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David W. C. MacMillan

David W. C. MacMillan

Award Badge
Chemistry
USA
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Chemistry

D-Index
135
Citations
83696
World Ranking
250
National Ranking
120

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Chemistry in United States Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Chemistry in United States Leader Award
  • 2019 - Centenary Prize, Royal Society of Chemistry (UK)
  • 2018 - Member of the National Academy of Sciences
  • 2017 - Ryoji Noyori Prize, Society of Synthetic Organic Chemistry
  • 2013 - Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
  • 2012 - Fellow of the Royal Society, United Kingdom
  • 2012 - Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
  • 2010 - Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • 2004 - Corday–Morgan Prize, Royal Society of Chemistry (UK)
  • 2002 - Fellow of Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Overview

David W. C. MacMillan is affiliated with Princeton University in the United States and works primarily in the field of Chemistry, with a substantial focus on Organic Chemistry. Their research spans several interconnected subfields, including Molecular Biology, Materials Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Science, and Cell Biology.

MacMillan's scholarly output includes numerous publications across prominent journals. Notable publication venues where MacMillan has contributed extensively include:

  • Journal of the American Chemical Society
  • The Cambridge Structural Database
  • Science
  • Nature
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

The main topics MacMillan investigates cover a range of chemical methodologies and techniques, such as:

  • Radical Photochemical Reactions
  • Catalytic C-H Functionalization Methods
  • Sulfur-Based Synthesis Techniques
  • Click Chemistry and Applications
  • Fluorine in Organic Chemistry
  • Crystallization and Solubility Studies
  • X-ray Diffraction in Crystallography

Recent scholarly papers authored or co-authored by MacMillan illustrate an emphasis on catalysis and photochemical methods. Key recent publications include:

  • Metallaphotoredox: The Merger of Photoredox and Transition Metal Catalysis, 2021, Chemical Reviews
  • Microenvironment mapping via Dexter energy transfer on immune cells, 2020, Science
  • Mechanistic Analysis of Metallaphotoredox C-N Coupling: Photocatalysis Initiates and Perpetuates Ni(I)/Ni(III) Coupling Activity, 2020, Journal of the American Chemical Society
  • Cross-Electrophile Coupling of Unactivated Alkyl Chlorides, 2020, Journal of the American Chemical Society
  • Carboxylic Acids as Adaptive Functional Groups in Metallaphotoredox Catalysis, 2022, Accounts of Chemical Research

Through their career, MacMillan has collaborated frequently with several researchers, including:

  • Ciaran P. Seath
  • Holt A. Sakai
  • Jacob B. Geri
  • Steve D. Knutson
  • James V. Oakley

MacMillan has been recognized by multiple awards and honors over the years, reflecting a consistent presence in the scientific community. These accolades include:

  • Centenary Prize, Royal Society of Chemistry (UK), 2019
  • Member of the National Academy of Sciences, 2018
  • Ryoji Noyori Prize, Society of Synthetic Organic Chemistry, 2017
  • Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 2013
  • Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 2012
  • Fellow of the Royal Society, United Kingdom, 2012
  • Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 2010
  • Corday-Morgan Prize, Royal Society of Chemistry (UK), 2004
  • Fellow of Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, 2002

Best Publications

  • Visible Light Photoredox Catalysis with Transition Metal Complexes: Applications in Organic Synthesis

    Christopher K. Prier;Danica A. Rankic;David W. C. MacMillan

  • Photoredox Catalysis in Organic Chemistry

    Megan H. Shaw;Jack Twilton;David W. C. MacMillan

  • The advent and development of organocatalysis

    David W. C. MacMillan

  • Merging Photoredox Catalysis with Organocatalysis: The Direct Asymmetric Alkylation of Aldehydes

    David A. Nicewicz;David W. C. MacMillan

  • New Strategies for Organic Catalysis: The First Highly Enantioselective Organocatalytic Diels−Alder Reaction

    Kateri A. Ahrendt;Christopher J. Borths;David W. C. MacMillan

  • The merger of transition metal and photocatalysis

    Jack Twilton;Chi Chip Le;Patricia Zhang;Megan H. Shaw

  • Merging photoredox with nickel catalysis: Coupling of α-carboxyl sp3-carbons with aryl halides

    Zhiwei Zuo;Derek T. Ahneman;Lingling Chu;Jack A. Terrett

  • Metallaphotoredox: The Merger of Photoredox and Transition Metal Catalysis.

    Amy Y. Chan;Ian B. Perry;Noah B. Bissonnette;Benito F. Buksh

  • Trifluoromethylation of arenes and heteroarenes by means of photoredox catalysis

    David A. Nagib;David W. C. MacMillan

  • Synergistic catalysis: A powerful synthetic strategy for new reaction development

    Anna E. Allen;David W. C. MacMillan

  • Enantioselective α-Trifluoromethylation of Aldehydes via Photoredox Organocatalysis

    David A. Nagib;Mark E. Scott;David W. C. MacMillan

  • Discovery of an α-Amino C–H Arylation Reaction Using the Strategy of Accelerated Serendipity

    Andrew McNally;Christopher K. Prier;David W. C. MacMillan

  • The First Direct and Enantioselective Cross-Aldol Reaction of Aldehydes

    Alan B. Northrup;David W. C. MacMillan

  • Alcohols as alkylating agents in heteroarene C-H functionalization

    Jian Jin;David W. C. MacMillan

  • Modern strategies in organic catalysis: The advent and development of iminium activation

    Gérald Lelais;David W.C. MacMillan

  • Enantioselective Organocatalytic Reductive Amination

    R. Ian Storer;Diane E. Carrera;Yike Ni;David W. C. MacMillan

  • Enantioselective organo-cascade catalysis.

    Yong Huang;Abbas M. Walji;Catharine H. Larsen;David W. C. MacMillan

  • Enantioselective organocatalytic indole alkylations. Design of a new and highly effective chiral amine for iminium catalysis.

    Joel F. Austin;David W. C. MacMillan

  • New Strategies in Organic Catalysis: The First Enantioselective Organocatalytic Friedel−Crafts Alkylation

    Nick A. Paras;David W. C. MacMillan

  • Collective synthesis of natural products by means of organocascade catalysis

    Spencer B. Jones;Bryon Simmons;Anthony Mastracchio;David W. C. MacMillan

  • Enantioselective Organocatalysis Using SOMO Activation

    T. D. Beeson;A. Mastracchio;J.-B. Hong;K. Ashton

Frequent Co-Authors

Larry E. Overman
Larry E. Overman University of California, Irvine
Ian W. Davies
Ian W. Davies Princeton University
Tehshik P. Yoon
Tehshik P. Yoon University of Wisconsin–Madison
Robert R. Knowles
Robert R. Knowles Princeton University
David A. Nicewicz
David A. Nicewicz University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Tristan H. Lambert
Tristan H. Lambert Cornell University
Leo A. Paquette
Leo A. Paquette The Ohio State University
Abigail G. Doyle
Abigail G. Doyle University of California, Los Angeles
Gregory D. Scholes
Gregory D. Scholes Princeton University

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