Hydrogen Bonds as Control Elements to Direct the Selectivity of Transition Metal-Catalyzed Reactions

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Thorsten Bach
• Subject Area: Organic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: from 2011 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 212748935

The project aims at the development of catalysts, which allow for a simultaneous control of the molecular position, at which a chemical reaction takes place, and of the absolute configuration of the stereogenic center, which is formed during the reaction. Hydrogen bonds are employed to pre-coordinate a substrate to the chiral ligand of a transition metal. As a result the spatial proximity of the catalytically active center determines the regioselectivity of the transformation while the enantioselectivity is determined by the non-covalent interaction. Six key reactions are to be studied in which oxenoid, nitrenoid or carbenoid species attack either a double bond or a C-H bond. Ideal distances between the individual substrates and the transition metal center are to be optimized. Studies to possible application of the methods in natural product synthesis supplement the Project.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants