CAREER: Intricate Molecules from Nature as an Avenue for the Development of New Reactions

有了这个职业奖，有机和高分子化学项目将支持佛罗里达州立大学化学和生物化学系的阿门·扎卡里安教授的研究。本研究项目旨在开发合成复杂天然产物的新方法。基于Sigmatrotic重排和烯醇化化学的几种方法构成了该项目的基础。这些反应包括路易斯酸介导的杂环重排，用于组装恶嗪环的串联反应，用于合成含有立体生成的四元中心的功能化环己烯醇的串联反应，以及四取代无环烯醇类的立体选择性生成。该项目将提高化学合成的效率，扩大可用于药物开发和材料科学等领域研究的有机化合物的范围。扎卡里安教授还将发起各种教育项目，旨在提高人们对化学研究对社会益处的认识。这些计划包括以博物馆为基础的一系列活动的开发，这些活动将使普通公众接触到最先进的有机化学，并有可能吸引年轻学生投身科学事业。

With this CAREER Award, the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program is supporting the research of Professor Armen Zakarian of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Florida State University. This research project is directed toward the development of new methods for the synthesis of complex natural products. Several methods based on sigmatropic rearrangements and enolization chemistry form the foundation of the project. These include a Lewis-acid mediated hetero-Cope rearrangement that will be used to assemble oxazine rings, a tandem reaction for the synthesis of functionalized cyclohexenols incorporating a stereogenic quaternary center, and the stereoselective generation of tetrasubstituted acyclic enolates. This project, which will improve efficiency of chemical synthesis, will expand the scope of organic compounds available for research in areas such as drug development and materials science. Professor Zakarian will also initiate variety of educational programs designed to increase awareness of the benefits of chemical research to society. These programs include the development of a museum-based series of activities that will expose the general public to state-of-the-art organic chemistry and have the potential to attract young students to careers in science.