Chemistry Club Seminar

Abstract: The catalytic formation of C–C bonds has an array of applications ranging from drug synthesis to materials science. The traditional approaches to these reactions have involved closed-shell organometallic compounds bearing strong field ligands, which typically operate through redox-neutral or two-electron processes. The advent and evolution of catalysis with earth-abundant, first-row transition metals has enabled the synthesis of metal precatalysts with open-shell electron configurations, often with weak-field ligands. This presents an opportunity in catalysis for but also raises questions about how these metal complexes promote C–C bond formation. My lecture will focus on efforts in our laboratory devoted to new applications of C–C bond formation promoted by chromium, iron, cobalt and nickel. Applications range from new cycloaddition addition reactions used to prepare chemically recyclable polyolefins and carbon neutral jet fuels to drug synthesis through site selective C–H alkylation reactions and C(sp2)–C(sp3) cross coupling methods. The mechanisms of these processes will be highlighted throughout.