New Methods In Catalytic Organic Synthesis With Transition Metal Complexes

This project addresses the development of new and efficient carbocyclization and higher order cycloaddition reactions, providing synthetic routes to appropriately functionalized polycyclic intermediates for the syntheses of bioactive natural and unnatural products. Novel fine-tunable monodentate phosphorus ligands and their applications to highly efficient catalytic asymmetric reactions and processes will also be explored. Particular attention will be placed on "green chemistry" concepts, including high selectivity and "atom economy" as well as the highly efficient separation and recovery of catalyst species, through the development of fluorous catalyst systems. With this renewal award, the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program is supporting the research of Dr. Iwao Ojima of the Department of Chemistry at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. One of the most fascinating goals in catalysis is to create effective catalyst systems that can promote multi-step reactions giving useful chemical substances, including those with multiple chiral centers, from simple starting materials. These catalyst systems should also promote the reactions with extremely high turnover frequency as well as turnover number and/or with highly efficient catalyst recovery and reuse without environmental concerns. Professor Ojima and his students are designing and developing new and efficient catalytic organic reactions incorporating (poly)cyclizations and carbonylations as key unit reactions, which provide useful synthetic methods for organic syntheses.