Stereochemical Control of Photo-reactions within Zeolites

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This research project has as its goal the development of asymmetric photochemical reactions based on a zeolite / chiral catalyst combination. This is based on the fact that more than one molecule or type of guest molecule can be included within a zeolite. In the absence of readily available chiral zeolites, an asymmetric environment will be created by including chiral organic molecules within zeolites. Photoreactions to be studied include the Zimmerman (di-pi-methane) rearrangement of dienes, the Norrish-Yang (Type II) reaction of ketones, oxa-di-pi-methane rearrangement of beta-gamma-unsaturated enones, and electrocyclization of polyenes.With this Award, the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program supports the research of Professor Vaidyanathan Ramamurthy of Tulane University. Professor Ramamurthy studies light-activated chemical reactions that take place inside the molecular scale pores of certain natural and man-made minerals called zeolites. By permitting a certain kind of molecule to enter the zeolite cavity along with the reactant molecule, it may be possible to gain better control over the goings-on during the reaction. In this way, high value-added substances of use for the pharmaceutical industry might be accessed. Further, our understanding of the way in which molecules interact with zeolites and how this interaction affects the subsequent photochemistry will be enhanced.