Staff Profile
Dr Simon Doherty
Senior Lecturer
- Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 6537
- Address: Dr Simon Doherty
Senior Lecturer in Organometallic Chemistry & Catalysis
Editorial Board Catalysts
School of Natural and Environmental Sciences
Bedson Building
缅北禁地
NE1 7RU
Introduction
Dr Simon Doherty is a senior lecturer in Organometallic Chemistry and Catalysis and Director of NUCAT. He was awarded first class Hons. in Chemistry in 1987 and a PhD in 1990 for a thesis Coordination and Cluster Compounds of Primary Phosphines, both from University College London. After working as a postdoctoral researcher with Professor Arthur J. Carty at Waterloo, Canada, investigating small molecule activation and skeletal transformations of phosphinidine stabilized clusters and the reactivity of hydrocarbyl ligands on bimetallic phosphido-bridged complexes, he moved to Bloomington Indiana to work with Professor Malcolm Chisholm (FRS), preparing alkyl and alkoxide supported transition metal alkylidynes, nitrides and oxides and studying their MOCVD characteristics.
Research Vision
To explore novel fundamental transformations, develop new catalysts and greener synthetic methods for small molecule synthesis, identify uses for sustainable feedstocks, develop new catalysts for the thermal and electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide to fuels and feedstocks, with a focus on understanding selectivity, and develop new materials for energy applications to address decarbonisation of the electricity system, reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and feedstocks and meet the net zero target. Interdisciplinary collaborations add strength, depth and diversity to all aspects of my research.
Previous Positions
1994-1995 Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry University of Wales, Swansea
1995-2001 Senior Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry, University of 缅北禁地
2001-2004 Reader in Inorganic Chemistry, Queen’s University of Belfast
2004-present Senior Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry, University of 缅北禁地
Doherty has published 115 research papers, written invited review articles, 2 invited Nature Protocols and contributed to several books, most recently a chapter entitled Homogeneous Catalysis in Ionic Liquids in the RSC Catalysis Series, Catalysis in Ionic Liquids: From Catalyst Synthesis to Applications.
DOHERTY@NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY CATALYSIS (NUCAT)
1. Phosphine Synthesis & Catalysis
The Doherty Group is firmly established as a leading synthesis and catalysis research group at 缅北禁地. The unifying theme in the Groups Phosphine Synthesis Team is the development of innovative synthetic methodology directed towards novel and architecturally distinct chiral and achiral mono- and bidentate phosphorus-based ligands and exploring their applications in platinum group metal catalysis. Over the past decade the group has assembled the NUCAT ligand kit which comprises a range of mono- and bidentate phosphines, these include:
- NUPHOS diphosphines via zirconium-mediated reductive coupling of alkynes
- NU-BIPHEP diphosphines via rhodium-catalyzed [2 2 2] cycloaddition
- KITPHOS monophosphines via Diels-Alder cycloaddition of alkynylphosphine oxides
- CATPHOS diphosphines via double Diels-Alder cycloaddition to diynes
- NU-biaryl diphosphines via sequential Diels-Alder cycloaddition-extrusion
- NU-biaryl monophosphines via cross coupling of phosphonate-substituted aryl and naphthylboronate esters.
The most recent addition to the NUCAT ligand kit is the bulky electron-rich NU-dihydro-KITPHOS class of monophosphine which form highly efficient catalysts for the Suzuki-Miyaura cross coupling between a host of electronically diverse aryl chlorides and boronic acids.
2. Polymer Immobilized Ionic Liquid stabilized (PIILS) Catalysts
A team of researchers is exploring the use of polymer immobilised ionic liquids (PIILs) to improve existing catalytic transformations, for instance, enhancing reactions rate, improving catalyst lifetime, achieving multiple recycles and engineering continuous processes.
Recent Developments
(a) POM-based PIILP Oxidation Catalysis (POM@PIILP)
A novel peroxometalate-based Polymer Immobilized Ionic Liquid Phase (PIILP) catalyst has been developed for the epoxidation of alkenes and allylic alcohols; the system can be recycled and reused up to 5 times with only a minor reduction in performance on successive cycles. The catalysts are prepared by combining a novel cation-decorated co-polymer, generated via Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP), with an oxidation active polyoxometalate; the resulting catalytic material is a free flowing, robust, air-stable solid.
The concept of PIILP catalysis is currently being used to develop continuous flow systems for oxidations, carbonylations and C-C bond formation. To this end, our peroxometalate based PIILP catalyst has shown a marked enhancement in rate and selectivity for the oxidation of sulfides in continuous flow compared with conventional batch conditions.
(b) Asymmetric PIILP Catalysis (CuBox@PIILP)
Lewis acid copper-bis(oxazoline) based PIILP catalysts also show a marked enhancement in rate and selectivity, compared with their homogeneous counterparts in conventional organic solvents, across a host of asymmetric C-C bond forming reactions.
(c) Polymer Immobilized Ionic Liquid Stabilized NPs (NP@PIILS) for Green and Sustainable Catalysis
The team is also exploring how the polymer microstructure and charge density affects the size, distribution and morphology of gold, ruthenium, platinum and palladium nanoparticles and to this end we have shown that heteroatom donor modified PdNP@PIILP are highly efficient systems for Suzuki-Miyaura cross coupling, as well as the dehydrogenation of formic acid. In our most recent development the group has shown that PdNP@PIILP systems are highly selective (87%) for hydrogenation of the C=C bond in a range of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones and remarkably active and highly selective catalysts for the reduction of aromatic nitro compounds to N-hydroxylamines, azoyarenes and anilines while AuNP@PIILP is high selective for the partial reduction of nitroaenes to N-arylhydroxylamines and azoxyarenes. The results of our work have been disclosed in Green Chem. (2017, 19, 1635-1641), Catal. Sci. & Technol. (2018, 8, 1454-1467 and 2022, 12, 3549–3567), Adv. Synth. Catal. (2018, 360, 3716-3731), ACS Catalysis (2019, 19, 4777-4791). and ChemCatChem (2024, 17, e202401702).
We are currently developing new ruthenium platinum and bimetallic NP based catalysts for the hydrolytic evolution of hydrogen from boron hydride materials and preliminary results have recently been accepted for publication (ChemCatChem 2022, DOI: 10.1002/cctc.202101752R1 and Mol. Catal. 2022, 528, 112476. DOI.org/10.1016/j.mcat.2022.112476)
Efficient and Selective Hydrogenation of CO2 Towards a Circular Economy
The group is also developing amino modified polymers and mesoporous silicas immobilized ionic liquid as supports for Pd and PdM heterometalliic nanoparticles for the catalytic hydrogenation of CO2 to formate and our preliminary results have appeared n in Chem. Commun. (Dec 2023). The same project is also exploring electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to formate and fuels with the aim of developing an understanding of the factors that control selectivity.
3. Durable and Stable Membranes for the Large-Scale Commercial Deployment of AEM Water Electrolysers.
The SD group is collaborating with Precursor Mohamed Mamlouk (Chemical Engineering) and James Dawson (Materials Modelling, Chemistry) to tackle the scientific challenges that currently hamper the commercial deployment of anion exchange membrane (AEM)-based devices. Our vision is to develop advanced functional and tuneable anion exchange polymers to unlock affordable green hydrogen production by designing, manufacturing and demonstrating highly stable and scalable anion exchange membranes (AEM) for water electrolysers (WE). This will be achieved by mapping their alkaline stability against composition and identifying polymers with suitable alkaline stability profiles, high conductivity and good durability and evaluating their performance and stability profiles as ionomers and membranes in water electrolysers and fuel cells.
We have recently developed novel design descriptors to identify stable AEM head groups including the site of attachment of head groups to a polymer, the proximity of the tertiary amine to the QA nitrogen and the substituents attached to the tertiary nitrogen. The results of this study have been submitted to ACS Adv. Energy Mater. (2025, ae-2025-012934, Structure-Stability Correlations on Quaternary Ammonium Cations as Model Monomers for Ionomers and Anion Exchange Membranes).
The SD-MM collaboration also has several other projects aimed at developing new materials to improve the performance of organic based redox flow batteries, lithium ion batteries.
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4. Phosphinoboration
Westcott and Doherty have recently teamed up in a collaboration to develop new phosphinoboronate esters for the synchronous formation of P-C and B-C/B-heteroatom bonds i.e. phosphinoboration. Reagents of the type R2P-B(OR)2 (R = Ph, Cy, tert-butyl, OR = pinacol, catechol) react readily with aldehydes, ketones, imines and enones to give the corresponding 1,2-addition products. The reagents also undergo metal catalysed regioselective addition to C-C multiple bonds in alkynes and allenes. Studies are currently under way to explore the scope of this transformation, extend the range of substrates, develop the fundamental coordination chemistry relevant to catalysis and to understand the mechanism. Results of preliminary studies have recently been accepted for publication in Angewandte Chemie (December 2014).
Past and Present Collaborators
Dr J. G. Knight (缅北禁地), Professor S. A. Westcott (Mount Allison, Canada), Professor Ian Fairlamb (University of York), Professor Mohamed Mamlouk (缅北禁地), Dr M. A. Carroll (缅北禁地), Professor Elizabeth Gibson (缅北禁地), Dr John Errington (缅北禁地), Professor Richard A. Bourne (Leeds), Professor Tom W. Chamberlain (Leeds), Professor Christopher Hardacre (Manchester).
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Articles
- Power SDT, Wills C, Dixon CM, Waddell P, Knight J, Mamlouk M, Doherty S. . ACS Applied Energy Materials 2025, 8(13), 9718–9730.
- Mohanraj C, Atout HAE, Sana B, Doherty S, Mamlouck M. . International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2026, 215, 153643.
- Doherty S, Knight JC, Alharbi HY, Paterson R, Wills C, Dixon C, Chamberlain TW, Yan HM, Griffiths A, Daly H, Chansai S, Hardacre C. . ChemCatChem 2025, 17(5), e202401702.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Burgen T, Paterson Reece, Wills Corinne, Arca Elisabetta, Bourne Richard, Yan H, Chamberlain Tom. . Canadian Journal of Chemistry 2025, 103(12), 796-809.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Alharbi AA, Will C, Dixon C, Cheng C, Russo Abegão F, Chamberlain TW, Yan H, Griffiths A, Bourne RA, Collins SM, Wu KJ, Alshaikh H. . ChemCatChem 2024, 16(13), e202400013.
- Alharbi AA, Wills C, Dixon C, Chamberlain T, Arca E, Griffiths A, Collins S, Wu K, Yan H, Bourne R, Knight J, Doherty S. . Catalysis Letters 2024, 154, 5450–5471.
- Paterson R, Alharbi HY, Wills C, Chamberlain TW, Bourne RA, Griffiths A, Collins SM, Wu K, Simmons MD, Menzel R, Massey AF, Knight JG, Doherty S. . Journal of Catalysis 2023, 417, 74-88.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Alharbi AA, Wills C, Chamberlain TW, Bourne RA, Griffiths A, Collins SM, Wu K, Mueller P. . ChemCatChem 2023, 15(11), e202300418.
- Paterson R, Fahy LE, Arca E, Dixon C, Wills CY, Yan H, Griffiths A, Collins SM, Wu K, Bourne RA, Chamberlain TW, Knight JG, Doherty S. . Chemical Communications 2023, 59, 13470-13473.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Tran TST, Perry DO. . Catalysis Letters 2022, 152, 398-413.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Backhouse T, Tran TST, Paterson R, Stahl F, Alharbi HY, Chamberlain TW, Bourne RA, Stones R, Griffiths A, White JP, Aslam Z, Hardacre C, Daly H, Hart J, Temperton RH, O'Shea JN, Rees NH. . Catalysis Science & Technology 2022, 12(11), 3549-3567.
- Paterson R, Alharbi AA, Wills C, Dixon C, Siller L, Chamberlain TW, Griffiths A, Collins SM, Wu KJ, Simmons MD, Bourne RA, Lovelock KRJ, Seymour J, Knight JG, Doherty S. . Molecular Catalysis 2022, 528, 112476.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Alharbi HY, Paterson R, Wills C, Dixon C, Siller L, Chamberlain TW, Griffiths A, Collins SM, Wu KJ, Simmonds SD, Bourne RA, Lovelock KRJ, Seymour J. . ChemCatChem 2022, 14(4), e202101752.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Alshaikh H, Wilson J, Waddell PG, Wills C, Dixon CM. . European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry 2021, 2021(3), 226-235.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Backhouse T, Abood E, Simpson W, Paget W, Bourne RA, Chamberlain TW, Stones R, Lovelock KRJ, Seymour JM, Isaacs MA, Hardacre C, Daly H, Rees NH. . ACS Catalysis 2019, 9(6), 4777–4791.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Backhouse T, Bradford A, Saunders, Bourne RA, Chamberlain TW, Stones R, Clayton A, Lovelock K. . Catalysis, Science & Technology 2018, 8(5), 1454-1467.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Backhouse T, Abood E, Alshaikh H, Clemmet AR, Ellison JR, Bourne RA, Chamberlain TW, Stones R, Warren NJ, Fairlamb IAJ, Lovelock KRJ. . Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis 2018, 360(19), 3716-3731.
- Geier SJ, Vogels CM, Daley EN, Decken A, Doherty S, Westcott SA. . Chemistry: A European Journal 2017, 23(58), 14485-14499.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Backhouse T, Abood E, Alshaikh H, Fairlamb IJS, Bourne RA, Chamberlain TW, Stones R. . Green Chemistry 2017, 19(7), 1635-1641.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Perry DO, Ward NAB, Bittner DM, McFarlane W, Wills C, Probert MR. . Organometallics 2016, 35(9), 1265-1278.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Carroll MA, Clemmet AR, Ellison JR, Backhouse T, Holmes N, Bourne RA. . RSC Advances 2016, 6, 73118-73131.
- Daley EN, Vogels CM, Geier SJ, Decken A, Doherty S, Westcott SA. . Angewandte Chemie International Edition 2015, 54(7), 2121-2125.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Carroll MA, Ellison JR, Hobson SJ, Stevens S, Hardacre C, Goodrich P. . Green Chemistry 2015, 17(3), 1559-1571.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Ward NAB, Perry DO, Bittner DM, Probert MR, Westcott SA. . Organometallics 2014, 33(19), 5209-5219.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Ellison JR, Goodrich P, Hall L, Hardacre C, Muldoon M, Ribeiro A, Afonso C, Park S, Lourençoc MJ, Davey P. . Green Chemistry 2014, 16(3), 1470-1479.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Ward NAB, Bittner DM, Wills C, McFarlane W, Clegg W, Harrington RW. . Organometallics 2013, 32(6), 1773-1788.
- Doherty S, Smyth CH, Knight JG, Hashmi SAK. . Nature Protocols 2012, 7, 1870-1883.
- Doherty S, Smyth C. . Nature Protocols 2012, 7, 1884-1896.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Mehdi-Zodeh H. . Tetrahedron: Asymmetry 2012, 23(3-4), 209-216.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Ellison J, Weekes D, Harrington RW, Hardacre C, Manyer H. . Green Chemistry 2012, 14(4), 925-929.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Addyman CR, Smyth CH, Ward NAB, Harrington RW. . Organometallics 2011, 30(21), 6010-6016.
- Hashmi ASK, Loos A, Doherty S, Knight JGK, Robson KJ, Rominger F. . Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis 2011, 353(5), 749-759.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Hashmi ASK, Smyth CS, Ward NAB, Robson KJ, Tweedley S, Harrington RW, Clegg W. . Organometallics 2010, 29(18), 4139-4147.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, McGrady JP, Ferguson AM, Ward NAB, Harrington RW, Clegg W. . Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis 2010, 352(1), 201-211.
- Doherty S, Smyth CH, Harrington RW, Clegg W. . Organometallics 2009, 28(17), 5273-5276.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Bell AL, El-Menabawey S, Westcott S. . Tetrahedron: Asymmetry 2009, 20(12), 1437-1444.
- Hashmi ASK, Loos A, Littmann A, Braun I, Knight J, Doherty S, Rominger F. . Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis 2009, 351(4), 576-582.
- Doherty S, Smyth CH, Harriman A, Harrington RW, Clegg W. . Organometallics 2009, 28(3), 888-895.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Mcrae A, Harrington RW, Clegg W. . European Journal of Organic Chemistry 2008, (10), 1759-1766.
- Doherty S, Smyth CH, Harrington RW, Clegg W. . Organometallics 2008, 27(19), 4837-4840.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Smyth CH, Jorgenson GA. . Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis 2008, 350(11-12), 1801-1806.
- Doherty S, Goodrich P, Hardacre C, Parvulescu V, Paun C. . Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis 2008, 350(2), 295-302.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Smyth CH, Harrington RW, Clegg W. . Organometallics 2008, 27(8), 1679-1682.
- Doherty S, Goodrich P, Hardacre C, Knight JG, Nguyen MT, Parvulescu VI, Paun C. . Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis 2007, 349(6), 951-963.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Smyth CH, Harrington RW, Clegg W. . Organometallics 2007, 26(24), 5961-5966.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Smyth CH, Harrington RW, Clegg W. . Organometallics 2007, 26(25), 6453-6461.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Bell AL, Harrington RW, Clegg W. . Organometallics 2007, 26(9), 2465-2468.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Betham M. . Chemical Communications 2006, (1), 88-90.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Smyth CH, Sore NT, Rath RK, McFarlane W, Harrington RW, Clegg W. . Organometallics 2006, 25(18), 4341-4350.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Smyth CH, Harrington RW, Clegg W. . Journal of Organic Chemistry 2006, 71(26), 9751-9764.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Rath RK, Clegg W, Harrington RW, Newman CR, Campbell R, Amin H. . Organometallics 2005, 24(11), 2633-2644.
- Doherty S, Goodrich P, Hardacre C, Luo H-K, Nieuwenhuyzen M, Rath RK. . Organometallics 2005, 24(24), 5945-5955.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Hardacre C, Lou H-K, Newman CR, Rath RK, Campbell S, Nieuwenhuyzen M. . Organometallics 2004, 23(26), 6127-6133.
- Doherty S, Errington RJ, Housley N, Clegg W. . Organometallics 2004, 23(10), 2382-2388.
- Doherty S, Newman CR, Rath RK, Van Den Berg J-A, Hardacre C, Nieuwenhuyzen M, Knight JG. . Organometallics 2004, 23(5), 1055-1064.
- Doherty S, Newman CR, Hardacre C, Nieuwenhuyzen M, Knight JG. . Organometallics 2003, 22(7), 1452-1462.
- Doherty S, Robins EG, Pal I, Newman CR, Hardacre C, Rooney D, Mooney DA. . Tetrahedron: Asymmetry 2003, 14(11), 1517-1527.
- Doherty S, Goodrich P, Hardacre C, Luo H-K, Rooney DW, Seddon KR, Styring P. . Green Chemistry 2003, 6(1), 63-67.
- Doherty S, Newman CR, Rath RK, Luo H-K, Nieuwenhuyzen M, Knight JG. . Organic Letters 2003, 5(21), 3863-3866.
- Doherty S, Robins EG, Nieuwenhuyzen M, Knight JG, Champkin PA, Clegg W. . Organometallics 2002, 21(7), 1383-1399.
- Doherty S, Robins EG, Nieuwenhuyzen M, Champkin PA, Clegg W. . Organometallics 2002, 21(20), 4147-4158.
- Kamal Anwar M, Hogarth G, Senturk OS, Clegg W, Doherty S, Elsegood MRJ. . Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions 2001, (3), 341-352.
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Robins EG, Scanlan TH, Champkin PA, Clegg W. . Journal of the American Chemical Society 2001, 123(21), 5110-5111.
- Doherty S, Robins EG, Knight JG, Newman CR, Rhodes B, Champkin PA, Clegg W. . Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 2001, 640(1-2), 182-196.
- Doherty S, Hogarth G, Waugh M, Scanlan TH, Elsegood MRJ, Clegg W. . Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 2001, 620(1-2), 150-164.
- Doherty S, Hogarth G, Waugh M, Scanlan TH, Elsegood MRJ, Clegg W. . Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 2001, 620(1-2), 150-164.
- Knight JG, Doherty S, Harriman A. . Organometallics 2000, 19(24), 4957-4967.
- Doherty S. . Organometallics 2000, 19(22), 4557-4562.
- Doherty S. . Organometallics 2000, 19(26), 5696-5708.
- Doherty S, Waugh M, Scanlan TH, Elsegood MRJ, Clegg W. . Organometallics 1999, 18(4), 679-696.
- Doherty S, Hogarth G, Waugh M, Scanlan TH, Clegg W, Elsegood MRJ. . Organometallics 1999, 18(16), 3178-3186.
- Doherty S, Hogarth G, Waugh M, Scanlan TH, Clegg W, Elsegood MRJ. . Organometallics 1999, 18(16), 3178-3186.
- Hogarth G, Shukri K, Doherty S, Carty AJ, Enright GD. . Inorganica Chimica Acta 1999, 291(1-2), 178-189.
- Doherty S, Eastham GR, Tooze RP, Scanlan TH, Williams D, Elsegood MRJ, Clegg W. . Organometallics 1999, 18(18), 3558-3560.
- Doherty S. . Annual Reports on the Progress of Chemistry - Section A 1999, 95, 375-408.
- Doherty S, Errington RJ, Housley N, Ridland J, Clegg W, Elsegood MRJ. . Organometallics 1999, 18(6), 1018-1029.
- Clegg W, Doherty S, Izod K, Kagerer H, O'Shaughnessy P, Sheffield JM. . Journal of the Chemical Society - Dalton Transactions 1999, (11), 1825-1829.
- Doherty S, Errington RJ, Jarvis AP, Collins S, Clegg W, Elsegood MRJ. . Organometallics 1998, 17(16), 3408-3410.
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Book Chapters
- Doherty S. . In: Hardacre, C; Parvulescu, V, ed. Catalysis in Ionic Liquids: From Catalyst Synthesis to Application. Royal Society of Chemistry, 2014, pp.44-308.
- Doherty S. . In: Chris Hardacre and Vasile Parvulescu, ed. Catalysis in Ionic Liquids: From Catalyst Synthesis to Application. Royal Society of Chemistry, 2014, pp.44-308.
- Doherty S, Smyth CH, Knight JG. . In: Kollar, M, ed. Modern Carbonylation Methods. Weinheim; Chichester: VCH-Wiley, 2007, pp.251-289.
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Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)
- Nwosu CJ, Novakovic K. . In: ChemEngDayUK2015. 2015, Sheffield: University of Sheffield.
- Hogarth G, Doherty S, Senturk OS. . In: Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society. 2001, American Chemical Society.
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Letter
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Smyth CH, Harrington RW, Clegg W. . Organic Letters 2007, 9(23), 4925-4928.
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Reviews
- Doherty S, Knight JG, Scanlan TH, Elsegood MRJ, Clegg W. . Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 2002, 650(1-2), 231-248.
- Doherty S. . Annual Reports on the Progress of Chemistry - Section A 2000, 96, 409-440.