nature of intermolecular interactions. Synthetic supramolecular systems are ideally suited for the systematic study and quantitative determination of the thermodynamic properties of non-covalent interactions.
  • Development of new methods for studying solvation phenomena and their role in determining the properties of molecular interactions in solution.
  • Computer modelling of intermolecular interactions. Energy calculations are used in conjunction with experimental data such as crystallographic databases to investigate the factors which determine the relationship between sequence and three-dimensional structure in proteins and nucleic acids.
  • Molecular design of functional assemblies. Intermolecular interactions are used to assemble complexes with designed properties. Particular systems of interest have applications as molecular receptors, catalysts, switching and gating devices for molecular electronics, artificial photosynthetic systems and new materials.

Techniques involved in our research include organic synthesis, coordination chemistry, NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, X-ray crystallography, molecular modelling and computational chemistry.

Teaching Section

Organic Chemistry

Undergraduate Courses Taught

  • Organic Chemistry 1 (Year 1)
    This segment introduces basic concepts for describing structure and reactivity in organic compounds.
  • Biological Molecules 1 (Year 2) This course introduces the key molecular components of the cell, their chemical properties and the principles of molecular recognition that govern the way in which they interact.

Tutorial & Workshop Support

  • First Year General Tutorials.
  • Second Year Organic Chemistry Tutorials
  • Second Year Workshops.
  • Third Year Literature Review.

Laboratory Teaching

  • Fourth Year Research Project.