Marvin D. Rausch Lectureship in Organometallic Chemistry: Selective, Catalytic Functionalization of C-H Bonds with Small and Large Catalysts

John Hartwig

University of California, Berkeley

Thursday, February 21, 2019 - 11:30am

Lederle Graduate Research Center 1634

The selective introduction of functional groups into complex molecules at the positions of C-H bonds has been a longstanding challenge in catalysis. Our group has developed practical methods for the catalytic functionalization of C-H bonds with main group reagents, such as boranes and silanes, to create a comprehensive strategy to use one C-H bond functionalization process to form a range of products.

 

This catalysis inspired us to combine the reactions of C-H bonds catalyzed by small transition-metal complexes with the selectivity and evolutionary potential of enzymes. To do so, we have created artificial heme enzymes in which the iron of the heme has been replaced with noble metals to create catalysts for reactions that have not been catalyzed by natural or mutant heme enzymes.

 

This lecture will present recent directions of research in our group toward discovering selective reactions of C-H bonds catalyzed by both transition metal complexes and artificial metalloenzymes. The design and selection, as well as the intimate mechanism, of catalysts and catalytic reactions for these selective functionalization processes will be presented.

 

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