With support from the Organic Dynamics Program, Dr. Jennings will attempt to provide a mechanistic rationale to account for the observed course of a highly stereo- and regioselective platinum-mediated organic transformation and to further explore its potential utility in organic synthesis. In addition, Dr. Jennings plans to develop new catalytic transformations of olefinic substrates which will proceed with high degrees of regio- and stereoselectivity to afford useful products. %%% Metal-facilitated organic transformations have evolved into a significant subdiscipline of organic/organometallic chemistry. Dr. Jennings will utilize organoplatinum compounds in a unique manner that is expected to render them useful as catalysts that are capable of promoting synthetically useful cyclopropane transformations. In addition to adding significantly to our mechanistic understanding of metal-facilitated organic transformations, Dr. Jennings' studies are expected to lead to new methodology that can be used to synthesize interesting natural products.
