Ph.D. (2013), Supramolecular and Material Chemistry Lab, School of Physical Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
M.Sc. Chemistry (2006), Kariavattom Campus, University of Kerala, India
B.Sc. Chemistry (2004), St. John’s College, University of Kerala, India
Postdoctoral Researcher (October 2016 – September 2021): Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden, Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany.
Postdoctoral Researcher (ERC Starting Grant, June 2014 – September 2016): Molecular Nanoscience and Organic Materials (NANOMOL), Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona – CSIC, Spain.
Expert level knowledge in multi-step synthesis of air and moisture sensitive organic compounds (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, diradicals, radicals, etc.) using glovebox and Schlenk technique.
Expert in transition metal mediated coupling reactions (e.g., Suzuki coupling, Sonogashira coupling, Stille reaction, McMurry Reaction, Scholl reaction, etc.)
Hands-on experience in purification of organic compounds by column chromatography, crystallization, preparative TLC, HPLC, GPC, etc.
Expert in characterization of organic compounds with the aid of NMR, mass spectrometry, IR, X-ray, UV-vis-NIR spectrophotometer, electrochemical analysis, etc.
Hands-on experience in preparation and characterization of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), and their analysis with X-ray/UV photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and UPS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electron spin resonance (ESR).
Proficient in magnetic characterization of radical/diradical systems based on superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry (SQUID) or ESR techniques.
Advanced level knowledge in quantum chemical calculations with the aid of Gaussian 09, NBO6, AIM2000, Multiwfn, ACID, etc.
Proficient in Chemdraw, MestReNova, Origin, Scifinder, Reaxys, Scopus, etc.
https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=mKWT9UcAAAAJ
M. R. Ajayakumar, et. al., Persistent peri-heptacene: synthesis and in situ characterization, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2021, 60, 13853-13858. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202102757
M. R. Ajayakumar, et. al., Toward full zigzag-edged nanographenes: peri-tetracene and its corresponding circumanthracene, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2018, 140, 6240-6244. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.8b03711
S. Kumar,§ M. R. Ajayakumar,§ et. al., Extraordinary stability of naphthalenediimide radical ion and its ultra-electron-deficient precursor: strategic role of the phosphonium group, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2014, 136, 12004-12010 (§ contributed equally). https://doi.org/10.1021/ja504903j
M. R. Ajayakumar, et. al., Neutral organic radical formation by chemisorption on metal surfaces, J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 2020, 11, 3897-3904. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c00269
M. R. Ajayakumar,* et. al., Tailoring magnetic feature in zigzag-edged nanographenes via controlled Diels-Alder reactions, Chem. Eur. J., 2020, 26,7497-7503 (*corresponding author). https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202001130
European Conference on Chemistry of Two-Dimensional Materials (chem2Dmat2019), Technische Universität Dresden, Germany, 03-06 September, 2019.
14th European Conference on Molecular Electronics (ECME 2017), Dresden, Germany, 29 August-2 September, 2017.
International Workshop on Organic and Graphene Electronics and Spintronics (ELECspin 2015), Barcelona, Spain, 12-13 March, 2015.
New Directions in Chemical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India, 7-9 December, 2012.
National Symposium on Foundations and Frontiers in Supramolecular Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India, 1-2 March, 2012.
14 th CRSI National Symposium in Chemistry, National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, India, 3-5 February, 2012.
Third Asian Conference on Coordination Chemistry, New Delhi, India, 17-20 October, 2011.
Best poster award, National Symposium on Foundations and Frontiers in Supramolecular Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, 1-2 March 2012
Best poster award, 12th CRSI National Symposium in Chemistry, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, 5-7 February 2010
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) - Junior Research Fellowship, India June 2008
CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:
Trained Ph.D. students for laboratory experiment executions, safety precautions, data handling/interpretation, manuscript preparation, etc.
Provided thesis guidance for master students.
Journal cover pages designed
Departmental brochure and Symposium brochure cover pages designed
Assisted in organizing departmental conferences
Instructor for summer project students