CAREER: Chiral Allenamides and Ynamides as Organic Synthons

University Of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis MN

Investigators

Abstract

The proposed research will investigate stereoselective cycloadditions of chiral allenamides and ynamides. Applications of chiral allenamides to the total synthesis of natural products in the castanospermine family and of chiral ynamides to the natural products, the perhydrohistrionicotoxins, will be explored. The educational component of this plan will introduce a group concept into the undergraduate organic chemistry lab course. Students will be divided into teams where each student makes one structural analog of a common synthetic sequence of 3-4 steps. With this CAREER award, the Organic Synthesis Program is supporting the research of Professor Richard P. Hsung of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Professor Hsung's research will explore the chemistry of new types of organic molecules, the allenamides and ynamides, as building blocks to form more complex cyclic compounds. These studies are relevant to the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and agricultural chemicals. The teaching plan will introduce a team concept into the undergraduate organic chemistry lab course, wherein teams of students will synthesize several structurally similar compounds using similar sequences of synthetic reactions.