Through this CAREER Award the Chemical Synthesis Program in the Chemistry Division is supporting the research program of Professor Jennifer L. Stockdill of Wayne State University. Professor Stockdill is investigating reactions to form unusual chemical structures. This project provides a new method to prepare ring structures with carbon and nitrogen atoms (heterocycles), including molecules with a diverse set of biological actions such as vasorelaxant, cytotoxic, and neurologic activity. In the educational component of her project, Professor Stockdill is developing an outreach program centered on advancing women and minorities in science. Through her research program, graduate and undergraduate students receive hands-on training in research. The outreach activities teach basic organic chemistry concepts to middle school girls, instilling in them an enthusiasm for scientific discovery, whether they ultimately pursue a career in science or not. Additionally, Professor Stockdill collaborates with Alchemie to develop new activities that aid in learning challenging organic chemistry concepts, and she creates new active learning modules for existing undergraduate and graduate courses.
Professor Stockdill is investigating novel cyclization reactions employing neutral aminyl radicals. These reactive entities have potential for the rapid assembly of complex molecules that may be useful for a range of subsequent applications. Neutral aminyl radicals have not previously been widely applied in synthetic sequences because of their unpredictable reactivity. Dr. Stockdill is testing a hypothesis regarding the necessary properties of the complimentary radical acceptors, as well as developing methods for aminyl radical generation that avoid the use of toxic reagents. This project provides access to a variety of both known and novel heterocyclic molecules with a diverse set of bioactivities. This research also provides new understanding of the reactivity of neutral aminyl radicals, enabling the rapid assembly of polycyclic heterocycles. The development of new reaction methods that can be employed predictably by chemists contributes broadly to improving the scope of chemical space available for screening libraries. Ultimately, access to new molecules may enable the identification of molecular structures that probe fundamental biological functions and potentially serve as lead targets in pharmaceutical applications. Undergraduate and graduate student are trained in organic chemistry and the scientific method in the Stockdill laboratory. Dr. Stockdill also creates a network of female scientists through the development of a Graduate Women in Science (GWIS) group, so that women can find the support they need to be successful in graduate school and throughout their careers in science.
