Biography

Dr David Watson received a BSc (Hons) in Industrial Chemistry in 1999 from Cardiff University. He received his PhD in Electrochemical Surface Science in 2003 from the same University.
David conducted his postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge working with Professor Richard Lambert in the areas of Chemoselective and Enantioselective Heterogeneous Catalysis.
Between August 2008 and March 2011 David was a Lecturer in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry on a Fixed-Term contract at the University of Reading.
In 2011, David joined the University of Surrey as a Lecturer in Physical and Materials Chemistry.

Research Interests

Dr Watson’s current research interests focus primarily on surface and interface processes at the molecular level – specifically those involving Chemoselective and Enantioselective Heterogeneous reactions. These reactions are of the upmost importance in the production of chirally pure pharmaceuticals – a market currently worth in excess of $200 billion per annum, and increasing year on year.
Dr Watson’s research is carried out in collaboration with colleagues from both within the Division of Chemistry and those from other departments and other national and international universities.

Publications

“Influence of Adsorption Geometry in the Heterogeneous Enantioselective Catalytic Hydrogenation of a Prototypical Enone.”  Simon K. Beaumont, Georgios Kyriakou, David J. Watson, Owain P.H. Vaughan, Anthoula C. Papageorgiou, and Richard M. Lambert, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2010, 114. 15075.

“Sonogashira Coupling on an Extended Gold Surface in Vacuo: Reaction of Phenylacetylene with Iodobenzene on Au(111).”  Vijay K. Kanuru, Georgios Kyriakou, Simon K. Beaumont, Anthoula C. Papageorgiou, David J. Watson, and Richard M. Lambert, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2010, 132, 8081.

“Review of ‘Handbook of Asymmetric Heterogeneous Catalysis materials’ Edited by Kuiling Ding And Yasuhiro Uozumi.”  D.J. Watson, Appl. Organometal. Chem., 2010, 24, 147.

“Chemoselective catalytic hydrogenation of acrolein on Ag(111): effect of molecular orientation on reaction selectivity.”  K. Brandt, M. Chiu, D. Watson, M. Tikhov, R. Lambert, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009, 131, 17286.

“Deprotection, tethering, and activation of a one-legged metalloporphyrin on a chemically active metal surface: [SAc]P-Mn(III)Cl on Ag(100).”  M. Turner, O.P.H. Vaughan, G. Kyriakou, D.J. Watson, L.J. Scherer, A.C. Papageorgiou, J.K.M. Sanders, R.M. Lambert, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009, 131, 14913.

“Heterogeneously catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of C=C bonds directed by surface-tethered chiral modifiers.”  D.J. Watson, R.J.B.R. John-Jesudason, S.K. Beaumont, G. Kyriakou, J.W. Burton and R.M. Lambert, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009, 131,14584.

“Deprotection, tethering, and activation of a catalytically active metalloporphyrin to a chemically active metal surface: [SAc]₄P-Mn(III)Cl on Ag(100).”  M. Turner, O.P.H. Vaughan, G. Kyriakou, D.J. Watson, L.J. Scherer, G.J.E. Davidson, J.K.M. Sanders and R.M. Lambert, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009, 131, 1910.

“Mechanistic insights into the proline-directed enantioselective heterogeneous hydrogenation of isophorone.”  A.I. McIntosh, D.J. Watson and R.M. Lambert, Langmuir, 2007, 23, 6113.

“Electron impact-assisted carbon film growth on Ru(0001): Implications for next-generation EUV lithography.”  G. Kyriakou, D.J. Davis, R.B. Grant, D.J. Watson, A. Keen, M. Tikhov and R.M. Lambert, J. Phys. Chem. C., 2007, 111, 4491.

“Interactions of 4-chlorophenol with TiO₂ polycrystalline surfaces: A study of environmental interfaces by NEXAFS, XPS, and UPS.”  A. Orlov, D.J. Watson, F.J. Williams, M. Tikhov and R.M. Lambert, Langmuir, 2007, 23, 9551.

“Electrochemical characterization of PtPd alloy single crystal surfaces prepared using Pt basal planes as templates.”  F.J. Vidal-Iglesias, A. Al-Akl, D. Watson and G.A. Attard, J. Electroanal. Chem., 2007, 611, 117.

“Sulphur, normally a poison, strongly promotes chemoselective catalytic hydrogenation: stereochemistry and reactivity of crotonaldehyde on clean and S-modified Cu(111).”  M.E. Chui, G. Kyriakou, F.J. Williams, D.J. Watson, M.S. Tikhov and R.M. Lambert, Chem. Commun., 2006, 12, 1283.

“Heterogeneously-catalyzed asymmetric C=C hydrogenation: Origin of enantioselectivity in the proline-directed Pd/isophorone system.”  A.I. McIntosh, D.J. Watson, J.W. Burton and R.M. Lambert, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2006, 128, 7329.

“A new method for the preparation of PtPd alloy single crystal surfaces.”  F.J. Vidal-Iglesias, A. Al-Akl, D.J. Watson and G.A. Attard, Electrochem. Commun., 2006, 8, 1147.

“Tilt the molecule and change the chemistry: Mechanism of sulfur promoted chemoselective catalytic hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde on Cu(111).”  M.E. Chui, D.J. Watson, G. Kyriakou, M.S. Tikhov and R.M. Lambert, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2006, 45, 7530.

“Surface segregation and reconstructive behaviour of the (100) and (110) surfaces of platinum-palladium bulk alloy single crystals:  A Voltammetric and LEED/AES Study.”  D.J. Watson and G.A. Attard, Surf. Sci., 2006, 515, 87.

“Surface characterisation and electrochemical behaviour of well-defined Pt-Pd(111) single crystal surfaces:  A comparative study using Pt(111) and palladium-modified Pt(111) electrodes.”  T.J. Schmidt, N.M. Markovic, V. Stamenkovic, P.N. Ross Jr., G.A. Attard and D.J. Watson, Langmuir, 2002, 18, 6969.

“Photoemission studies of chiral metal surfaces using circularly polarized synchrotron radiation.”  G.A. Attard, D.J. Watson, E.A. Seddon, S.M. Cornelius, E. Herrero and J. Feliu, Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter, 2001, 64, 115408.

“Electrochemical evaluation of the morphology and enantioselectivity of Pt/Graphite.”  G.A. Attard, J.E. Gillies, C.A. Harris, D.J. Jenkins, P. Johnston, M.A. Price, D.J. Watson and P.B. Wells, Appl. Catal., A, 2001, 222, 393.

“The electro-oxidation of glucose using platinum-palladium bulk alloy single crystals.”  D.J. Watson and G.A. Attard, Electrochim. Acta, 2001, 46, 3157.

Teaching

Departmental Duties