Final - Development of Regioselective Alkene Dicarbofunctionalization Reactions

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Project Summary/Abstract Under the parent award, we are developing catalytic dicarbofunctionalization of unactivated alkenes, a powerful method to create two carbon-carbon bonds in one step. Mechanistic investigations have been a research staple for us to better understand and improve these catalytic reactions. One of the key strategies we implement in our mechanistic studies is the analysis of reaction progress in real-time by in-situ 19F NMR spectroscopy. This strategy allows us to identify reaction intermediates, and measure simultaneously the rates of formation of desired products, regio-slipped products and undesired side products. We capitalize on this critical mechanistic knowledge to understand the subtleties of a catalytic cycle and identify suitable reaction parameters to improve and expand the scope of the reactions proposed in the parent grant. However, our progress in mechanistic analysis has been seriously hampered by limitations on long-term NMR reservations and 24/7 access to a dedicated NMR spectrometer in our NMR facility. We anticipate that the acquisition of the requested Oxford 60 MHz X-Pulse NMR spectrometer, capable of sampling multiple nuclei of interest to us (1H, 19F, 11B and 31P) at variable temperature, will tremendously ease on our limitations, increase our research capacity to make significant progress rapidly, and help fill in a significant knowledge gap in the field of alkene dicarbofunctionalization reactions toward meeting the goals of the parent grant.