Metal-mediated Cycloaromatizations of Acyclic Tri(pi) Conjugated Molecules

University Of California-San Diego, La Jolla CA

Investigators

Abstract

With this award, the Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms B Program is supporting Professor Joseph M. O'Connor at the University of California-San Diego to examine the interaction of metals with readily available polyunsaturated organic compounds in order to understand the relationship between metal-coordination mode and chemical reactivity. These investigations afford opportunities for the development of new methods for the environmentally benign construction of molecules with useful properties of interest to the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. Professor O'Connor will integrate the research and educational components of this project in order to promote education in the STEM fields by providing interdisciplinary research opportunities for college and graduate students. The proposed chemistry is expected to advance fundamental understanding of organometallic, organic, and inorganic processes. In this research, a combination of synthetic, structural, computational and mechanistic studies will be applied to the development of new cycloaromatization reactions based on the metal-triggered reactions of acyclic tri(pi) conjugated molecules, including dienynes, trienes, and heteroatom-containing analogues. A key component of this research is the synthesis and study of hexahapto coordination of tri(pi) molecules to transition metals. These new reactions may have broad application in organic synthesis by providing alternatives to thermal pericyclic reactions.