Approaches to Diverse Fluoroorganics and Fluorinated Building Blocks

NSF化学部的化学合成计划支持纽约城市大学城市学院化学系Barbara Zajc教授的研究。Zajc教授和她的学生开发了合成含氟有机化合物的新方法。有机氟化合物在农用化学品和制药、材料科学以及作为生物探针等领域都具有重要的应用价值。大约五分之一的药物含有氟原子。氟-18(18F)标记的有机氟化合物经常用于医学(正电子发射断层扫描(PET)成像)。例如，2-脱氧-2-(18F)-D-葡萄糖通常用于脑成像。有机氟化合物作为磁共振成像(MRI)造影剂也迅速变得重要--也用于疾病诊断。人们正在研究19F-MRI用于脑成像，例如，显示阿尔茨海默病患者淀粉样斑块的形成。因此，开发高效合成有机氟化合物的新方法是这个资助项目的重点，因此人们对此非常感兴趣。扎伊克教授研究小组的学生来自不同的种族和国际社会。研究项目旨在培训所有教育水平的学生，以便在一个与社会相关的领域提供经验。有机氟化合物的独特和宝贵的性质使它们在一系列科学领域具有重要意义。然而，将氟原子选择性地引入有机分子中仍然是具有挑战性的。这个项目开发了新的化学方法来处理各种类型的区域特定的氟化化合物-那些含有手性中心的化合物。研发出的一些分子可能会对研究神经退行性疾病产生直接影响。这里采用的方法侧重于使用新的氟化积木的模块化组装。在适用的情况下，研究了氟对反应活性的作用。由于有机氟化合物在药物和生物化学中的广泛重要性，包括诊断，如使用19F磁共振成像研究大脑疾病，这项研究可能会在化学合成以外的领域产生影响。研究活动涉及对来自不同种族群体的学生进行教育和培训，包括那些在科学界代表性不足的学生。纽约城市学院拥有大量的少数族裔学生，他们的教育和培训对多元化的劳动力产生了影响。

The Chemical Synthesis Program of the NSF Chemistry Division supports the research of Professor Barbara Zajc in the Department of Chemistry at the City College of the City University of New York. Professor Zajc and her students develop novel methods for synthesis of fluorinated organic compounds. Organofluorine compounds are of importance in diverse fields, including agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, materials sciences, and as biological probes. Approximately one in five pharmaceuticals contains a fluorine atom. Fluorine-18 (18F) labeled organofluorine compounds are often used in medicine (for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging). As an example, 2-deoxy-2-(18F)-D-glucose is commonly used in brain imaging. Organofluorine compounds are also rapidly gaining importance as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) contrast agents - also used in the diagnosis of disease. 19F MRI is being studied for brain imaging, for instance, visualizing amyloid plaque formation in Alzheimer's disease. Development of novel methods for the efficient synthesis of organofluorine compounds, which is the focus of this funded project, is therefore of strong interest. Students in Professor Zajc's research group are of diverse ethnicity and from an international community. Research projects are designed for training students at all educational levels, in order to provide experience in an area of societal relevance.The unique and valuable properties of organofluorine compounds make them important in a range of scientific areas. However, selective introduction of fluorine atoms into organic molecules continues to be challenging. This project develops novel chemical approaches to various classes of regiospecifically fluorinated compounds - those containing chiral centers. Some of the molecules developed may have a direct impact on studying neurodegenerative disorders. The approaches undertaken here focus on modular assemblies using new fluorinated building blocks. Where applicable, the role of fluorine on reactivity is studied. Due to the widespread importance of organofluorine compounds in medicinal and biological chemistry, including diagnostics such as the study of brain disorders using 19F MRI imaging, this research may have impact in areas beyond chemical synthesis. The research activities involve education and training of students from diverse ethnic groups, including those that are underrepresented in the sciences. The City College of New York has a large minority student population, and their education and training has an impact on a diversified workforce.