The Chemical Catalysis (CAT) Program in the NSF Division of Chemistry is supporting the research of Professor Catharine H. Larsen at the University of California, Riverside. The project focuses on developing a new series of catalysts to prepare amine-bearing tetrasubstituted carbon centers in a single, efficient, catalytic process. The reactions minimize waste with the sole by-product being one equivalent of water. The resulting molecular building blocks form the core of therapeutic natural products, biomedical probes, and pharmaceuticals. The outreach activities integrate green chemistry principles, bringing chemistry to students and the wider public through art.
Professor Larsen's project develops a one-step catalytic methods to synthesize amine-bearing tetrasubstituted carbon centers. A dual metal system is being used to overcome the high energy barrier required in forming key molecular intermediates for direct access to highly hindered compounds. The approach uses sustainable catalysts to access asymmetric, tetrasubstituted carbons in a single step to provide hindered organic amines. Professor Larsen showcases the influence of green chemistry and catalysis through lectures, laboratory courses, presentations to the Women in Science Engaging Riverside (WISER) club, and "The Science of Art" program, which is integrated into the Riverside Art Museum's "Walk and Wonder" tours. The latter outreach inspires socioeconomically disadvantaged 2nd- and 5th-grade students through tactile experimentation with the chemistry involved in the creation of paintings, sculptures, and other media, providing a positive reaction to science.
