Dr. Narendra Kumar Vaishanva

Dr. Narendra Kumar Vaishanva
  • Dr. Narendra Kumar Vaishanva
  • Scientist - C
  • +919785403137

Dr. Narendra Kumar Vaishanva was born in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, India, a district known for the Ranthambore fort and Ranthambore National Park. He received his M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry (2011-2013) from the Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, and his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow (2015-2021), under the supervision of Prof. Kishor Mohanan.

He worked as a Research Scientist at Syngenta Biosciences Pvt Ltd, Panaji (2021-2022), designing and synthesizing organic molecules for crop protection and agrochemical applications. He then joined The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2022-2025) as a Lady Davis Postdoctoral Fellow, one of Israel's most distinguished postdoctoral honors, working under Prof. Ahmad Masarwa on the stereoselective functionalization of C-B and C-H bonds in polyborylated alkenes and activated allenes.

As a synthetic organic chemist, he aims to bring his expertise in activated allenes, polyborylated olefins, and process chemistry to contribute meaningfully to Ayurveda research - studying bioactive compounds from Ayurvedic plants and developing efficient, scalable synthetic routes suited for industrial-scale production, bridging traditional plant based medicine with modern chemistry.

He currently works as Scientist-C at the Centre of Excellence in Ayurveda Research (CEAR), CSIR-NIIST.

Academic Qualification
  • Ph.D. Organic and Medicinal Chemistry: CSIR - Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow (2015 - 2021); Degree awarded by Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi
    Thesis: "Novel Strategies for the Synthesis of Functionalized Heterocycles Using Allenic Esters and Their Applications Toward the Synthesis of Antimalarial Agents."
  • M.Sc. Organic Chemistry (First Division): Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer (2011 - 2013)
Research Interest

Our research interests lie catalytic and stereoselective methodologies that harness the unique reactivity of Activated Allenes and PolyBorylated molecules. Inspired by the widespread occurrence of allene motifs in biologically active natural products - including key constituents of Ayurvedic medicinal plants - our focus is to translate this reactivity into efficient synthetic strategies for accessing structurally complex, biologically relevant molecules.

Our research is centered on three interconnected themes:

  1. Stereoselective Catalytic Methodology for the Synthesis of Medicinally Relevant Molecules
    Design of novel catalytic and stereoselective methods exploiting Activated Allenes and PolyBorylated molecules as versatile synthons, unlocking site-selective and stereodefined bond-forming reactions to access medicinally relevant scaffolds.
  2. Ayurveda-Guided Isolation of Potent Bioactive Molecules
    Isolation of potent bioactive molecules from medicinal plants, guided by traditional Ayurvedic knowledge. Special focus on Kerala and the Western Ghats - a biodiversity hotspot and Ayurvedic heartland - to unlock the true therapeutic potential of its native flora.
  3. Ayurveda-Inspired Natural Product Derivatization and Process Innovation
    Derivatization of complex natural products from the medicinal plants of Kerala and the Western Ghats through stereoselective functionalization, extending toward process innovation for industrial-scale applications.
Research Experience

Industrial and Post-Doctoral Research Experience

  • Scientist-C, Center of Excellence in Ayurveda Research (CEAR), CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram-695019, Kerala, India. July 2026 to date.
  • Deputy Manager - Process Innovation, SCL Life Science Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad, India. January 2025 to June 2026.
  • Lady Davis Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel. Research Director: Prof. Ahmad Masarwa. August 2022 to September 2024.
  • J. Research Scientist, Syngenta Biosciences Pvt Ltd, Panaji, India. 2021 to 2022.

Doctoral Research Experience

  • Research Scholar (Ph.D.), Organic Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India.
    Supervisor: Dr. Kishor Mohanan. January 2015 to February 2021.
    Thesis: "Novel Strategies for the Synthesis of Functionalized Heterocycles Using Allenic Esters and Their Applications Toward the Synthesis of Antimalarial Agents."

Pre-Doctoral Research Experience

  • M.Sc. Project Fellow, Department of Chemistry, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, India. Supervisor: Dr. Easwar Srinivasan. January 2013 to June 2013.
  • Summer Intern Trainee, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India. Supervisor: Prof. I.N.N. Namboothiri. June 2012 to August 2012.
Achievements & Awards

Achievements, Awards and Fellowship

  • Awarded The Emily Erskine Endowment Fund, Israel, Faculty of Science, 2023-24 (The Lady Davis Fellowship)
  • Awarded the Best Oral Presentation in Synthetic Chemistry at the "MPC Friday Seminar Series," CDRI, Lucknow, 2020
  • Awarded CSIR-Senior Research Fellowship, 2017
  • Awarded CSIR-Junior Research Fellowship, 2015
  • Qualified GATE, 2014 | All India Rank - 528
  • Qualified CSIR/UGC-JRF, Dec 2013 | All India Rank - 69
  • Qualified CSIR/UGC (JRF-NET), June 2013 | All India Rank - 42
Conference Presentations

Seminars / Conferences / Workshops

  • Participated in the 11th Asian-European Symposium on Metal-Mediated Organic Synthesis, Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Technion, Israel, February 6-7, 2023
  • Participated and presented a poster at "The Batsheva de Rothschild Seminar on Strong Bond Activation," Dead Sea, Israel, October 23-26, 2022
  • Participated and presented a poster at the 7th International Current Trends in Drug Discovery Research (CTDDR 2019) Symposium, CDRI, Lucknow, 2019
  • Participated and presented a poster at the XIV J-NOST Conference, IICT, Hyderabad, 2018
  • Participated and presented a poster at the 24th ISCBC-2018 Conference, Manipal University, Jaipur, 2018.
Publications
  1. Vaishanv, N. K.; Eghbarieh, N.; Jagtap, R. A.; Gose, A. E.; Haines, B. E.; Masarwa, A. Stereoselective C-B and C H Bonds Functionalization of Polyborylated Alkenes. Angewandte Chemie 2024, 136 (45), e202412167. IF 17.6
  2. Jamali, M. F.; Vaishanv, N. K.; Mohanan, K. The Bestmann-Ohira Reagent and Related Diazo Compounds for the Synthesis of Azaheterocycles. The Chemical Record 2020, 20 (11), 1394-1408. IF 8.9
  3. Zaheer, M. K.; Kumar, A.; Vaishanv, N. K.; Khan, M. R.; Kant, R.; Mohanan, K. Access to α-Alkynyl-α- fluoroacetamides via Deacylative Alkynylation of α-Fluoro-β-ketoamides with Alkynyliodonium Salts. Organic Letters 2026, 28 (14), 4440-4445. IF 4.7
  4. Vaishanv, N. K.; Chandrasekharan, S. P.; Zaheer, M. K.; Kant, R.; Mohanan, K. Substrate-Controlled, PBu3 Catalyzed Annulation of Phenacylmalononitriles with Allenoates Enables Tunable Access to Cyclopentenes. Chemical Communications 2020, 56 (75), 11054-11057. IF 4.3
  5. Chandrasekharan, S. P.; Vaishanv, N. K.; Kant, R.; Mohanan, K. Substrate-Controlled Product Divergence in the Reaction of α-Fluoro-β-ketoamides with Arynes. Chemical Communications 2022, 58 (93), 12987-12990. IF 4.3
  6. Kumar, S.; Fatma, L.; Vaishanv, N. K.; Kant, R.; Mohanan, K. CsF-Mediated Reaction of Trifluorodiazoethane with 3-Nitroindoles Enables Access to Trifluoromethylpyrazolo[4,3-b]indoles. The Journal of Organic Chemistry 2023, 89 (1), 761-769. IF 3.3
  7. Vaishanv, N. K.; Gupta, A. K.; Kant, R.; Mohanan, K. Fluoride-Mediated α-Selective 1,6-Conjugate Addition of Allenic Esters to p-Quinone Methides. The Journal of Organic Chemistry 2018, 83 (15), 8759-8767. IF 3.3
  8. Vaishanv, N. K.; Zaheer, M. K.; Kumar, S.; Kant, R.; Mohanan, K. Base-Mediated Intramolecular Cyclization of α Nitroethylallenic Esters as a Synthetic Route to 5-Hydroxy-3-pyrrolin-2-ones. The Journal of Organic Chemistry 2021, 86 (8), 5630-5638. IF 3.3
  9. Zaheer, M. K.; Vaishanv, N. K.; Kant, R.; Mohanan, K. Utilization of Unsymmetric Diaryliodonium Salts in α Arylation of α-Fluoroacetoacetamides. Chemistry-An Asian Journal 2020, 15 (24), 4297-4301. IF 3.2
  10. Vaishanv, N. K.; Zaheer, M. K.; Kant, R.; Mohanan, K. Phosphine-Catalyzed β-Selective Conjugate Addition of α-Fluoro-β-ketoamides to Allenic Esters. European Journal of Organic Chemistry 2019, 2019 (35), 6138-6142. IF 2.9
  11. Gupta, A. K.; Ahamad, S.; Vaishanv, N. K.; Kant, R.; Mohanan, K. Base-Mediated 1,6-Conjugate Addition of the Seyferth-Gilbert Reagent to Para-Quinone Methides. Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry 2018, 16 (25), 4623-4627. IF 2.8
  12. Gupta, A. K.; Vaishanv, N. K.; Kant, R.; Mohanan, K. Rapid and Selective Synthesis of Spiropyrazolines and Pyrazolylphthalides Employing Seyferth-Gilbert Reagent. Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry 2017, 15 (30), 6411-6415. IF 2.8
  13. Kumar, S.; Vaishanv, N. K.; Mohanan, K. Efficient Construction of 3-Fluoroalkylated Oxindoles Enabled by Zwitterion Catalysis. Asian Journal of Organic Chemistry 2022, 11 (4), e202200084. IF 2.7
  14. Kumar, S.; Gupta, A. K.; Vaishanv, N. K.; Kant, R.; Mohanan, K. CsF-Mediated Reaction of Diazo Compounds with 3-Nitroindoles: Access to Cyano- and Phosphonylpyrazolo[4,3-b]indoles. New Journal of Chemistry 2024, 48 (40), 17670-17675. IF 2.6
  15. Zaheer, M. K.; Vaishanv, N. K.; Kumar, A.; Mishra, S.; Kant, R.; Mohanan, K. Efficient α-Arylation of α-Fluoro α-nitrosulfonylmethanes Employing Diaryliodonium Salts. Synthesis 2023, 55 (20), 3382-3392. IF 2.3
  16. Gupta, E.; Vaishanv, N. K.; Kumar, S.; Purshottam, R. K.; Kant, R.; Mohanan, K. Organocatalytic Asymmetric Nitroso Aldol Reaction of α-Substituted Malonamates. Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry 2022, 18 (1), 217-224. IF 2.2