News & Events

When

Date - February 12, 2016
1:00 pm

What

Assistant Professor
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
UNC – Greensboro

“Development of New Synthetic Methods for the Preparation of Valuable Small Molecules”

Abstract:

The development of new synthetic methods in order to synthesize the vast array of structurally diverse compounds that nature produces only in small quantities or to efficiently prepare libraries of small molecules for drug discovery is a constant need in chemistry.  Our group is interested in the development of novel Brønsted acid catalyzed asymmetric methods.  Strategies such as kinetic resolutions and desymmetrizations are utilized to prepare enantioenriched hydroxy esters, lactones, and lactams with quaternary stereocenters efficiently and with excellent stereoselectivity.  These small molecules are valuable intermediates for further elaboration and in the synthesis of challenging bicyclic scaffolds.