Tiruvenkata Rajendra Seshadri, Indian phytochemist (Kulitalai, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu 03 February 1900 – 27 September 1975)

ACHIEVEMENTS  

Published more than 1000 papers

Discovered many chemicals from plants

Elucidated structures of many compounds such as gossytrin and related pigments, pedicinin, pedicellic acid and related compounds, pedaliine, mangiferine, dalbergine, latifoline, ferreirine and homoferreirine, pongamol, karanjine, auranetine, prudomestine, nepritine, cupressulflavone, thelephoric acid, virensic acid, tingenone, enhydrin, santaline, carajurin, alpha terthienyl methanol and others

Obtained total synthesis of gossypetine, quectagenine, khelline, pterocarpine, rotenoids, cyanomaclurine, pedaletine, darmanacanthal and related anthraquinones

Between methods developed the technique of O-methylation of phenols using dimethylsulphate, selective demethylation, C-methylation, C-prenylation, the nuclear oxidation, involving removal  of a hydroxyl group (1940),  nuclear reduction and Elbs-Seshadri oxidation (1947)

Developed many reagents and synthetic procedures

Developed a way to synthesize flavonoid pedalitin

Identified neoflavonoids and suggested the correct biogenetic pathway for them

A new group of polyphenols of woods, neoflavonoids. Proc. Annu Session Ceylon Assoc. Adv. Science 22:193-201, 1966

With A.C. Jain & K.R. Sreenivasan. A new synthesis of flavonols of the quercetagenine series

With R. Padmasani. New reagents for the synthesis of depsides. Tetrahedron 21:3531-6, 1965.

With N, Narasimachari. A new effect of hydrogen bond formation. Proc. Indian Acad. Sciences 27 A: 223-239, 1948.  

With A.K. Ganguly & P. Subramanian. A convenient method of preparation of cyanidin chloride from (+) catechin and (-) epicatechin. Proc. Indian Acad. Of Sciences 46:25, 1957.    

Contributed significantly to knowledge of the chemistry of tropical lichens

Chemistry Nobel Prize nominee (1966)

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