Professor Bergmeier's research explores cyclization reactions brought about by the intramolecular reaction of an allylsilane and an aziridine. The reaction will yield either a carbocyclic homoallylic amine or a fused bicyclic pyrrolidine, depending on the conditions that are selected. Further study will determine the extent of stereoselectivity in the reaction and identify those factors that can be altered to control its stereochemistry. The formal [3+2] cyclization will be expanded upon to provide the means of preparing multiple polycyclic molecules. Finally, natural product synthesis will be undertaken where it may be advantageous to establish the utility of the synthetic methods as they are refined.
With this award, the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program supports the research of Professor Stephen C. Bergmeier of the Ohio State University. Professor Bergmeier studies chemical reactions that enable the creation of different molecules from a single precursor. A wide variety of naturally occuring compounds as well as synthetic pharmaceutical molecules have been identified for which Bergmeier's chemistry would provide easy access.
