An Investigation of Multicomponent Azole Chemistry within a Generational System for the Expression the Canonical Genetic Structures

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The underlying biochemical unity of life suggests a chemical origin of life, indeed organic chemistry arose from the desire to synthesise, characterise and understand the chemical constituents of life, and natural products and biocatalysts are benchmarks for what can be achieved in organic chemistry. Despite the scientific advances of the intervening two centuries, discovering the chemical transformations that initiated life represents one of the most important, fundamental and challenging chemical questions being addressed by modern science.There are three classes of macromolecules that are absolutely necessary for all extant life-DNA, RNA and proteins. We seek to experimentally establish a link between the generational requirements of both classes of nucleic acid and proteins. A systems chemistry research programme will be implemented to elucidate corroborative chemical pathways to understand the generational relationship and commonality of the key constituent molecules of DNA, RNA and proteins.The work proposed in this fellowship is designed to advance the undeveloped potential of both organosulfur chemistry and multicomponent reactivity in abiogenesis. Within the overall context of organic chemistry and, more specifically, origins of life research, the potential of multicomponent reactions has certainly been recognized as a key element for rapid and succinct build-up of molecular complexity. In contrast to the vast majority of multicomponent reactions, which feature an isonitrile as the key component, the work outlined in this proposal features azoles as an essential element for multicomponent reactivity. New three- and four-component reactivity will be developed. Furthermore, the reactivity of sulfur will be exploited to access new reactivity motifs, allowing unexplored chemistry and chemical pathways to be discovered. Throughout the course of this fellowship new green chemical reactivity and multicomponent reactions will be discovered. We will continue to develop systems chemistry to broaden and deepen the understanding of how systems chemistry can be used to access commercially important products and, significantly, the generational relationship of the constituent macromolecules of biology as the products of one chemical system.