Dr. Marina Šekutor

Senior research associate

E-mail

Marina.Sekutor@irb.hr

Telephone

+385 1 468 0196

Internal phone number

1474

Department

Division of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry

Laboratory

Laboratory of Synthetic Organic Chemistry

Address

Ruđer Bošković Institute
Bijenička cesta 54
10 000 Zagreb, Croatia

Education

2009-2013 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia, Graduate doctoral study of chemistry (organic chemistry) / Ph.D.

2004-2008 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia / B.Sc.Eng.

2000-2004 Sesvete Secondary School, Zagreb, Croatia / Secondary School Diploma

Research Areas

Prirodne znanosti Kemija Organska kemija

Projects

2025-2026 - "Self-organizing diamondoid derivatives for molecular energy storage"/ RBI project as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, Drafting and upgrading of national project proposals (KP1-25)

2024-2025 - "Organization of chiral diamondoid derivatives on material surfaces"/ RBI project as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, Drafting and upgrading of national project proposals (KP1-24)

2022-2023 "Influence of intermolecular forces on self-assembly of diamondoid derivatives in helium nanodroplets" / Bilateral Project, Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia (MZO) and Österreichische Austauschdienst (OeAD)

2018-2023 UIP-2017-05-9653 "Diamondoid scaffolds containing heteroatoms – preparation and application in development of advanced materials" (DiamMat) / Installation Research Project, Croatian Science Foundation

2018-2019 "Self-assembly of bulky diamondoid molecules on metal surfaces" / Humboldt Return Fellowship, Alexander-von-Humboldt Foundation

2018-2019 "Application of Diamondoid Ammonium Salts in Supramolecular Architectures" / Bilateral Project, Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia (MZO) and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

2015-2016 "Diamondoid Amines – New Ligands in Supramolecular Systems" / Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts

Awards and Achievements

2025 - Award of the City of Zagreb (for achievements in science)

2025 - Annual award of the Ruđer Bošković Institute for a scientific paper published in 2023

2019 - Award for organic chemistry "Vladimir Prelog" by the Croatian Chemical Society

2018 - Annual award of the Ruđer Bošković Institute for a scientific paper published in 2017

2015 - Annual award of the Society to young scientists and artists in 2014 by the Society of University Teachers, Scholars and Other Scientists – Zagreb

2008 - medal of the Department of Chemistry in recognition of achievements in studies by the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb

Classes

Medizinische Chemie – in German language, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Clinical Chemistry – 2021/22-2024/25

Methods in Organic Synthesis – University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry – 2016/17-2024/25

Advanced organic chemistry laboratory – University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry – 2009/10, 2010/11, 2012/13

Organic chemistry laboratory 2 – University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry – 2009/10-2010/11

Featured Publications

A. A. Fokin, M. Šekutor, P. R. Schreiner, The Chemistry of Diamondoids. Building Blocks for Ligands, Catalysts, Materials, and Pharmaceuticals, 1st Edition, 2024, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, ISBN: 978-3-527-34391-1.

42. A. L. Brkić, A. Supina, D. Čapeta, L. Ptiček, L. Racané, M. Šekutor, C. Teichert, I. Delač, Laser-induced organic agglomerates on 2D MoS₂ during thermal treatment, Nano Express 2025, 6, 035013.

41. M. Alešković, J. Alić, W. E. Ernst, M. Šekutor, Self-Assembly of Diamondoid Clusters in Helium Nanodroplets Driven by Non-Covalent Interactions, J. Org. Chem. 2025, 90, 8825–8834. => Review

40. N. Burić, D. Loru, J. Alić, M. Šekutor, M. Schnell, P. Pinacho, Elucidating the structures of substituted adamantyl esters and ethers using rotational spectroscopy and computations, ChemPhysChem 2025, 26, e202500035.

39. T. Šumanovac, M. Jakić, K. Mlinarić-Majerski, M. Šekutor, Synthesis, Alkali Metal Cation Binding and Computational Analysis of Adamantane-substituted Hexaaza Crown Ethers, Croat. Chem. Acta 2025, 98, DOI:10.5562/cca4146

38. J. Alić, I. Lončarić, M. Etter, M. Rubčić, Z. Štefanić, M. Šekutor, K. Užarević, T. Stolar, Direct in situ measurement of polymorphic transition temperatures under thermo-mechanochemical conditions, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2024, 26, 4840–4844.

37. M. Alešković, M. Šekutor, Overcoming barriers with non-covalent interactions: Supramolecular recognition of adamantyl cucurbit[n]uril assemblies for medical applications, RSC Med. Chem. 2024, 15, 433–471. => Review

36. A. Usenik, M. Alešković, S. Roca, I. Markuš, M. Šekutor, J. Požar, Hosting of diamantane alcohols in water and hydrogen-bonded organic solvents: the (non-)classical hydrophobic effect, New. J. Chem. 2023, 47, 18745–18755.

35. P. Pinacho, D. Loru, T. Šumanovac, M. Šekutor, M. Schnell, Increasing complexity in adamantyl thioethers characterized by rotational spectroscopy, ChemPhysChem 2023, 24, e2023005 => Editors' Choice: Spotlights, Cover Feature

34. M. Alešković, F. Küstner, R. Messner, F. Lackner, W. E. Ernst, M. Šekutor, Nanostructured supramolecular networks from self-assembled diamondoid molecules at ultracold conditions, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2023, 25, 17869–17876. => 2023 PCCP HOT Article

33. J. Alić, R. Messner, M. Alešković, F. Küstner, M. Rubčić, F. Lackner, W. E. Ernst, M. Šekutor, Diamondoid ether clusters in helium nanodroplets, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2023, 25, 11951–11958. => Back Cover

32. D. King, T. Šumanovac, S. Murkli, P. R. Schreiner, M. Šekutor, L. Isaacs, Cucurbit[8]uril Forms Tight Inclusion Complexes with Cationic Triamantanes, New J. Chem. 2023, 47, 5338–5346.

31. J. Alić, T. Stolar, Z. Štefanić, K. Užarević, M. Šekutor, Sustainable Synthesis of Diamondoid Ethers by High-Temperature Ball Milling, ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2023, 11, 617–624.

30. M. Forjan, S. Vdović, M. Šekutor, Đ. Škalamera, P. Kabacinski, G. Cerullo, Photodehydration mechanisms of quinone methide formation from 2-naphthol derivatives, J. Photochem. Photobiol., A 2022, 433, 114171.

29. M. Alešković, S. Roca, R. Jozepović, N. Bregović, M. Šekutor, Unravelling Binding Effects in Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes with Diamondoid Ammonium Salt Guests, New. J. Chem. 2022, 46, 13406–13414. => Front Cover

28. J. Alić, I. Biljan, Z. Štefanić, M. Šekutor, Preparation and characterization of non-aromatic ether self-assemblies on a HOPG surface, Nanotechnology 2022, 33, 355603.

27. M. Forjan, G. Zgrablić, S. Vdović, M. Šekutor, N. Basarić, P. Kabacinski, M. Nazari Haghighi Pashaki, H.-M. Frey, A. Cannizzo, G. Cerullo, Photogeneration of quinone methide from adamantylphenol in an ultrafast non-adiabatic dehydration reaction, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2022, 24, 4384–4393.

26. J. Alić, R. Messner, F. Lackner, W. E. Ernst, M. Šekutor, London dispersion dominating diamantane packing in helium nanodroplets, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2021, 23, 21833–21839.

25. M. M. Quesada Moreno, P. Pinacho, C. Pérez, M. Šekutor, P. R. Schreiner, M. Schnell, Do docking sites persist upon fluorination? The diadamantyl ether-aromatics challenge for rotational spectroscopy and theory, Chem. Eur. J. 2021, 27, 6198–6203.

24. M. M. Quesada Moreno, P. Pinacho, C. Pérez, M. Šekutor, P. R. Schreiner, M. Schnell, London Dispersion and Hydrogen-Bonding Interactions in Bulky Molecules: The Case of Diadamantyl Ether Complexes, Chem. Eur. J. 2020, 26, 10817–10825. => Hot Paper

23. V. Pardali, E. Giannakopoulou, D.-I. Balourdas, V. Myrianthopoulos, M. C. Taylor, M. Šekutor, K. Mlinarić-Majerski, J. M. Kelly, G. Zoidis, Lipophilic Guanylhydrazone Analogues as Promising Trypanocidal Agents: An Extended SAR Study, Curr. Pharm. Des. 2020, 26, 838–866. => Review

22. J. Ma, M. Šekutor, Đ. Škalamera, N. Basarić, D. L. Phillips, Formation of Quinone Methides by Ultrafast Photodeamination: A Spectroscopic and Computational Study, J. Org. Chem. 2019, 84, 8630–8637.

21. T. Šumanovac, M. Alešković, M. Šekutor, M. Matković, T. Baron, K. Mlinarić-Majerski, C. Bohne, N. Basarić, Photoelimination of Nitrogen from Adamantane and Pentacycloundecane (PCU) Diazirines: Spectroscopic Study and Supramolecular Control, Photochem. Photobiol. Sci. 2019, 18, 1806–1822.

20. A. Štimac, M. Tokić, A. Ljubetič, T. Vuletić, M. Šekutor, J. Požar, K. Leko, M. Hanževački, L. Frkanec, R. Frkanec, Functional self-assembled nanovesicles based on β-cyclodextrin, liposomes and adamantyl guanidines as potential nonviral gene delivery vectors, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2019, 17, 4640–4651.

19. H.-Y. Gao, M. Šekutor, L. Liu, A. Timmer, H. Schreyer, H. Mönig, S. Amirjalayer, N. A. Fokina, A. Studer, P. R. Schreiner, H. Fuchs, Diamantane Suspended Single Copper Atoms, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 315–322.

18. A. Pilevar, A. Hosseini, M. Šekutor, H. Hausmann, J. Becker, K. Turke, P. R. Schreiner, Tuning the Reactivity of Peroxo-Anhydrides for Aromatic C–H Bond Oxidation, J. Org. Chem. 2018, 83, 10070–10079.

17. D. Ebeling,¹ M. Šekutor,¹ M. Stiefermann, J. Tschakert, J. E. P. Dahl, R. M. K. Carlson, A. Schirmeisen, P. R. Schreiner, Assigning the absolute configuration of single aliphatic molecules by visual inspection, Nat. Commun. 2018, 9, 2420.

16. M. Alešković, M. Glavaš, M. Šekutor, K. Mlinarić-Majerski, Synthesis and Anion Binding Assessment of Novel Adamantane Amidopyrroles, Croat. Chem. Acta 2017, 90, 637‒643.

15. D. Ebeling,¹ M. Šekutor,¹ M. Stiefermann, J. Tschakert, J. E. P. Dahl, R. M. K. Carlson, A. Schirmeisen, P. R. Schreiner, London Dispersion Directs On-Surface Self-Assembly of [121]Tetramantane Molecules, ACS Nano 2017, 11, 9459–9466.

14. D. Sigwalt, M. Šekutor, L. Cao, P. Y. Zavalij, J. Hostaš, H. Ajani, P. Hobza, K. Mlinarić-Majerski, R. Glaser, L. Isaacs, Unraveling the Structure–Affinity Relationship between Cucurbit[n]urils (n = 7, 8) and Cationic Diamondoids, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 3249–3258.

13. A. Štimac, M. Šekutor, K. Mlinarić-Majerski, L. Frkanec, R. Frkanec, Adamantane in Drug Delivery Systems and Surface Recognition, Molecules 2017, 22, 297 (1‒14). => Review

12. J. Hostaš, D. Sigwalt, M. Šekutor, H. Ajani, M. Dubecký, J. Řezáč, P. Y. Zavalij, L. Cao, C. Wohlschlager, K. Mlinarić-Majerski, L. Isaacs, R. Glaser, P. Hobza, A Nexus between Theory and Experiment: Non-empirical Quantum Mechanical Computational Methodology Applied to Cucurbit[n]uril•Guest Binding Interactions, Chem. Eur. J. 2016, 22, 17226‒17238. => Inside Back Cover

11. O. Moncea, M. A. Gunawan, D. Poinsot, H. Cattey, J. Becker, R. I. Yurchenko, E. D. Butova, H. Hausmann, M. Šekutor, A. A. Fokin, J.-C. Hierso, P. R. Schreiner, Defying Stereotypes with Nanodiamonds: Stable Primary Diamondoid Phosphines, J. Org. Chem. 2016, 81, 8759‒8769.

10. M. Šekutor, S. Opačak, M. Alešković, K. Mlinarić-Majerski, Synthesis and anion binding properties of a novel 1,8-dipyrrolecarbazole Schiff-base, Croat. Chem. Acta 2015, 88, 405‒411.

9. M. Šekutor, A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Adamantyl Aminoguanidines, a New Class of Potentially Bioactive Compounds, Synlett 2015, 26, 2627‒2632. => Mini-review

8. M. Šekutor, K. Mlinarić-Majerski, Adamantyl aminoguanidines as receptors for oxo-anions, Tetrahedron Lett. 2014, 55, 6665‒6670.

7. M. Šekutor, A. Štimac, K. Mlinarić-Majerski, R. Frkanec, Syntheses and characterization of liposome-incorporated adamantyl aminoguanidines, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2014, 12, 6005‒6013.

6. M. Šekutor, K. Molčanov, L. Cao, L. Isaacs, R. Glaser, K. Mlinarić-Majerski, Design, Synthesis, and X-ray Structural Analyses of Diamantane Diammonium Salts: Guests for Cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n]) Hosts, Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2014, 2533‒2542.

5. L. Cao, M. Šekutor, P. Y. Zavalij, K. Mlinarić-Majerski, R. Glaser, L. Isaacs, Cucurbit[7]uril•Guest Pair with an Attomolar Dissociation Constant, Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2014, 53, 988‒993; Angew. Chem. 2014, 126, 1006‒1011. => VIP Paper, Cover

4. M. Šekutor, Z. Glasovac, K. Mlinarić-Majerski, Neighboring Effect in Fragmentation Pathways of Cage Guanylhydrazones in the Gas Phase, J. Phys. Chem. A 2013, 117, 2242‒2252.

3. M. Šekutor, K. Mlinarić-Majerski, T. Hrenar, S. Tomić, I. Primožič, Adamantane-substituted guanylhydrazones: Novel inhibitors of butyrylcholinesterase, Bioorg. Chem. 2012, 41‒42, 28‒34.

2. R. Glaser, A. Steinberg, M. Šekutor, F. Rominger, O. Trapp, K. Mlinarić-Majerski, Stereochemistry of 2,6-Diaminoadamantane Salts: Transannular Interactions, Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2011, 3500‒3506.

1. J. Veljković, M. Šekutor, K. Molčanov, R. Lo, B. Ganguly, K. Mlinarić-Majerski, Structural studies of PCU-hydrazones: NMR spectroscopy, X-ray diffractions, and DFT calculations, J. Mol. Struct. 2011, 997, 46‒52.

Membership in professional associations / societies

2022- Grant Awarding Coordinator in COST Action CA21101 (COSY)

2021- Secretary of the Croatian Chemical Society

2019-2021 Delegate of Croatia to the European Young Chemists’ Network (EuChemS)

2019-2022 Board of directors member and Treasurer of the Croatian Humboldt-Club

2015- Croatian Humboldt-Club member

2008- Croatian Chemical Society member

Editorial Board Member of the Communications Chemistry (2024 – to date)

Associate Editor of the Croatica Chemica Acta (2020 – to date)

Guest Editor of the Special Issue of the Croatica Chemica Acta, Vol. 92, No. 2, 2019

fluent in English (C1)

fluent in German (C1)

good knowledge of Spanish (B2)

Group for Polycyclic Chemistry

Education
Research Areas
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Awards and Achievements
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Featured Publications

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