C-N Bond Formation by Nitrous Oxide Capture

Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas for its physiological effects, is both a potent greenhouse gas an ozone depleting substance. Indeed, it is a major contributor to climate change, thereby posing a critical concern for contemporary society.

It possesses a warming potential approximatively 300 times that of carbon dioxide and due to its high chemical stability, it persists in the atmosphere for over 100-years. Despite its chemical inertness, synthetic chemists have discovered ways to harness its potential.

Primarily used as an oxygen atom donor, its applications encompass oxidation processes, including the industrial-scale oxidation of olefins to ketones. In contrast, there are limited reactions, wherein nitrous oxide serves as the source of nitrogen atoms.

C-N bonds are prevalent in natural products, synthetic intermediates, pharmaceutical compounds, and functional materials. In this project, I will explore the chemical capture of nitrous oxide using carbon nucleophiles to form C-N bonds.

I will develop new synthetic methodologies to access versatile organic functional groups such as diazenes, hydrazines and amines using this approach. We foresee that this research will benefit both the environmental crisis and the chemical industry.

It will introduce new practices that enable the repurposing of ecologically problematic gases into valuable chemical commodities.