Nickel-Catalyzed Enantio- and Diastereoconvergent Allenylation of Alkyl Electrophiles: Concurrent Generation of Point and Axial Chirality

• Applicant: Dr. Asik Hossain
• Subject Area: Organic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: from 2020 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 441670404

Since the majority of the contemporary pharmaceuticals are required to be produced in optically pure forms, the synthetic methods that allow the installation of one or more chiral centres with nearly complete stereocontrol, including absolute configuration, are in great demand. In the field of modern asymmetric catalysis, controlling the stereochemistry at both carbon centres of a newly formed bond originating from racemic coupling partners (vicinal stereocentres) is a challenging task. Herein, this proposal outlines a promising concept where a prochiral and a racemic substrate could be efficiently coupled in the presence of a chiral nickel catalyst to produce enantioenriched products with two stereocenters among which one of them is three-carbon axially chiral. The methodology would offer a straightforward and practical way to synthesize various value-added, bioactive compounds bearing double stereocentres in a single step by utilizing earth-abundant metal catalyst, eventually opening up new passages in asymmetric synthesis.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professor Gregory C. Fu, Ph.D.