The focus of this research is the use of the photochemical generation of heteroatom ketenes by photolysis of chromium carbene complexes. Catalytic processes to prepare cyclobutanones and beta-lactams will be explored along with synthetic approaches to sterically hindered carbene complexes. Photochemical 2+2 and 3+2 cycloadditions will be used to afford beta-lactams and an efficient route to alpha-heteroatom stannanes, which will be used in Pd catalyzed reactions, will be developed. Optically active chromium carbene derived intermediates including ene carbamates, butenolides and tetraazamacrocyclic cyclams will be used for asymmetric synthesis. %%% With this Renewal award, the Synthetic Organic Program is supporting the research of Dr. Louis S. Hegedus of the Department of Chemistry at Colorado State University. Professor Hegedus will focus his work on the development of new synthetic methods using transition metal complexes to permit new modes of reactivity for organic functional groups. Efficient synthetic approaches to a variety of heterocyclic and carbocyclic systems will be developed.
