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Events Landing PageLecturer Organic Chemistry
School of Science & Computing - Dept of Science
B30 PMBRC 1969 - Main Building
Main Campus
Dr. Claire Lennon graduated from University of Limerick, with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Chemistry in 1998 and completed her PhD studies at University College Dublin in Organic Chemistry in 2002, specialising in the area of stereoselective organic synthesis. Upon completion of her PhD she joined University of Edinburgh as a post-doctoral researcher in supramolecular chemistry where she remained until December 2003. Dr. Lennon spent two years working as a Development Chemist at Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals and during this time completed a Certificate in Process and Chemical Engineering at University College Cork (Part-Time, 2004-2005). She joined WIT as a lecturer in Organic Chemistry in 2006.
Dr. Lennon’s research interests lie in synthetic organic chemistry with the aim of designing novel sustainable processes of pharmaceutical relevance. More specifically areas of interest include the development of novel organocatalysts based on molecular recognition motifs for use in asymmetric synthesis and biotransformations for organic synthesis using hydrolase enzymes. Dr. Lennon also has an interest in NMR spectroscopy and its applications. She is a member of the PMBRC (Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biotechnology Research Group) at WIT and has supervised three PhD students (IRCSET and INTEREGG 4A WINSS funding) to completion with 5 students currently under her supervision. Dr. Lennon has 14 peer-reviewed publications and is named on 3 IDF/patent/PCT applications and a biocatalysis technology license agreement.
Dr. Lennons peer reviewed publications are listed below:
A Continuous-Flow Route to Enantioenriched 3-Substituted-3-Hydroxyoxindoles: Organocatalytic Aldol Reactions of Isatin with Acetone, K. Tseke, C. Lennon, J. O'Mahony, M. Kinsella, Europen Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2021, 42, 15, 5767-5774
Reflections on the Formation and Growth of the SURE Network: a National Disciplinary Network to Enhance Undergraduate Research in the Sciences, C. O'Leary; J. Dunne; B. J. Ryan; T. Montgomery; A. M. O'Brien; C. Quigley; C. Lennon; F. McArdle, ; L. Keaver; E. Campion; G. Cooke; E. M. Caraher; M. Deasy; A. Storey; C. Petti; E. O'Leary; K. Finn; S. Loughran; G. Byrne, ; A. Van Rossum; D. Brazil; M. Smith; N. Touzet; T. Coady; V. McCarthy; J. Walton; and J. Tracey, Irish Journal of Academic Practice, 2021, 9, 1, 7
Process Optimisation Studies and Aminonitrile Substrate Evaluation of Rhodococcus erythropolis SET1, A Nitrile Hydrolyzing Bacterium, ChemistryOpen, T. M. Mareya T. M. Coady C. O'Reilly M. Kinsella, L. Coffey, C. M. Lennon, 2020, 9, 512 – 520
Novel β‐amino Amide Organocatalysts for the Synthesis of Pharmaceutically Relevant Oxindoles, M. Gavendova, C. M. Lennon, L. Coffey, P. Manesiotis, and M. Kinsella, ChemistrySelect, 2019, 4, 28, 8246-8254
Substrate Evaluation of Rhodococcus erythropolis SET1, a Nitrile Hydrolysing Bacterium, Demonstrating Dual Activity Strongly Dependent on Nitrile Sub-Structure, European Journal of Organic Chemistry, T. M. Coady, L. V. Coffey, C. O'Reilly and C. M. Lennon, 2015, 5, 1108–1116.
A high throughput screening strategy for the assessment of nitrile-hydrolyzing activity towards the production of enantiopure β-hydroxy acids, T. M. Coady, L. V. Coffey, C. O‘Reilly, E. B. Owens, C.M. Lennon, Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic, 2013, 97, 150-155
Synthesis and NMR Binding Studies towards Rational Design of a Series of Electron-Withdrawing Diamide Receptors/Organocatalysts, M. Kinsella, P. G. Duggan, J. Muldoon, K. S. Eccles, S. E. Lawrence and C. M. Lennon, European Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2011, 1125–1132.
Screening of simple N-aryl and N-heteroaryl pyrrolidine amide organocatalysts for the enantioselective aldol reaction of acetone with isatin, M. Kinsella, P. G. Duggan, and C. M. Lennon, Tetrahedron: Asymmetry, 2011, 22(13), 1423–1433.
A Rotaxane Mimic of the Photoactive Yellow Protein Chromophore Environment: Effects of Hydrogen Bonding and Mechanical Interlocking on a Coumaric Amide Derivative, J Berná, A M Brouwer, S M Fazio, N Haraszkiewicz, D A Leigh and C M Lennon (neé Keaveney), Chemical Communications, 2007,1910-1912.
Coumaric Amide Rotaxanes: Effects of Hydrogen Bonding and Mechanical Interlocking on the Photochemistry and Photophysics, A M Brouwer, S M Fazio, N Haraszkiewicz, D A Leigh and C M Lennon (neé Keaveney), Photochem. Photobiol. Sci. 2007, 6, 480-486.
Shuttling through Anion Recognition, C M Keaveney and D A Leigh, Angewandte. Chemie. International. Edition, 2004, 43, 1222-1224.
A Concise Stereocontrolled Formal Total Synthesis of (±)-Podophyllotoxin Using Sulfoxide Chemistry' M. Casey, C. M. Keaveney, Chemical Communications, 2004, 184-185.
A Novel Method for the Stereoselective Synthesis of Tetralins and Indanes, Z. Appelbe, M. Casey, C. M. Keaveney, C. J. Kelly, Synlett, 2002, 1404.
MIRC Reactions Using Sulfoxides and Synthesis of Dictyopterene A, M. Casey, C. M. Keaveney, A. J. Walker, ARKIVOC, 2002 (v), 91.
Dr. Lennon has lectured at undergraduate level in the areas of organic synthesis and characterisation and pharmaceutical manufacturing, and at postgraduate level in NMR spectroscopy. She is currently the programme leader for the BSc (Hons) in Pharmaceutical Science Year 4. She has successfully graduated 3 PhD students from WIT and is currently supervising 5 students at PhD and Masters level. Dr. Lennon has also acted as External Examiner for programmes external to WIT. She is a committee member of the Science Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Network and was Co-Chair of the National SURE conference organising committee in 2021. Dr Lennon was the recipient of the WIT 2021 Teaching Excellence Award. She received a National Forum Digital Badge in Universal Design for Teaching & Learning in 2022.
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