Gold catalysis has become an extremely attractive research field these last decades as it has been considered one of the most effective methodologies for constructing carbon-carbon or carbon-heteroatom bonds. However, the development of enantioselective catalysis mediated by gold is relatively slow, mainly due to (i) the preferred linear two-coordinated mode of AuI complexes in the […]
The novo catalytic synthesis of β-aminoacids from CO2
This proposal deals with the development of an innovative and unconventional catalytic de novo approach to β-amino acids, compounds of remarkable biological significance, using simple, available and abundant carbon dioxide (CO2) as C1 synthon. Specifically, NOVOCAT will promote a synergistic catalytic C-N bond-cleavage/CO2 insertion event of readily available aziridines from a synergistic and rather challenging […]
Polynuclear Gold Catalysis
During the last decade, homogeneous gold catalysis has witnessed rapid growth for C–C bond forming reactions mainly due to the soft carbophilic Lewis acid properties of gold complexes toward C–C triple bonds. Compared to Lewis acids and other transition metals, gold catalysts are very active under mild conditions, can tolerate moisture and oxygen and are […]
Driving asymmetric photoreactions by merging organoand gold-catalysis
We are in a changing era for drug discovery: the growing perception is that basic chemical research will play a greater role in pharmaceutical development. One current challenge is to develop a new kind of chemistry that yields a screening collection comprising optimal chiral molecules that increase the probability of success in identifying drug-candidate structures. […]
Organo-Cascade Catalysis: A Shortcut to Stereochemical and Molecular Complexity
To impact science and society in the way that we feel is possible, synthetic chemistry needs to combine innovation and execution. We are motivated by the idea that novel chemical methodologies are needed to enable the synthesis of novel, previously elusive natural-like scaffolds. Only innovative organic chemistry research can provide the next generation of problem […]
Merging organo- and gold-catalysis to design cascade reactions: a shortcut toward molecular complexity
We are in a changing era for drug discovery: the growing perception is that basic chemical research will play a greater role in pharmaceutical development. One current challenge is to develop a new kind of chemistry that yields a screening collection comprising optimal chiral molecules that increase the probability of success in identifying drug-candidate structures. […]
From gold to silver: streamlining metal-catalysed cross-coupling reactions
Silvercatpharma project aims at developing C-C cross-coupling reactions catalysed by d11-blocks metals, particularly silver, for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals in Novartis. It strives to have an impact in terms of cost, environment and international visibility because of the use of silver as an alternative catalyst. The project offers me a great opportunity to obtain further […]
Ethanol and Ethylene Upgrade in Metal-Organic Frameworks: New Selectivity Targets
In the current IIF application, the candidate, Oleksii V. Gutov (1984, Ukraine) describes a 2-year postdoctoral project to be carried out in the group of Dr. Alexandr Shafir at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), a leading European catalysis center in Tarragona, Spain. As a Marie Curie fellow at ICIQ, Dr. Gutov will […]
Supramolecular Modular Approaches to Asymmetric Catalysis: Synthesis of Ligands by a Metal-Ligand Mediated Assembly Process
Catalysis has been one of the longstanding proposed applications of supramolecular chemistry, which has reached a level of development that allows the practitioner to achieve the design and construction of complex multicomponent assemblies with exquisite detail. Efficient supramolecular systems capable of recognition and catalysis have emerged in recent years, however, the application of supramolecular interactions […]
Novel applications of renewable based molecules for the production of cyclic carbonates and Polycarbonates
Metal and organo-catalysed carbon dioxide (CO2) fixation is a feasible strategy for the preparation of new and sustainable chemical synthons and materials. The RENOVACARB project aims at preparing novel cyclic carbonates and polycarbonate based materials exploiting carbon dioxide conversion reactions on easily obtainable renewable-based compounds, most of which have never been used for this purpose […]
Chasing sustainability: Synthesis of carboxylic acids from simple alcohols via CO2 fixation
Since the industrial revolution our society has altered the pace of the carbon cycle by extracting and burning fossil fuels, such as oil, gas or coal. Actually, one of the most fundamental gaps in catalysis is the use of alternative feedstocks such as carbon dioxide (CO2) to produce chemicals. In this regard, the development of […]
Encapsulated Water Oxidation Catalysts
Studio Classroom integrated homogeneous catalysis using microelectronic flow systems: Introducing a new era in Catalysis Research
Activation of Methane and Other Alkanes with Electrophilic Gold complexes
C-H activation (functionalization) is the direct and selective substitution of a carbon-hydrogen bond by new, lower in energy C-X bonds (C-C, C-O, C-N, among others) and is one of the most important current goals in chemistry. These transformations have very broad potential in synthesis because C-H bonds are ubiquitous and their selective activation will change […]