The primary objectives of this U.S.-Poland research project between Dr. Ajay K. Bose of Stevens Institute of Technology, and Dr. Marek Chmielewski of the Institute of Organic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland, is to synthesize chiral B-lactams, an important group of heterocycles including antibiotics. Work will emphasize variously substituted optically active B-lactams and their stereoselective conversion to versatile synthetic intermediates as well as to natural products such as sugars, amino acids, alkaloids, and antibiotics. The researchers' capabilities in X-ray diffraction and other instrumental methods for structure determination are complimentary; both groups share a common interest in synthetic techniques involving novel forms of energy input such as high pressure, ultrasonic, and microwave radiation. This project in synthetic organic chemistry fulfills the program objective of advancing scientific knowledge by enabling leading experts in the United States and Eastern Europe to combine complementary talents and pool resources in areas of strong mutual interest and competence.
