Dr Stephen O. Ojwach
School of Chemistry and Physics
Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
Tel: +27 (33) 260 5239
Fax: +27 (33) 260 5009
Email: Ojwach@ukzn.ac.za

Background
My research niche revolves around investigation of late transition metal complexes as catalysts for olefin transformation reactions. This takes the shape of ligand design, coordination che,msitry, catalytic application and theoretical and modelling studies. This journey commenced when I received a departmental scholarship to pursue my MSc degree at the University of the Western Cape in 2003. Upon completion my MSc in 2005, I received an NRF-DST, Center of Excellence (c*change) PhD scholarship which I successfully completed in 2008 at the University of Johannesburg. I undertook a short post doctoral research at the University of Johannesburg before joining Maseno University as a lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry in 2008 and later promoted to Senior Lecturer position in 2011. During my short stint in Maseno University, I received research grants from International Foundation for Science, IFS, Research Grant ( No. AW/4857-1, USD 12 000) and Third World Academy of Sciences, TWAS, research grant ( USD 6 000). In 2012, I moved to the Univeristy of KwaZulu-Natal as a Senior Lectuer, a position I am occupying to date. I am currently a principal invesitagtor in the olefin program, NRF-DST center of Excellence in Catalysis, c*change and an NRF Y-rated researcher. I am also actively involved in postdgraduate supevision and tranining to enchance capacity building and development in the country. Currently, I there are three PhD and five MSc stduents under my supervision working on various projects in Applied Organometallic Chemistry and Homogeneous Catalysis. In addition to my research activities, I also act as a reviewer for anumber of international journals including Journal of Coordination Chemistry, Journal of Applied Polymer Science and Journal of Molecular Catalysis A:Chemical.

Qualification
BSc Hons (UoN)
MSc (UWC)
Phd (UJ)

Employment History
Senior Lecturer, Inorganic Chemistry, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa University (2012 to date).
Senior Lecturer, Inorganic Chemistry, Maseno University, Kenya (2011-2012).
Lecturer, Inorganic Chemistry, Maseno University, Kenya (2008 to 2010).

Publications
Aloice O. Ogweno, Stephen O. Ojwach, Mathew P. Akerman, (Pyridyl)benzoazole ruthenium(II) and ruthenium(III) complexes: role of heteroatom and ancillary phosphine ligand in the transfer hydrogenation of ketones, Dalton Trans. 43, 2014, 1228-1237.

Aloice O. Ogweno, Stephen O. Ojwach, Matthew P. Akerman, Cationic Pyridyl(benzoazole) Ruthenium(II) Complexes: Efficient and Recyclable Catalysts in Biphasic Hydrogenation of Alkenes and Alkynes, Appl. Catal. A: Gen. 486, 2014, 250-258.
3. Nelson W. Attandoh, Stephen O. Ojwach, and Orde Q. Munro, (Benzimidazolylmethyl)amine Zn(II) and Cu(II) Carboxylate Complexes: Structural, Mechanistic and Kinetic Studies of Polymerisation Reactions of ε-Caprolactone, Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2014, 3053-3064.

George S. Nyamato, Stephen O. Ojwach, Mathew P. Akerman, Unsymmetrical (pyrazolylmethyl)pyridine metal complexes as catalysts for ethylene oligomerization reactions: Role of solvent and co-catalyst in product distribution, J. Mol. Catal. A: Chem., 394, 2014, 274-282.
5. Stephen O. Ojwach, Teddy T. Okemwa, Nelson W. Attandoh, Bernard Omondi, Structural and kinetic studies of the polymerizationreactions of ε-caprolactone catalysed by (pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)pyridine Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes, Dalton Trans., 42, 2013, 10735-10745.

Asheena Budhai, Bernard Omondi, Stephen O. Ojwach, Emmanuel Y. Osei-Twum, James Darkwa Tandem ethylene oligomerization and Friedel-Crafts alkylation of toluene catalyzed by bis-(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene nickel(II) complexes and ethylaluminum dichloride, Catalysis Science and Technology, 3, 2013, 3130-3135.

Martha W. Njoroge, Stephen O. Ojwach, George S. Nyamato, Benard Omondi, James Darkwa, Study of the coordination behavior and cationic binding properties of (3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)ethanol with Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) Metals, J. Coord. Chem., 66, 2013, 1626-1634.

Hosana D. Mkoyi, Stephen O. Ojwach, I. A. Guzei, James Darkwa, Pyrazolyl carbonyl Palladium Complexes As Ethylene Polymerization Catalysts, J. Organomet. Chem. 724, 2013, 95-101.

Stephen O. Ojwach, George S. Nyamato, Benard Omondi, James Darkwa, Chelating (pyrazolylmethyl)pyridine Ligands: Coordination Chemistry and Binding properties with Zinc(II) and Cadmium(II) Cations, Inorg. Chim. Acta 392, 2012, 141-147.
10. William M. Motswainyana, Martin O. Onani, Stephen O. Ojwach, Bernard Omondi, New imino-pyridyl nickel (II) complexes: Synthesis, Molecular Structures and Application as Heck Coupling Catalysts, Inorg. Chim. Acta 39, 2012, 93-97.

Stephen O. Ojwach, George S. Nyamato, Benard Omondi, Alexander O. Okoth, James Darkwa, Multidentate Bis(pyrazolylmethyl)pyridine Ligands: Coordination Chemistry and Binding properties with Zinc(II) and Cadmium(II) Cations, J. Coord. Chem. 65, 2012, 298-307.

Letitia L. Benade, Stephen O. Ojwach, Collins Obuah, Ilia A. Guzei, James Darkwa, Vinyl-addition polymerization of norbornene catalyzed by (pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)pyridine divalent iron, cobalt and nickel complexes Polyhedron 30, 2011, 2878-2883.
13. William M. Motswainyana, Stephen O. Ojwach, Martin O. Onani, Emmanuel I. Iwuoha and James Darkwa, Novel Hemi-labile pyridyl-imine palladium complexes: Synthesis, Molecular structures and Reactions with Ethylene, Polyhedron 30, 2011, 2574-2580.

Michael K. Ainooson, Stephen O. Ojwach, Ilia A. Guzei, Lara C. Spencer, James Darkwa, Pyrazolyl iron, cobalt, nickel and palladium complexes: synthesis, molecular structures and evaluation as ethylene oligomerization catalysts, J. Organomet. Chem. 696, 2011, 1528-1535.
15. Stephen O. Ojwach and James Darkwa, Pyrazole and (pyrazol-1-yl)metal complexes as carbon-carbon coupling catalysts, Inorg. Chim. Acta. Rev. 363, 2010, 1947-1964.

Stephen O. Ojwach, Letitia L. Benade, Ilia A. Guzei, James Darkwa, Selwyn F. Mapolie, (Pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)pyridine nickel complexes: ethylene oligomerization and unusual Friedel-Crafts alkylation catalysts, Organometallics 28, 2009, 2127-2133.
17. Frankline K. Keter, Stephen O. Ojwach, Olayinka A. Oyetunji, Ilia A. Guzei, James Darkwa, Bis(pyrazolyl)palladium(II), platinum(II) and gold(II) complexes: Syntheses, molecular structures and substitution reactions with L-cysteine, Inorg. Chim. Acta, 362, 2009, 2595-2603.

Stephen O. Ojwach, Ilia A. Guzei, James Darkwa, (Pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)pyridine palladium complexes: Synthesis, molecular structures and activation of small molecules, J. Organomet. Chem. 694, 2009, 1393-1399.

R. Malgas, S.F. Mapolie, Stephen O. Ojwach, G.S. Smith, J. Darkwa, Application of Novel Dendritic Nickel Catalysts in the Oligomerization of Ethylene, Catalysis Communications 9, 2008, 1612-1617.

Stephen O. Ojwach, Gunnar Westman, James Darkwa, Substituted (pyridinyl)benzoazole palladium complexes: Synthesis and application as Heck coupling catalysts, Polyhedron 26, 2007, 5544-5552.

Stephen O. Ojwach, Ilia A. Guzei, James Darkwa, Selwyn F. Mapolie, Palladium complexes of multidentate pyrazolylmethyl pyridine ligands: Synthesis, Structures and phenylacetylene polymerization, Polyhedron 26, 2007, 851-861.

Stephen O. Ojwach, Mmboneni G. Tshivhase, James. Darkwa, Ilia. A. Guzei, Selwyn. F. Mapolie, Furoyl and thiophene carbonyl linker pyrazolyl palladium(II) complexes: synthesis, characterization and evaluation as ethylene oligomerization catalysts, Can. J. Chem. 83, 2005, 843-853.