Development of heavy p-Block heterocycles

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Heterocyclic ring systems are of fundamental importance across a diversity of fields within chemistry and the biosciences. They are often key structural units in pharmaceuticals and, when bound to metals, can act as catalytically-active species in a range of industrially important transformations. Such heterocycles can often gain or lose electrons forming stable 'free radicals'. These too have important roles in many biological processes such as electron-transfer and signalling. More recently heterocyclic free radicals have found applications in the design of molecular materials including new conductors, magnets and switches. Yet many of these areas are limited to heterocycles containing the lighter non-metals especially carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. This proposal aims to develop synthetic strategies to access a range of previously unexplored or poorly studied heterocycles containing the heavier p-block elements, especially sulfur, selenium, phosphorus, arsenic and antimony. This will offer a unique opportunity to explore the fundamental effects of systematic introduction of heavier p-block elements into conventional heterocyclic rings.