SASUF Goes Digital 2022

There is an increased demand for the use of environmentally friendly methodologies in
chemical processing. The organic field of chemistry has numerous compounds, and a
greater amount of these compounds are environmentally unfriendly such as cresols and
1,2-dichlorobenzene are toxic to plants, animals and humans. Wastewaters from various
industries are the major sources of cresols and 1,2-dichlorobenzene and are thus a great
threat to the environment.
Prof Pullabhotla’s research projects focus on “catalytic oxyfunctionalization of the toxic
organic compounds using ozone.” This main umbrella project is about oxidizing the toxic
compounds cresol isomers and 1,2-dichlorobenzene. Achieving the oxyfunctionalization or
activating the C-H bond of these organic compounds at room temperature and pressure
conditions is challenging. Prof Pullabhotla believes that a lot more can be done in this area
by adopting the advanced oxidation processes to oxidize these toxic substances and obtain
value-added products. With the new collaborations, Prof Pullabhotla would like to
continue these oxidation / oxidative degradation reactions with various mixed metal oxide
catalysts, identify the oxidation products and propose plausible mechanisms involved in
the ozone-initiated transformation/mineralization reactions.