Asymmetric catalysis is a robust and increasingly mature field from the standpoint of chiral ligand synthesis. New ligand scaffolds and templates based on novel design elements continue to appear all the time; however, explanations for the origin of ligand-induced enantioselectivity range from the very complete and well-tested to the merely plausible, educated guesses. The objective of this research program is to answer the how and why questions about electronic control of chiral ligand function.
Knowledge of how electronic ligand effects are transmitted across palladium(II) centers in our ligands will enable others to design and synthesize new chiral ligands of many other types with different applications and with greater efficiency and effectiveness. The proposed research will be conducted at a predominantly undergraduate institution (PUI), Middlebury College, with only undergraduate students as collaborators. This type of research experience has proven to encourage undergraduates to pursue careers in science or further their science education by attending graduate school.
