This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). The goal of this project is to develop practical catalysts for the selective synthesis of heterocyclic molecules by transition metal-catalyzed activation of alkynes. The emphasis is placed on the synthesis of the five-membered azole heterocycles. The studies will involve design of the catalysts, investigation of their activity, and examination of the mechanism of the reactions, representing all aspects of reaction discovery and practical process development. Heat flow calorimetry, parallel synthesis and reaction monitoring, and design of experiments algorithms will be used to study and optimize the initial discoveries of novel reactivity.
With this award, the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program is supporting the research of Professor Valery V. Fokin of the Department of Chemistry at The Scripps Research Institute. Professor Fokin's research program revolves around the development of practical catalytic methods for the synthesis of heterocyclic molecules from readily available alkynes via formation of C-N bonds. Successful development of the methodology will have an impact on synthesis in the pharmaceutical, materials, and agricultural industries.
