Learning from natures's lessons: development of bioinspired catalysts for selective oxidative halogenations and their application for the creation of potent biomedical agents

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Tanja Gulder
• Subject Area: Organic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: from 2012 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 232194327

Although the halogenation of organic molecules is one of the most widespread techniques for the functionalization of substrates, efficient catalytic methods for the selective construction of carbonhalogen bonds are rare. Our research program therefore addresses the problem of catalytic halogenations by developing mild, generally applicable, and selective catalytic methods for the directed oxidative formation of carbon-halogen bonds. These goals will be achieved by using Nature as inspiration in order to imitate its concepts of highly chemo-, regio-, and stereoselective halogenation reactions. Halogenases will be mimicked by generating a chiral environment based on small‐molecule peptides around a metal ion, thus emulating the structure of the catalytically active center of the enzymes. By using these transition metal complexes as catalysts, it will become possible to accomplish not only the selective formation of aromatic and aliphatic carbon-halogen bonds, but also to perform stereo‐ and regioselective halocyclization reactions. With these catalysts, novel compound classes with unique structures and potent biological activities can be readily accessed, pushing the boundaries of chemical space for the evaluation of new scaffolds and structural elements. Our newly developed technology will thus contribute to the creation of new pathways for the synthesis of tracers for non-invasive diagnostic methods and to the discovery and exploration of novel antibiotic lead compounds.

• DFG Programme: Independent Junior Research Groups