The Chemistry Synthesis program is supporting the research of Professor Silas Cook at Indiana University with this CAREER award. Professor Cook's laboratory works to design reaction manifolds that may lead to new approaches in carbon-carbon bond formation. By utilizing Csp3-carbopalladium intermediates generated from alkyl electrophiles in migratory insertion pathways, the general problem of beta-hydride elimination can be avoided. Once beta-hydride elimination is avoided, complexity building cascade reactions will be developed, which would streamline the synthesis of complex molecular architectures. Specifically, reactions based on the alkyne insertions into alkylpalladium bonds will be explored.
This approach should eliminate the pre-functionalization required for standard palladium-mediated cross-coupling reactions, thereby reducing waste and improving the sustainability of these synthetic transformations. The successful development of this research program is expected to have positive impact on a wide range of endeavors requiring the preparation of synthetic organic compounds, including pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and materials industries, as well as biological and chemical research. The CAREER Award will also provide support for two education programs. The first program allows Indiana University undergraduate students to take their research experience back to their hometowns in rural Indiana to team-teach classes on catalysis with their former high school teachers. These undergraduate Ambassadors of Catalysis will use a hands-on demonstrations and discuss their ongoing research to recruit the next generation of scientists. The second program seeks to improve and expand the team's iOS 'Named Reactions' application for the iPhone, iPod, and iPad. This free educational software has the potential to reach budding scientists throughout the world.
