Transition Metal Catalysis Towards Saturation in Organic Molecules through Alkyl Radical Chemistry

The construction of C-C bonds represents the foundation of synthetic organic chemistry.

Specifically, the installation of (sp3)-hybridized carbons is among the most important transformations in an organic chemist’s toolbox due to the prevalence of alkyl-alkyl bonds in organic molecules.

Furthermore, compounds featuring a high degree of saturation grant access to greater chemical space and are more likely to yield clinical success in drug discovery and development.

The overall aim of the proposed research is to devise new technologies in organic chemistry to access general, modular and applicable C(sp3)-C(sp3) bond-forming reactions, providing high degrees of saturation in organic molecules.

Transition metal catalysis will be the foundation for this proposal, in which the most accessible sources for reagents will be used, such as ubiquitous alkyl carboxylic acids and feedstock olefins.

In order to accomplish the overarching goal of this research program, the outgoing phase of this fellowship will take place during the first two years in the laboratory of Prof. Phil Baran at Scripps Research, La Jolla, USA. The incoming phase will take place during the final third year in the laboratory of Prof.

Bill Morandi at ETH Zürich, Switzerland.