Staff Profile

Qualifications:

• PhD Chemistry (University of the Witwatersrand), RSA
• MBA (National University of Science and Technology), ZIM
• BSc Hons Chemistry (University of University), ZIM

Research Interests:  

• Synthetic Organic Chemistry 
• Drug design and development 
• Medicinal chemistry 
• Biocatalysts  
• Synthesis, hydrogenation and production of biofuels 
• Transition Metal cross-coupled transformations
• Agrochemical and Value-Added Chemicals Research
• Water Treatment

  Publications:

• Changunda, C. R. K.; Basson, A. E.; van Vuuren, S. F.; Rousseau, A. L. and Bode, M. L. “Palladium-catalysed cross-coupling as a key step in the synthesis of pyridyl-benzamides, –benzylamines and –sulfonamides,” Tetrahedron, 2017, 73, 137–147. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tet.2016.11.071 
• Charles R. K. Changunda, BC Venkatesh, William K. Mokone, Amanda L. Rousseau, Dean Brady, Manuel Fernandes and Moira L. Bode “Efficient one-pot synthesis of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines and unexpected synthesis of novel tetracyclic derivatives by nucleophilic aromatic substitution,” RSC Adv. 2020, 10, 8104–8114. DOI.10.1039/c9ra10447j 
• Charles R. K. Changunda, Amanda L. Rousseau, Adriaan E. Basson, and Moira L. Bode “Synthesis of novel pyridine and pyrimidine derivatives as potential inhibitors of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase using palladium-catalysed C-N cross-coupling and nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions,” Arkivoc 2020, iii, 152-170. https://doi.org/10.24820/ark.5550190.p011.282
• Maya Mellisa Makatini, Mufaro Mugari, Eric Morifi, Thapelo Mbhele, Charles Changunda, Mohamed Aqiel Dalvie, Nonhlanhla Khumalo, “Refinement and Validation of QuECHERS and SLE methods for the analysis of organophosphates and pyrethroids metabolites in urine and hair samples using a novel 2-Dimensional GCxGC-TOF-MS,” J. of  Chromatograph B, 2025, Manuscript No: CHROMB-D-25-01035