With this CAREER award, the Chemical Synthesis Program of the NSF Chemistry Division supports the research of Professor Sarah Wengryniuk in the Department of Chemistry at Temple University. Professor Wengryniuk and her students develop innovative approaches for the synthesis of medium-sized (7-10 atoms) oxygen-containing ring compounds. These challenging molecular scaffolds often have unique biological activities. The Wengryniuk lab develops novel methodology based on a new class of environmentally friendly, low toxicity nitrogen ligands. The first goal of this award is to develop new cyclization modes to access 5-8 membered rings. The second aim applies new methodology developed in the Wengryniuk lab to the synthesis of the Heliannuols, enabling the development of these medium-ring natural products as novel environmentally-benign herbicides. This funding also supports the establishment of an all-female mentorship team the Temple "OWLS" (Outstanding Women Leaders in Science) which will participate in K-8 outreach, science fair mentorship, and summer research internships for high school students. The team also sponsors an annual Women In Science symposium to help young women to prepare to pursue advanced degrees and leadership roles in science and engineering fields.
Hypervalent iodine reagents (HVIs) are powerful tools in organic synthesis due to their diverse reactivity, low toxicity, and low cost. Professor Wengryniuk recently reported the first synthetic applications of (poly)cationic lambda3-iodanes (N-HVIs), an underutilized class of hypervalent iodine reagents which display unique and divergent reactivity from traditional hypervalent iodine reagents. This research leverages unique expertise and ongoing efforts in the development of these powerful reagents as new methods for total synthesis and umpolung approaches to carbon-hydrogen functionalization. Specifically, this research develops novel approaches to the synthesis of diverse oxygen heterocycles through umpolung activation of alcohol functionalities. This team further leverages a novel ring-expansion methodology discovered by Professor Wengryniuk for the synthesis of medium-ring benzoxepane and benzoxecane natural products. Heliannuols are a new class of environmentally benign herbicides. This funding also supports the establishment of an all-female mentorship team the Temple "OWLS" (Outstanding Women Leaders in Science) which participates in activities designed to help young women prepare for advanced degrees and leadership roles in chemistry.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
