CAREER: Developing 1,2,3-triazole skeletons as novel chiral building blocks in asymmetric catalysis

West Virginia University Research Corporation, Morgantown WV

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This project will work on the development of 1,2,3-triazole and its derivatives as novel ligands in promoting stereoselective functional group transformation for facile C-C and C-N bonds construction. While formation of 1,2,3-triazole through click-chemistry has been extensively applied in chemical and biological researches, most of the reported research focused on the application of click chemistry as biological compatible linkers and little progress has been made in the development of this interesting structural motif as new functional group in asymmetric catalysis. Studies to further elucidate the unique functionality of this motif and how it influences the metal catalyst reactivity will be undertaken. Combinatorial type screening of ligands with various transition metal cations will be carried out to identify new useful catalysts. Hypothesis driven studies of new asymmetric catalysis will be also performed. With this award, the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program is supporting the research of Professor Xiaodong Shi of the Department of Chemistry at West Virginia University. Professor Shi's research efforts revolve around the development of new methods for the preparation of 1,2,3-triazole derivatives and asymmetric catalysis. Such chemistry will contribute to the fundamental understanding of ligand influence on catalyst reactivity and stereoselectivity. Successful development of the methodology will have an impact on synthesis in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries.