Alessandro SCARSO

Education 

July 1991 Secondary School Graduation “Industrial Chemist” at I.T.I.S. “G. Natta” of Padova. Marks: 60/60. 

18 November 1998 Laurea degree in Chemistry (5 years) at the Universitá di Padova (Organic Chemistry Department) with a thesis dealing with catalytic asymmetric reactions “Complexes of Ti(IV) and Zr(IV) with chiral trialkanolamine ligands with C3-symmetry in Asymmetric Catalysis” Marks: 110/110 with honors.  

Supervisor: Prof. Giulia M. Licini 

Activity:

Synthesis of chiral complexes of Ti(IV) and Zr(IV) and solution speciation of the complexes by means of 2D-NMR, molecular weight determination in solution. Catalytic activity of such complexes as chiral Lewis acids in the asymmetric oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides and asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions.

May 1999 Habilitation to the Chemist Profession. Marks: 120/130.

Nov. 1998-Nov. 2001 PhD thesis in Chemical Sciences at Università degli Studi di Padova, Organic Chemistry Department. “Peptide models of phosphoesterases: synthesis, activity and allosteric regulation of a tripodal template”. 

Supervisor: Prof. Paolo M. Scrimin

Activity:

Development of artificial phosphoesterase complexes as enzyme mimetics and allosteric regulation of their activity. Synthesis and solution characterization of the coordination ability of peptide-based tripodal complexes of Zn(II) and Cu(II). Catalytic activity in the hydrolysis of phosphodiester model substrates and investigation of allosteric regulation by metal coordination.

11 February 2002 Doctorate Degree at the Università degli Studi di Padova.

December 2001- May 2002 Winner of a competitive public examination for the assignment of a temporary contract (6 months) dealing with “Supramolecular Systems based on Peptidic Foldamers” at the Università degli Studi di Padova, Organic Chemistry Department. 

Supervisor: Prof. Paolo M. Scrimin.

Activity:

Development of analytical methods for oligoribonucleotides analysis and catalytic activity of peptidic metal containing catalysts as phosphodiesterase artificial mimetic enzymes. 

June 2002 Winner of a Post-Doctorate Fellowship at the Università degli Studi di Padova (2 years) for studies on supramolecular chemistry. Marks: 85/100.

Supervisor: Prof. Paolo M. Scrimin.

Activity:

Development of self-assembling structures as new environments for catalytic reactions.

August 2002-November 2003 Post Doctoral position “Skaggs Fellowship” at the Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, San Diego California. 

Supervisor: Prof. Julius Rebek Jr.

Activity:

Synthesis and development of self-assembling nano-sized molecular capsules. Investigation of the unique properties of the inner space of such molecular containers by means of 1D and 2D NMR techniques. In depth study of coencapsulation of different guests, asymmetric recognition, gas encapsulation, social isomerism, isotopic binding effect, conformation changes upon encapsulation, reactions within nanosized containers. 

December 2003-April 2004 Winner of a Fellowship (6 months) from I.N.S.T.M. (Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali) at the Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia, Chemistry Department.

Supervisor: Prof. Giorgio Strukul.

Activity:

Development of new processes for hydrogen peroxide activation for fine chemical production (within the PRIN project 2003, “Development of new recyclable catalysts for oxidation processes with hydrogen peroxide”)

May 2004-October 2005 Winner of a two year Fellowship “Assegno di Ricerca” from Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia (Chemistry Department) dealing with “Reactivity of Recyclable Pt(II) and Pd(II) Catalysts in Selective Oxidation Reactions with Hydrogen Peroxide”. 

Supervisor: Prof. Giorgio Strukul. 

Activity:

Development of new chiral and achiral complexes of Pt(II) and Pd(II) for hydrogen peroxide activation. Fine chemical production with new eco-friendly oxidation processes. Effect of the diphosphine ligand, Lewis acidity of the complexes on catalytic activity.

1 November 2005 Assistant Professor position (Ricercatore) in Industrial Chemistry (CHIM/04) at the faculty of Science  of Universitá Ca’ Foscari di Venezia, Chemistry Department.

Main Activity: 

Development of new sustainable oxidation processes, hydrogen peroxide activation, asymmetric oxidations with homogeneous catalysts, Homogeneous catalysis with Pt(II) catalysts. Employment of new reaction media like water in catalysis. Green chemistry. 

Supramolecular chemistry and catalysis. Micellar catalysis for the formation of C-C and C-heteroatom bond with high regio, and stereoselectivity. Catalysis within self-assembled hydrogen bonded supramolecular systems like the hexamer of resorcin[4]arene. 

Synthesis of new N containing bisphosphonates as potential drug candidates for the treatment of bone resorption disorders like osteoporosis and Paget disease. Sustainable synthesis of bisphosphonates in water.

In all the activities, advanced characterizations by means of 1D and 2D NMR techniques are carried out, also for the determination of self-assembling properties of the molecules. 

December 2013 Candidate earned habilitation for the position of associate professor in ORGANIC CHEMISTRY 03/C1 

December 2013 Candidate earned habilitation for the position of associate professor in INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY 03/C2 

April 2016 Associate Professor in Organic CHEMISTRY SSD Chim/06 

Supramolecular chemistry and catalysis. Micellar catalysis for the formation of C-C and C-heteroatom bond with high regio, and stereoselectivity. Catalysis within self-assembled hydrogen bonded supramolecular systems like the hexamer of resorcin[4]arene. 

Synthesis of new N containing bisphosphonates as potential drug candidates for the treatment of bone resorption disorders like osteoporosis and Paget disease. Sustainable synthesis of bisphosphonates in water.

In all the activities, advanced characterizations by means of 1D and 2D NMR techniques are carried out, also for the determination of self-assembling properties of the molecules. 

2016 Candidate earned habilitation for the position of full professor in ORGANIC CHEMISTRY 03/C1 

2016 Candidate earned habilitation for the position of full professor in INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY 03/C2 

November 2017-

November 2020 vice-coordinator of the PhD Programme in Chemistry between Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia and Università di Trieste 

November 2020 Selected as Expert Member for GEV 3 Chemistry for the VQR 2015-2019.

November 2020 Appointed Delegate of the Head of the Department for the didactic and teaching activities of the Dipartimento di Scienze Molecolari e Nanosistemi, Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia.

1 December 2021 Full professor in Organic CHEMISTRY SSD Chim06

Main Activity: 

Development of supramolecular catalytic systems operating in water and in organic media through self-assembly of specifically designed units. Supramolecular chemistry and catalysis. Micellar catalysis for the formation of C-C and C-heteroatom bond with high regio, and stereoselectivity. Catalysis within self-assembled hydrogen bonded supramolecular systems like the hexamer of resorcin[4]arene. 

Synthesis of bioactive compounds of lipidic, saccharide and peptidic nature for tackling neurodegenerative diseases and other diseases (in collaboration with Department of Biology Università degli studi di Padova)

Design of new processes for drug synthesis in water (in collaboration with F.I.S: Fabbrica Italiana Sintetici S.p.A.)

In all the activities, advanced characterizations by means of 1D and 2D NMR techniques are carried out, also for the determination of self-assembling properties of the molecules.