Dr. Gabriel Eduardo Cuevas González Bravo

Investigador Titular C

Resumen Académico

El Dr. Gabriel Cuevas es investigador titular C del Instituto de Química de la UNAM. Realiza investigación experimental y teórica sobre la participación de efectos estereoelectrónicos e interacciones débiles en la conformación y la reactividad molecular. Es pionero en México en la vinculación del cómputo a la racionalización de problemas experimentales.

Entre sus contribuciones destacan, el haber probado que la interacción 1,3-syn-diaxial no es responsable de la preferencia conformacional en ciclohexanos. También demostró que el efecto Perlin no tiene exclusivamente un origen estereoelectrónico. Ha contribuido con la primera caracterización de las interacciones CH/π y nO->π (en términos de energía y geometría), desarrolló una metodología para evaluar las interacciones supramoleculares incorporándolas a procesos conformacionales y realizó el primer estudio de la densidad electrónica experimental con sentido químico en México explicando el origen de la conformación eclipsada de sulfonas cíclicas.

Academic Summary

Dr. Gabriel Cuevas is a Principal Researcher C at the Institute of Chemistry of UNAM. He conducts experimental and theoretical research on the role of stereoelectronic effects and weak interactions in molecular conformation and reactivity. He is a pioneer in Mexico in linking computational analysis to the rationalization of experimental problems.

Among his contributions, he demonstrated that the 1,3-syn-diaxial interaction is not responsible for conformational preference in cyclohexanes. He also proved that the Perlin effect does not have an exclusively stereoelectronic origin. He contributed to the first characterization of CH/π and CH/π y nO->π interactions (in terms of energy and geometry), developed a methodology to evaluate supramolecular interactions by incorporating them into conformational processes, and conducted the first experimental electron density study with a chemical perspective in Mexico, explaining the origin of the eclipsed conformation of cyclic sulfones.

Some of his contributions have been cited in books such as Advanced Organic Chemistry by Jerry March.

Dr. Cuevas introduced the study of the Topological Theory of Atoms in Molecules in Mexico, leading to the first publications in the field in the country. This contributed to the development of infrastructure and human talent, which are now leaders in this scientific area.

Among the distinctions he has received, the ISI recognition as the most cited Mexican author stands out. He was awarded the Weizmann Prize in 1993, the 2002 Research Award from the AMC, the DUNJA Award in 2003, a fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and the Excellence in Pharmaceutical Recognition from the National College of Pharmaceutical Chemists and Biologists of Mexico in 2021.

He is the author of 141 publications, 79 of which are international with an impact factor. Seven of his articles have been published in JACS, one of them as a sole author, and one in Angew. Chem., all generated in Mexico. He has accumulated 3,524 citations with an h-index of 29 (Google Scholar). He is the author of nine books and twelve book chapters.

He holds a patent and has received funding for ten research projects. He has supervised 36 undergraduate, 15 master’s, and 16 doctoral students, as well as five postdoctoral researchers who have worked in his laboratory.

Resumen Académico completo

Investigador Titular C

Correo: gecgb@unam.mx
Tel. +(52) 55 56 22 47 70
Ext. 46608

ORCID

Departamento de Fisicoquímica