A New Class of Selenium Catalysts for the Amination of Alkenes and Alkynes

一类用于烯烃和炔烃胺化反应的硒催化剂生物学中大多数有机分子都含有对其活性至关重要的氮原子。在制造这些化合物的过程中，化学家们使用了许多基于过渡金属的强力催化剂。随着我们走向更绿色、更可持续的未来，找到同样强大、但更便宜、毒性更小的新催化剂至关重要。在这个项目中，华盛顿大学化学系的Michael教授正在研究基于硒的催化剂作为过渡金属催化剂的替代品。这些催化剂可以在简单有机分子的特定关键点上引入含氮基团。该项目正在确定硒催化剂结构的变化如何控制这些反应。Michael教授通过与卓越教育中心、研究科学研究所和研究科学倡议的合作，致力于为有天赋和才华的年轻科学家提供研究和学习机会，在那里他教授美国和中国的高中生关于化学的前沿研究。在化学部化学催化项目的资助下，华盛顿大学的Michael教授正在研究如何利用通常用于过渡金属催化剂的配体，如膦和n -杂环碳烯，来控制硒的催化活性。这些反应可以通过烯丙基、乙烯基和丙基C-H胺化反应以及二胺化和氢胺化反应选择性地引入氮取代基，将廉价的碳氢化合物原料转化为更复杂的化合物。通过结构-功能关系测试和多核（1H, 31P, 77Se）核磁共振谱分析，研究了这些转化的基本反应机理和关键中间体。迈克尔教授通过他在卓越教育中心、研究科学研究所和研究科学倡议组织的工作，从事指导高天赋和有才华的年轻科学家的外展活动。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

A New Class of Selenium Catalysts for the Amination of Alkenes and AlkynesMost organic molecules in biology contain nitrogen atoms that are critical to their activity. In making these compounds, chemists employ many powerful catalysts based on transition metals. As we progress towards a greener, more sustainable future, it is critical that we find new catalysts that are equally powerful, yet less expensive and less toxic. In this project, Prof. Michael of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Washington is studying catalysts based on selenium as alternatives to transition metal-based catalysts. These catalysts can introduce nitrogen-containing groups at specific, key points in simple organic molecules. This project is determining how changes to the structure of the selenium catalysts controls these reactions. Prof. Michael is engaged in outreach activities that provide research and learning opportunities to highly gifted and talented young scientists through his work with the Center for Excellence in Education and the Research Science Institute and Research Science Initiative, where he teaches high school students in the US and China about cutting-edge research in chemistry.With funding from the Chemical Catalysis Program of the Chemistry Division, Prof. Michael of the University of Washington is studying how ligands normally used for transition metal catalysts, such as phosphines and N-heterocyclic carbenes, can be employed to control the catalytic reactivity of selenium. These reactions will allow the transformation of inexpensive hydrocarbon starting materials into more complex compounds by the selective introduction of nitrogen substituents via allylic, vinylic and propargylic C-H amination reactions, as well as diamination and hydroamination reactions. The fundamental reaction mechanisms and key intermediates in these transformations are being studied by testing structure-function relationships and examining intermediates by multi-nuclear (1H, 31P, 77Se) NMR spectroscopy. Prof. Michael is engaged in outreach activities that mentor highly gifted and talented young scientists through his work with the Center for Excellence in Education and the Research Science Institute and Research Science Initiative.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.