Biomimetic Oxidation Chemistry

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

In this project funded by the Organic Dynamics Program, Professor Cynthia J. Burrows of the Chemistry Department at State University of New York at Stony Brook will study "Biomimetic Oxidation Chemistry". Biological mechanisms of hydrocarbon oxidation and halogenation will provide the basis for the design of new transition metal catalysts for these processes. The oxidation of organic substrates using metal catalysts is of great importance to the petrochemical industry, especially since oxygen-containing compounds (primarily ethers) will have great impact on the gasoline industry. Mechanistic studies are underway in order to characterize the roles of nickel and the ligand in the catalytic epoxidation of alkenes with a terminal oxidant. New macrocyclic ligands will allow the investigation of asymmetric induction in reactions with alkenes. These experiments will seek to distinguish between the intermediacy of metal oxo species versus electron transfer mechanisms. Mechanistic information will be applied to the design of new oxidative transformations based on radical cyclization or ring opening reactions. Related group transfer reactions such as aziridination and cyclopropanation will be investigated, as well as other metal complexes.