With the support of the Organic Dynamics Program in the Chemistry Division, Professor Paul Floreancig, of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh, has begun a program in which electron transfer initiated carbon-carbon sigma-bond activation serves to trigger new synthetic transformations. Homobenzylic ethers and amides are used as the starting materials for electron transfer initiated cyclization (ETIC) reactions. In these reactions, photoinitiated single electron oxidation of the substrates form radical cation intermediates that undergo a facile displacement of a benzyl radical by pendent nucleophiles. The ultimate objective of the projects described in the proposal is to advance the ETIC method to a sufficient extent that it can serve as a method for efficient syntheses of complex natural projects and other medicinally and structurally important compounds.
Professor Paul Floreancig, of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh, with the support of the Organic Dynamics Program, will establish new synthetic methodology and plans to develop applications of the chemistry, which minimizes impact to the environment and uses ETIC in the synthesis of acylaminals. This substrate will allow increased understanding of the structurally intriguing anticancer agent, pederin, which is isolated from South Pacific sponges.
