Organic Methodology with Enzymes
Harnessing highly reactive intermediates and reagent design to solve synthetic challenges.
Research
The Raps lab is focused on harnessing enzymes to address challenges in catalysis. Our research allows us to explore enzymatic environments for innovative ways to streamline syntheses in the area of pharmaceutical and agro chemical development. Being at the intersection of organic chemistry and biology, we make use of Nature’s fascinating toolsets and merge them with organic chemistry knowledge to contribute in creative ways to the demands of synthetic chemistry.
Principle Investigator
Felix
Felix grew up in the Black Forest region in Germany and moved to Switzerland for his undergraduate degree at the University of Basel in 2012. After completing a research stay at the process chemistry department of the pharmaceutical company Actelion and Idorsia, he began his PhD studies with Prof. Dr. Christof Sparr at the University of Basel working on small molecule organocatalysis methodology and synthesis. Funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, he moved to Cornell University in 2021 and Princeton University in 2023, to work with Prof. Dr. Todd Hyster on photoenzymatic transformations. During his postdoctoral work, he developed light-driven hydrofunctionalizations with flavin dependent enzymes. In summer of 2025, Felix started his independent career as an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at The Ohio State University exploring new biocatalytic methodologies.
contact: raps.2[at]osu.edu
The Team
Kimberly Giannantonio
Graduate Student
Background
Jeong-Seob Lee
Graduate Student
Background
Noah Reckhorn
Graduate Student
Background
TBA
TBA
TBA
Publications
- F. C. Raps1, C. Jin1, A. Brown, D. A. Sorigué, T. Hyster, “Stereoselective Photoenzymatic Hydroarylations to Access Quaternary Stereocenters”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147, 40547 – 40553.
- F. C. Raps, T. K. Hyster, “Emergent Mechanisms in Biocatalysis” ACS Cent. Sci. 2025, 11, 1029 – 1040.
- F. C. Raps, A. Rivas-Souchet, C. M. Jones, T. K. Hyster, “Emergence of a Distinct Mechanism of C–N Bond Formation in Photoenzymes” Nature, 2025, 637, 362 – 365.
- M. A. Emmanuel, S. G. Bender, C. Bilodeau, J. M. Carceller, J. S. DeHovitz, H. Fu, Y. Liu, B. T. Nicholls, Y. Ouyang, C. G. Page, T. Qiao, F. C. Raps, D. R. Sorigué, S.-Z. Sun, J. Turek-Herman, Y. Ye, A. Rivas-Souchet, J. Cao, T. K. Hyster,”Photobiocatalytic Strategies for Organic Synthesis” Chem. Rev. 2023, 123, 9, 5459 – 5520.
- F. C. Raps, V. C. Fäseke, D. Häussinger, C. Sparr, “Catalyst-Controlled Transannular Polyketide Cyclization Cascades: Selective Folding of Macrocyclic Polyketides”, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 18390 – 18394.
- D. Moser, A. Castrogiovanni, D. Lotter, R. M. Witzig, V. C. Fäseke, F. C. Raps, C. Sparr, “Catalytic Cascade Reactions Inspired by Polyketide Biosynthesis”, Chimia 2020, 74, 699 – 703.
- V. C. Fäseke, F. C. Raps, C. Sparr, “Polyketide Cyclizations for the Synthesis of Polyaromatics”, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 6975 – 6983.
- Y. Aeschi, S. Drayss-Orth, M. Valášek, F. Raps, D. Häussinger, M. Mayor, “Assembly of [2]Rotaxanes in Water”, Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2017, 28, 4091 – 4103.
Raps Lab 