The focus of this research includes three specific areas. First, the study of long-lived carbocations will be extended to the preparation of chiral carbocations for use as asymmetric catalysts for the Mukaiyama reaction. Second, Carbodications and polycations of theoretical, structural and synthetic interest will be studied by both experiment and theory. Third, gitonic protosolvation of alkyl cations, of carboxonium and acyl cations and dications, and of onium ions will be studied in superacidic systems. With this renewal award, the Synthetic Organic Program is supporting the research of Dr. George A. Olah, winner of the 1994 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Southern California. Dr. Olah continues to focus his work on the study of organic ions and their reactions. Theoretical studies, the search for catalytic activity , and preparative reactions will be carried out
