SusChem: Innovation Inspired by Amides: Oxidative Ni-catalysis, Cascade Acylations, and Green Peptide Synthesis

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The Chemical Synthesis and the Catalysis Programs are co-funding a project by Professor Vy Maria Dong from the University of California at Irvine that aims to identify environmentally benign and efficient methods for synthetic chemistry. Professor Dong's research team is focused on the study of inexpensive and earth abundant metals as constituents in catalysts that allow the formation of common linkages in organic molecules. The project provides practical methods for making molecules by minimizing both costs and waste. An outreach program created by Professor Dong focuses on a conference/workshop to support and promote women in the field of organic synthesis. This meeting provides an avenue for graduate students in Southern California to network, collaborate, and exchange ideas.Professor Dong's research project impacts the synthesis of a wide-range of molecules that contain the commonly occurring ester and amide linkage. The use of base-metal catalysts contributes to the nations need for more efficient and sustainable chemistry. The pursuit of oxidative Ni-catalysis is an unexplored mode of reactivity that enables the conversion of aldehydes into esters, amides, and ketones. This platform provides a unique avenue for enantioselective reductions and regioselective acylations. The stereoselective acylations described have the potential to impact synthetic routes to a vast number of natural products that bear chiral ester and acetamido ester motifs. Studies on the mechanism of this catalytic process impact related cooperative catalytic methodology. The final aim pursues an environmentally benign peptide synthesis as a new approach to a central problem in synthesis with widespread applications.