We are interested in designing and synthesising organic molecules to investigate the basis of catalysis, and to apply these principles to designing our own, artificial catalysts.
Heterocyclic compounds are ubiquitous. over 90% of all new drugs contain heterocyclic rings, for example. The development of reactions that can furnish excellent yields of heterocyclic compounds under mild conditions and with maximum efficiency remains a desirable objective of organic chemistry.
Homogeneous catalysis by transition metal complexes plays an important role in many significant industrial processes. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these reactions is key to improving catalytic activity and selectivity to enhance overall process efficiency.
Atropisomers are stereoisomers that occur because of hindered rotation about a single bond, and this leads to two or more conformers that interconvert slowly enough to be isolated as single components.
Building on work in the Partridge group, this project will explore new oxidative transformations of alkylboronic esters. This work is suitable for ambitious students with a strong interest organic synthesis, and will involve aspects of catalysis, organoboron chemistry, and asymmetric synthesis..
Our research group focuses on the synthesis of nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds, especially with chiral organometallic compounds and dipolar cycloaddition reactions.
We have recently devised a novel conjunctive reagent that is generated in the presence of a palladium catalyst, and demonstrated that this can be exploited in the synthesis of chiral heterocyclic products.
We have recently developed a new class of functionality rich intermediates based on ynone trifluoroborate salts. These compounds can be elaborated in multiple ways e.g.