Research
The development of π-conjugated compounds is at the forefront of research to benefit from their unique optical and semiconducting properties and pay the way for the emergence of organic electronic applications. The unique advantage of organic materials vs inorganic counterparts is their structural tunability with respect to the desired applications. Extension of π-delocalization from small molecules to one-dimensional (1D) polymers produce superior optical and electronic properties. However, further extension of π-delocalization to the second dimension (2D) is expected to give rise to even more fascinating properties.
Our research group focus on discovering novel π-conjugated molecules (small molecules, Oligomers, and one-/two-dimensional polymers) having special electronic and optical properties. Further, we explore the potentiality of the developed systems for the application in sensing (fluorescent, electronic and chemiresistive), conductivity, photocatalysis and electrochromism etc.
- 𝝅-conjugated organic and inorganic compounds for optoelectronics
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with ground state open shell biradicals
- NIR-absorbing and emissive materials
- Organic fluorescent materials for ion and explosives sensing
- 𝝅-conjugated two-dimensional organic polymers
Selected Abstracts
π-conjugated small molecules
Synthesis of p-Azaquinodimethane-based Quinoidal Fluorophores
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.joc.3c01342
π-conjugated small molecules
Pd-Catalysed Direct Arylation of Distyrylbenzene: Strong Dual-state Fluorescence and Electrochromism
https://doi.org/10.1002/202400015
π-conjugated small molecules
Synthesis of tetrazine-tetracyanobutadienes and their transformation into pyridazines via IEDDA
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3OB00595J
π-conjugated small molecules
Vinylene and cyanovinylene thiophene compounds via C-H activation
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3OB00560G
π-conjugated small molecules
Vinylene-linked diketopyrrolopyrrole chromophores for electrochromism
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4RA01280A
1D π-conjugated molecules
An electronic biosensor based on semiconducting tetrazine polymer on rGO for carcinoembryonic antigen
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-06976-0
Environmental sensors
An electronic biosensor based on semiconducting tetrazine polymer immobilizing matrix coated on rGO for carcinoembryonic antigen
DOI:10.1038/s41428-022-00667-3
2D π-conjugated molecules
Para-Azaquinodimethane Integrated Quinoidal Conjugated Microporous Polymer
DOI:10.1039/D3TC02233A
2D π-conjugated molecules
Acid-Modulated Synthesis of Novel π-Conjugated Microporous Polymers for Efficient Metal-Free Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution
DOI:10.1038/s41598-022-06976-0
2D π-conjugated molecules
Selectively sensing amines through aldehyde-functional conjugated microporous organic polymers via Pd-catalyzed direct arylation
DOI:10.1038/s41428-022-00736-7
Research Team
Meet the 𝝅-conjugated functional materials laboratory group.
Rajesh
Principle InvestigatorPost doctoral fellow
Mallikarjunaswamy A.M.M
2025 - presentE-mail:ra.mallikarjuna@iitdh.ac.in
PhD Students
Vinutha K V
2021-presentE-mail:202053001@iitdh.ac.in
Abhijeet Vitthal Kamble
2021 - presentE-mail:212041001@iitdh.ac.in
Yeshvanth S
2024 - presentE-mail:cy24dp006@iitdh.ac.in
Sharad Pandey
2024 - presentE-mail:cy24dp001@iitdh.ac.in
Bharath HA
2024 - presentE-mail:cy24dp003@iitdh.ac.in
Project Associate
Chalavadi Chetana
Deeksha M.S
BS-MS Student
Gursimran Singh
Krishnanshu Yadav
Alumni
PhD students
- Atul Babasaheb Nipate(Graduated 2025)
- Aswani Raj K(Graduated 2025)
- Monika Bai M G(Graduated 2023)
- Aravind R Nesaragi(2023-2024)
- Akash S(April-Aug,2025)
- Nandish N(April-Aug,2025)
- Mahima(June-July,2025)
- Apoorva Muragod(June-Oct,2023)
- Potluri Adinarayana(Feb-May, 2023)
- Maharudrayya Pujar (Mar-Sep, 2022)
- BhavaniShankar Gowda Patil(Feb to April, 2022)
- Kashinath Sajjan(Aug-Dec, 2021)
Post doctoral fellow
Master students
Employement
-
Associate Professor (2023 - Present)
Indian Institute of Technology Dharwad Department of Chemistry -
Assistant Professor (2017 - 2023)
Indian Institute of Technology Dharwad Department of Chemistry -
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2013 - 2016)
McGill University Canada Advisor: Prof. Dmitrii F Perepichka -
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2011 - 2013)
Academia sinica, Taipei,Taiwan Advisor: Dr. Shih-Sheng Sun
Education
-
PhD (2011)
Department of Chemistry, IIT Bombay Thesis: Synthesis and Studies of Porphyrin and boron-dipyrromethene based fluorescent system Advisor: Prof. M Ravikanth -
M.Sc. (2004)
Andhra University -
B.Sc. (2002)
Andhra University
Publications
60. Atul B. Nipate, Vinutha K. Venkatareddy and M. Rajeswara Rao* "Photochromism and Photofluorochromism of Arylvinylene Phenanthridines" JMCC , Just Accepted
60. Vinutha K. Venkatareddy, Atul B. Nipate, M. Rajeswara Rao *a and
Ritambhara Sharma
"Construction of polycyclic heteroaromatics via metal-catalysed intramolecular X–CH activation"
Org. Biomol. Chem
2025,23, 10437.
Link
59. Atul B. Nipate and M. Rajeswara Rao*
"Unprecedented photochromism of ferrocene-aryl dicyanovinylenes"
Dalton Trans.
2025,54, 10343–10350.
Link
58. Atul B. Nipate, M. Rajeswara Rao*
"α,β-Diarylation on β‐Diketo-BF2 Complexes: Strong Intrinsic Aggregation-Induced Emission and Organic
Self-Recovering
Electrochromism"
J. Org. Chem.
2025, 90, 8319−8328.
Link
57. Vellanki Lakshmi, Maruti Vibhuti Ravikumar, Aswani K Raj, M. Rajeswara Rao*,
Vellanki Lakshmi
"Structure-Property Evaluation of Knoevenagel-derived π-Conjugated Organic Systems"
Eur. J. Org. Chem.
2025, 28, e202401367 .
Link
56. Guruprasad Gorthala, Aswani Raj K, Ruma Ghosh* and M. Rajeswara
Rao*
"Multifunctional Two-Dimensional Tetrazine-Based Polymer for an Inverse Electron Demand Diels–Alder
Reaction and
Room-Temperature NO2 Sensing"
ACS Applied Polymer Materials
2025, 7, 1999−2006.
Link
55. Vinutha K. Venkatareddy; Hamidreza Parsimehr; Anna Ignaszak* and M.
Rajeswara Rao*
"Near-IR absorbing tetraene-linked π-conjugated porous polymers for energy storage and electrical
conductivity"
Chem. Commun.
2025, 61 125–128 .
Link
54. Atul B. Nipate; K. Aswani Raj K and M. Rajeswara Rao*
"Synthesis and Electrochromic Properties of Ferrocene-Aryl dicyanovinylene-based Donor-Acceptor Systems"
J. Org. Chem.
2025, 90, 557−569.
Link
53. Atul B. Nipate; Abhijeet V. Kamble and M. Rajeswara Rao*
"Electron-deficient Indenofluorene-based Systems: Multicolor and Visible-to-near-infrared (NIR)
Electrochromism
and OFF-OFF-ON Electrofluorochromism" Chem. Asian J.
2025, 20 e202401095.
Link
52. K. Aswani Raj and M. Rajeswara Rao*
"Functional 1,2,4,5-Tetrazine Systems for Photocatalysis and Sensing" Asian J. Org. Chem. 2024, 14, e202400553 .
Link
51. Maruti Vibhuti Ravikumar; Atul B. Nipate; M. Jose Deyona; M. Rajeswara Rao*
and Dr. Vellanki Lakshmi
"Croconic Acid Integrated Zwitterionic Conjugated Porous Polymer for Effective Iodine Adsorption " Chem. Asian J.
2024, 19 e202401095.
Link
50. Aswani Raj K, Subhajit Kar, Santanu Bhattacharyya and Rajeswara Rao
Malakalapalli*
Effect of
Halogenation on Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Performanceof Tetrazine Polymers.ACS Appl. Polym.
Mater. 2024, 6, 7988−7995.
Link
49. Vinutha K. Venkatareddy and M. Rajeswara Rao*
"Vinylene-linked diketopyrrolopyrrole chromophores for electrochromism" RSC Adv., 2024, 14, 10017–10023.
Link
48. Atul B. Nipate and M. Rajeswara Rao*
"Pd-Catalysed Direct Arylation of Distyrylbenzene: Strong
Dual-state Fluorescence and Electrochromism" Chem.
Eur. J. 2024, 30, e202400015.
Link
47. K. Aswani Raj and M. Rajeswara Rao*
"Para-Azaquinodimethane Integrated Quinoidal Conjugated
Microporous Polymer" J. Mater. Chem. C, 2024, 12,
110-117.
Link
46. K. Aswani Raj and M. Rajeswara Rao*
"Synthesis of
p‑Azaquinodimethane-based Quinoidal
Fluorophores" J. Org. Chem. 2023, 88,
14960–14968.
Link
45. Bai, M. G. M.; Atul B. Nipate and M. Rajeswara
Rao*
"Blue-to-Red-Emissive Star-Shaped
Boranils"
Chemistry select. 2023, 8, e202301039.
Link
44. Vinutha K. Venkatareddy; Manish Kumar; Vijay Pal Singh and M. Rajeswara
Rao*
"ESIPT-Active Pyrene-imidazole Fluorophores: Ground-State Intramolecular Proton
Transfer (GSIPT), Dual Solid- and
Solution-State Emission plus Counter-Intuitive Crystal Packing" ChemPhotoChem. 2023, 7, e202300115.
Link
43. Abhijeet V. Kamble; K. Aswani Raj and M. Rajeswara
Rao*
"Synthesis of
Tetrazine-Tetracyanobutadienes and Their Transformation to Pyridazines via Inverse-electron Demand
Diels-Alder Cycloaddition (IEDDA)"
Org. Biomol.
Chem. 2023, 21, 5790-5798.
Link
42. Enoch, S., Nipate, A.B. and Vellanki, L.and M. Rajeswara
Rao*
Croconic acid derived
narrow band gap conjugated microporous polymer. Chem
Comm. 2023, 59, 8846-8849.
Link
41. Atul B. Nipate and M. Rajeswara Rao*
"Solid-state red-emissive
(cyano)vinylene
heteroaromatics via Pd-catalysed C–H homocoupling"
Org.
Biomol. Chem.
2023,
19, 4123-4129.
Link
40. K. Laxman; Yuxuan Che; K. Aswani Raj; D. F. Perepichka* and M. Rajeswara
Rao*
"Trifluoroacetic acid promoted unexpected visible to NIR switching of
ketoenamine-substituted triphenylamines"
J. Mater.
Chem. C. 2023, 11, 2680-2687.
Link
39. Bai, M. G. M.; Atul B. Nipate and M. Rajeswara Rao*
"Selectively
sensing amines
through aldehyde-functional conjugated microporous organic polymers via Pd-catalyzed direct
arylation"
Polym. J. 2023, 55, 133–140.
Link
.webp)
38. K. Aswani Raj;Sowmya Joshi; Ruma Gosh* and M. Rajeswara
Rao*
"Structural tailoring of
semiconducting tetrazine polymers based immobilizing matrix for superior electronic biosensing
of carcinoembryionic antigen"
Polym. Adv. Technol.
2023, 34, 1331-1340.
Link
37. Bai, M. G. M.; K. Bramhaiah; S. Bhattacharya * and M. Rajeswara
Rao*
"Acid-modulated
Synthesis of Novel pi-conjugated Microporous Polymers for efficient Metal-free Photocatalytic Hydrogen
Evolution"
Chem. Eur. J. 2022,28, e202202023.
Link
36. K. Aswani Raj; Gorthala Guruprasad; Ruma Gosh* and M. Rajeswara
Rao*
"Tetrazine-based
1D polymers for the selective chemiresistive sensing of nitrogen dioxide via the interplay between
hydrogen bonding and n-heteroatom interactions"
Polym.
J. 2022, 54, 1191-1201.
Link
35. Sowmya Joshi; K. Aswani Raj; M. Rajeswara Rao* and Ruma
Gosh*
"An electronic
biosensor based on semicondcuting tetrazine polymer immobilizing matrix coated on rGO for
carcinaembryonic antigen"
Sci. Rep. 2022, 12, 3006-.
Link
34. Bai, M. G. M.; Babu, H. V.; V. Lakshmi* and M. Rajeswara
Rao*
"Structure–property–function relationship of fluorescent conjugated microporous
polymers"
Mater. Chem. Front. 2021, 5,
2506−2551.
Link
Before joining IIT Dharwad
33. G. Galeotti, F. De Marchi, E. Hamzehpoor, O. MacLean, M. Rajeswara Rao, Y.
Chen, L. V. Besteiro,
D. Dettmann, L.
Ferrari, F. Frezza, P. M. Sheverdyaeva,R. Liu, A. K. Kundu, P. Moras, M. Ebrahimi, M. C. Gallagher, F.
Rosei, D. F.
Perepichka, G. Contini.*
"Synthesis of mesoscale ordered 2D π-conjugated polymer with
semiconducting properties"
Nature. Mater. 2020, 19,
874–880.
Link
32. Lakshmi, V.; Liu, C.-H.; Rajeswara Rao, M.; Chen, Y.; Yuan, F.; Hamzehpoor,
E.; Sakai-Otsuka, Y.;
Stein, R. S.;
Perepichka, D. F.*
"A two-dimensional poly (azatriangulene) covalent organic framework with
semiconducting and paramagnetic state"
J. Am.
Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 2155–2160.
Link
31. De Marchi, F.; Galeotti, G.; Simenas, M.; Gallagher, M.; Hamzehpoor, E.;
MacLean, O.; Rajeswara
Rao, M.; Chen, Y.;
Dettmann, D.; Contini, G.; Tornau, E.; Ebrahimi, M.; Perepichka, D. F.; Rosei,
F.*
"Temperature induced Molecular reorganization on Au(111) driven by oligomeric
Defects"
Nanoscale.
2019, 11, 19468-19476.
Link
30. Babu, H. V.; Bai, M. G. M. and Rajeswara Rao, M.*
"Functional
π-Conjugated Covalent
Organic Frameworks"
ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces
2019, 11, 11029–11060.
Link
29. Isar, P.; Rajeswara Rao, M.; Ravikanth, M.*
“Synthesis,
Characterization, Sensing and
Coordination Properties of Trans-Homoporphodimethenes”
Eur.
J. Org. Chem.
2018, 3095-3104
Link
28. Kumar. S.; Rajeswara Rao, M.; Ravikanth, M.*
“Stable
Core-modified Doubly N-confused
Expanded Dibenzoporphyrinoids”
J. Org. Chem. 2018,
83, 1584–1590.
Link
27. Alka, A.; Pareek, Y.; Shetti, V. S.; Rajeswara Rao, M.; Theophall, G. G.;
Lee, W. Z.; Lakshmi, K.
V.; Ravikanth, M.*
“Construction of Novel Cyclic Tetrads by Axial Coordination of
Thiaporphyrins to Tin(IV)Porphyrins”
Inorg. Chem.
2017,
56, 13913–13929.
Link
26. Kumar, A.; Rajeswara Rao, M.; Lee, W. Z.; Ravikanth, M.*
“Hybrid
Macrocycles of
Subporphyrins and Triphyrins”
Org. Lett. 2017, 19,
5924–5927.
Link
25. Sharma, R.; Rajeswara Rao, M.; and Ravikanth, M.*
“a-Pyrrolyl
Dipyrrins as Suitable
Ligands for Coordination chemistry”
Coord. Chem.
Rev. 2017, 348, 92-120
Link
24. Lijia. L; Filip. P; Rajeswara Rao, M; and Perepichka, D. F.*
“A
Wide Bandgap
Naphthalene Semiconductor for Thin-film Transistors”
Adv.
Electron. Mater.
2017, 3, 1600556.
Link
23. Rajeswara Rao, M; Fang, Y.; DeFeyter, S. and Perepichka, D.
F.*
“Conjugated Covalent
Organic frameworks via Michael Addition-Elimination”
J. Am.
Chem. Soc.
2017, 139, 2421–2427.
Link
22. Rajeswara Rao, M; Johnson, S.; and Perepichka, D.
F.*
“Aromatization of Benzannulated
Perylene-8,16-diones: Photophysical Properties and Reactivity”
Org. Lett. 2016, 18,
3574-3577.
Link
21. Rajeswara Rao, M; Black, H. T.; and Perepichka, D.
F.*
“Synthesis and divergent
electronic properties of two ring-fused derivatives of 9,10-diphenylanthracene”
Org. Lett.
2015, 17, 4224-4227.
Link
20. Rajeswara Rao, M; Desmecht, A and Perepichka, D. F.*
“π-Extended
indenofluorenes”
Chem. Eur. J.
2015, 21, 6193-6201.
Link
19. Chia-Wei Liao; Rajeswara Rao, M and Shih-Sheng Sun,*
“Structural
diversity of new
solid-state luminophores based on quinoxaline--ketoiminate boron difluoride complexes with
remarkable switching properties”
Chem. Commun. 2015,
51, 2656-2659.
Link
18. Lakshmi, V; Rajeswara Rao, M and Ravikanth, M,*
“Halogenated
Boron-dipyrromethenes:
Synthesis, Properties and Applications”
Org. Biomol.
Chem. 2015, 13, 2501-2517.
Link
17. Kaur, T; Rajeswara Rao, M and Ravikanth, M*
“Multi-porphyrin
arrays on
cyclotriphosphazene scaffolds”
Inorg. Chem. 2014,
53, 11051-11059.
Link
16. Rajeswara Rao, M and Shih-Sheng Sun*
“Supramolecular assemblies
amide-derived
organogels featuring rigid π-conjugated phenylethynyl frameworks”
Langmuir
2013, 29, 15146-15158 (Invited Feature article).
Link
15. Rajeswara Rao, M.; Chia-Wei Liao and Shih-Sheng
Sun*
“Structurally simple
thienodipyrandione-containing reversible fluorescent switching piezo- and acido-chromic materials”
J. Mater. Chem. C
2013, 1, 6386-6394.
Link
14. Rajeswara Rao, M.; Chia-Wei Liao.; Wei-Lin Su and Shih-Sheng
Sun*
“Quinoxaline based
D-A-D molecules: high contrast reversible solid-state mechano- and thermo- responsive fluorescent
materials”
J. Mater. Chem. C 2013, 1, 5491-5501.
Link
13. Rajeswara Rao, M and Ravikanth, M*
“Synthesis of functionalized
core-modified
sapphyrins and covalently linked porphyrin-sapphyrin dyads”
Tetrahedron 2012,
68, 1306-1314.
Link
12. Khan, T. K.; Jana, S. K.; Rajeswara Rao, M.; Shaikh, M. S. and Ravikanth,
M*
“Synthesis and electronic properties of meso-furyl boron-dipyrromethenes”
Inorg. Chim.
Acta 2012, 383, 257-266.
Link
11. Rajeswara Rao, M.; Manu T. T, Suresh, B. and Ravikanth,
M.*
“Synthesis of BF2
complexes of prodigiosin type oligopyrroles”
J. Org.
Chem. 2011, 76, 7263-7268.
Link
10. Rajeswara Rao, M. and Ravikanth, M.*
“Boron complexes of
oxasmaragdyrin, a
core-modified expanded porphyrin”
J. Org. Chem.
2011, 76, 3582-3587.
Link
9. Madhu, S.; Rajeswara Rao, M.; Shaikh, M. S. and Ravikanth, M*
“3,
5-Diformyl
Boron-dipyrromethenes as Fluorescent pH sensors”
Inorg.
Chem.
2011, 50, 4392-4400.
Link
8. Rajeswara Rao, M.; Ghosh, A. and Ravikanth, M.*
“Synthesis,
spectral and
electrochemical properties of cyclotriphosphazene appended with six metalloporphyrins”
Inorg.
Chim. Acta 2011, 372, 436-441.
Link
7. Rajeswara Rao, M. and Ravikanth, M.*
“Synthesis and anion binding
studies of
covalently linked porphyrin-expanded heteroporphyrin dyads”
Eur. J. Org. Chem.
2011, 1335-1345.
Link
6. Khaderbad, M. A.; Roy, U.; Yedukondalu, M.; Rajeswara Rao, M.; Ravikanth, M.*
and Rao, V.
R.*
“Variable interface dipoles of metallated porphyrin self-assembled monolayers for
metal-gate work function tuning in
advanced CMOS technologies”
IEEE Transactions on
Nanotechnology 2010, 9, 335-337.
Link
5. Khan, T. K.; Rajeswara Rao, M. and Ravikanth, M.*
“Synthesis and
photophysical
properties of 3,5-bis(oxopyridinyl)- and 3,5-bis(pyridinyloxy)-substituted
boron-dipyrromethenes”
Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2010,
2314-2323.
Link
4. Rajeswara Rao, M.; Pavan Kumar, K. V. and Ravikanth,
M.*
“Synthesis of
boron-dipyrromethene ferrocene conjugates”
J.
Organomet. Chem. 2010, 695, 863-869.
Link
3. Rajeswara Rao, M.; Mobin, S. M. and Ravikanth,
M.*
“Boron-dipyrromethene based
specific chemodosimeter for fluoride ion”
Tetrahedron 2010, 66, 1728-1734.
Link
2. Rajeswara Rao, M.; Bolligarla, R.; Butcher, R. J. and Ravikanth,
M.*
“Hexa
boron-dipyrromethene cyclotriphosphazenes: Synthesis, crystal structure, and photophysical
properties”
Inorg.
Chem.
2010, 49, 10606-10616.
Link
1. Rajeswara Rao, M.; Gayatri, G.; Amit, K.; Sastry, G. N.* and Ravikanth,
M.*
“Cyclotriphosphazene ring as a platform for multiporphyrin assemblies”
Chem. Eur. J.
2009, 15, 3488-3496.
Link
Patents
5. Vinutha K.V, Spoorti M, Ruma Gosh*,and M Rajeswara
Rao*
“Chemiresistive sensor based
on two dimensional dicationic Bipyridyl Vinylene-linked polymer” Indian patent, 2024
(Application No. 202441024492).
4. Spoorti M, Vinutha K V, M Rajeswara Rao,*and Ruma
Gosh*
“Resistive Sensor based on
one dimensional pi-conjugated dicationic 4,4’- bipyridine polymer and method” Indian patent,
2024(Application No.202441024489).
3. K Aswani Raj, Guruprasad Gorthala, Ruma Gosh*,and M Rajeswara
Rao,*
“A two-dimensional tetrazine based polymer and its application in chemiresistive
sensing of gases” Indian patent, 2023
(File no: ).
2. Sowmya Joshi, K Aswani Raj,and M Rajeswara Rao,* and Ruma
Gosh*
“An electronic
biosensor for detection of carcinoembryonic antigen” Indian patent, 2021 (File no: ).
1. Rajeswara Rao, M. and Ravikanth, M.*
“A simple method for the
synthesis of
biocompatible 3-pyrrolyl boron-dipyrromethenes” Indian patent, 2011 (File no:
1443/mum/2011).
Book Chapters
Teaching
UG Courses
- Material science and polymer chemistry
- Chemistry for engineers (CH101)
- Chemistry laboratory (CH 111)
- Sustainable energy and energy materials
- Inorganic Chemistry (CH 202)
PG Courses
- Optical and electronic properties of π-conjugated compounds
- Organometallic chemistry
Photo Gallery
Facilities
Fume hood
UV-Vis NIR spectrophotometer
Fluorescence spectrophotometer
Microwave synthesizer
NMR spectrometer
HRMS
LCMS
Surface area analyser
Electrochemical Workstation
Rotary Evaporators
Vaccum Pumps
FT-IR
News
- Hearty congratulations Atul for paper.
- Hearty congratulations Aswani for JMCC paper.
- Hearty congratulations Aswani for the patent.
Contact
You may contact me through email or over phone. To join our research group, send an email to me and keep watching at the institute webpage for vacancies.
Location:
Department of Chemistry, IIT Dharwad, Permanent Campus Chikkamalligawad Dharwad, Karnataka, India 580011.
Email:
rajesh@iitdh.ac.in
Call:
+91 836 2212 834
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