Welcome to our research page!
New concepts and strategies in organic chemistry are necessary to address the increasingly complex synthetic problems presented by research in contemporary natural products, biological, and organic materials. Our research group aims to discover and develop novel reaction strategies, which will enable access to versatile reactive intermediates for the mild and sustainable synthesis of useful molecular scaffolds. We are particularly interested in developing innovative new methodologies by harnessing the power of ring strain and the high reactivity of carbenes.
Ring-strain-driven Reaction Discovery
Ring strain drives reactivity by releasing strain energy, enabling access to valuable scaffolds. We aim to exploit strain-release strategies to design novel reactions that expand the synthetic toolbox for constructing complex molecules.
Synthesis and Applications of New Carbenes
Diazo compounds are powerful carbene precursors in synthesis and catalysis, yet few precursors are known. We aim to develop new diazo reagents with versatile handles for use in late-stage functionalization of complex, privileged structures.
Deconstructive Functionalization
While C–C and C–X bond-forming methods are central to synthesis, they can fall short in accessing novel architectures. We are developing deconstructive strategies to convert simple cyclic compounds into richly functionalized acyclic molecules.