Supramolecular Catalysts

The development of homogeneous transition metal catalysts is often hampered by challenging ligand syntheses.  We are interested in developing synthetic strategies, which rely on various non-covalent interactions, to prepare modular, complex polydentate ligands for high throughput reaction development.   Students working on these projects will gain experience in traditional organic synthesis, as well as catalysis, and organometallic chemistry.

Natural Product Synthesis

As both a testing bed for  synthetic methodology, and as a means to  broadly impact society through the preparation of bioactive small molecules, a major portion of research is dedicated to the total synthesis of secondary metabolites, as well as natural product-like small molecules.  Students working on these projects will receive training in both classical and modern methods in chemical synthesis.  Furthermore, students can expect to explore the biology of their targets through collaboration. 

Main Group Catalysis

We are interested in leveraging fundamental developments in main group catalysis to discover novel reactions in organic synthesis. We are specifically working with reactive silicon species, boron clusters, and complex phosphines.  In this context, we hope to address long-standing challenges in organic chemistry. Students working on these projects can expect to develop strong skills in chemical synthesis, spectroscopy, catalysis, and air-free technique.