Dr. Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research is actively engaged in R&D activities on different aspects of Bio-organic Chemical Synthesis. The basic premises of organic synthesis relates to those compounds that possess valuable and potent biological activities. Chemical Synthesis is an important field of scientific curiosity, even then the subject has not been fully explored. In comparison to the number of organic compounds that are isolated, their synthesis covers only a minute fraction of scientific developments.

During the last 50 years, many new methodologies with unprecedented selectivities have been developed. These methodologies have profound influence on the multistep synthesis of organic compounds. The synthesis of organic compounds not only provides its absolute structure but paves way to construct structurally analogous compounds for studying the structure-activity relationship. The important dimension added to organic-synthesis involves the asymmetric synthesis of organic compounds. The concept of asymmetric synthesis in the context of biological phenomena evokes considerable interest. The urge to develop compounds in those forms which nature makes or biological activities demand has led to the development of many asymmetric processes with very high enantiomeric excess.

ACBR aims to develop new strategies pertinent to the identified molecule which offers a lead compound for further developments. Outstanding students from all over the country are inducted into the program at ACBR. Their zeal, knowledge, experimental skills with their commitments at the work bench contribute significantly in achieving their goals. Modern Science, in search of safer products, is slowly reverting to developments with natural products base. The Science of Natural Products Chemistry has become the core of R&D activity of the group. In order to meet post GATT challenges to Indian R&D, especially for the discovery of new molecules, ACBR has decided to exploit its expertise in this field, and has embarked on the creation of necessary infrastructural facilities.

Prof. Sukh Dev, an eminent scientist at ACBR has unraveled the chemical nature of essential oils extracted from plants, the investigations have led to many basic advances in theory and practice of organic chemistry. He has isolated new components from indigenous materials which represent new structural type in sesquiterpenoids and diterpenoids and which have an important bearing on terpene chemistry. Some of these types are known as Himachalenes, isolated from Himalayan deodar, mustakone derived from the plant called mustaka and longicylene isolated from Indian turpentine oil, which is a raw material for synthetic perfumery industry. He has developed new techniques for separation of mixtures of organic compounds which have attracted attention of international scientific community. The use of Thin Layer Chromatography over silica gel silver nitrate, which is now in wide use all over the world in the field of terpenes was first introduced by Dr. Sukh Dev. Some of his main contributions include-synthesis of menthol, chrysanthemic acid and structural, stereochemical and chemical studies on longifolenes, himachalenes, deodarone, mukolol, lac constituents, bakuchiol, cheilanthatriol, humulenes, cembrenes, diterpenes and triterpenes. These and other contributions by Prof. Sukh Dev are now classics in the terpene field.

Prof. Ramesh Chandra has synthesized different diazobased pyrimidinediones and diazotized aromatic azoamines with thiobarbiturates which have immense biological activities. Some of these compounds are found to increase the hypnotic, antileukemic, antibacterial and antifungal activities. Prof. V.K. Ahluwalia is involved in the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds which have immense biological activities as potential antiviral agents. Prof. V.K. Ahluwalia is involved in the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds which have immense biological activities as potential antiviral agents.