New Reaction Cascades for Organic Synthesis

通过这一奖项，美国国家科学基金会化学部的化学合成计划支持亚利桑那大学化学和生物化学系的乔恩·T·纳尔达森教授的研究。Njardarson教授正在与一群研究生和本科生合作，研究制造可能有益于制药、香料、香水和农用化学品行业的新型有机分子。具体地说，Njardarson教授和他的学生团队正在开发强大的化学合成新方法，从而获得高价值的分子目标结构。平面含碳环(芳香族)和手性分子(具有特定三维结构的化合物)是化学工业中不可或缺的组成部分。本研究致力于开发制备芳香族和手性分子的新反应。该项目的教育成果包括研究生和本科生参与实践研究。Njardarson教授和他的团队将视觉上漂亮的教学工具结合在一起，如免费移动应用程序(APP)和名为化学设计的网站，排名前200的药品海报，以及药物靶标的疾病和结构海报。这些教育工具为公众提供了新的机会来了解有机化学及其对社会的重要性。Njardarson教授和他的学生使用创新的方法设计和开发新的化学反应，用于组装重要的分子构建块，如芳香族和手性结构。在有机化学中，反应级联是指多个反应在一个反应瓶中连续(串联)发生的过程。级联反应代表了一个强大的平台，通过允许在一个锅中锻造多个键来简化合成，从而产生高价值的结构产出。使用简单的化学构件，Njardarson教授展示了结构复杂的芳香族和手性结构可以使用新的阴离子或催化剂介导级联反应来组装。这些新的反应级联是可调节的，可以通过多种方式进行转移，以提供对各种重要有机构件的访问。本研究致力于阐明和理解这些级联的详细反应机理，从而使所形成的知识基础具有广泛的用途和价值。更广泛的影响包括有用的新化学反应，预计将在工业和学术界使用。此外，一系列新颖的化学教育产品，如前200名化学目标海报和应用程序“设计的化学”在世界各地的教学中使用。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With this award, the Chemical Synthesis Program of the NSF Division of Chemistry is supporting the research of Professor Jon T. Njardarson in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at The University of Arizona. Professor Njardarson is working with a group of graduate and undergraduate students on making novel organic molecules that may benefit the pharmaceutical, flavors, fragrance, agrochemicals industries. Specifically, Professor Njardarson and his team of students are developing powerful new methods of chemical synthesis leading to high value molecular target structures. Flat carbon-containing rings (aromatics) and chiral molecules (compounds that have specific 3-dimentional structures) are indispensable chemical industry building blocks. This research is focused on developing new reactions for making both aromatic and chiral molecules. The educational deliverables of this project include the participation of graduate and undergraduate students in hands-on research. Professor Njardarson and his group put together visually beautiful teaching tools such as free mobile applications (app) and websites entitled Chemistry By Design, posters of the Top 200 pharmaceuticals, and Disease and Structure posters of drug targets. These educational tools provide the public with new opportunities to learn about organic chemistry and its importance to society. Professor Njardarson and his students design and develop new chemical reactions for the assembly of important molecular building blocks such as aromatic and chiral structures using innovative approaches. A reaction cascade in organic chemistry is a process in which multiple reactions take place consecutively (in tandem) in a reaction flask. Cascade reactions represent a powerful platform for streamlining synthesis by allowing multiple bonds to be forged in one pot, resulting in high-value structural output. Using simple chemical building blocks, Professor Njardarson demonstrates that structurally complex aromatic and chiral structures can be assembled using novel anionic or catalyst mediated reaction cascades. These new reaction cascades are tunable and can be diverted in a multitude of ways to provide access to a diverse array of important organic building blocks. This research is focused on elucidating and understanding the detailed reaction mechanisms of these cascades, so that the resulting knowledge foundation can be of broad use and value. Broader impacts include the useful new chemical reactions that are expected to find use in industry and academia. Furthermore, the suite of novel chemical education products such as the Top 200 chemical target posters and the app "Chemistry By Design" are used in instruction around the world.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.