The Synthetic Organic Program will support the research of Dr. Ei-ichi Negishi of the Department of Chemistry at Purdue University. Dr. Negishi will continue his innovative studies on organometallic carbon-carbon bond forming reactions catalyzed or promoted by transition metal complexes. This study includes discovery and development of synthetically attractive new organometallic reactions and exploration of the scope and mechanism of fundamental organometallic reaction patterns. Dr. Negishi will focus on the chemistry of low-electron-count metallocenes containing titanium, zirconium and hafnium wherein a wide variety of novel skeletal rearangements and migratory insertions are anticipated. Another major thrust is the study of migratory insertions arising from the reactions of alpha-halo-alpha-silylalkyllithiums with organotransition metals. The synthetic aspects of palladium- or nickel-catalyzed cross coupling reactions and efforts to develop useful carbometallation reactions involving titanium, zirconium, nickel, palladium and copper are other areas of interest.
