General Research Concept
The development of new non-conventional organic synthons stands at the center of our research. We harness the power of modern metal- organo- and photo-catalysis to promote C-C or C-X bond formation, allowing for a rapid and efficient enhancement in molecular complexity in a greener and more sustainable way. In particular, we exploit the reactivity of the weak bonds contained in hypervalent iodine reagents and strained rings to access unique reactive intermediates, enabling the discovery of new transformations. In case the substrate reactivity is too low, we recently developed new in situ tethering approaches exploiting existing functional groups. Originally focusing on the modification of small molecules, our laboratory has also become interested since 2015 in the use of novel reactivity for the modification of peptides and proteins. Since 2022, we are also in the process in integrating digital chemistry tools in organic chemistry. The different research programs in our group do not stand isolated, and indeed many recent discoveries have been made interfacing several areas.
The developed methods give access to important natural and synthetic bioactive compounds, and set the stage for new applications in chemical biology and material sciences.
Current Research Areas in the Group:
1: Electrophilic alkynylation with and without hypervalent iodine reagents
2: Transformations beyond alkynylation using hypervalent iodine reagents
3: Modification of peptides and proteins
4: Cyclization and annulation reactions initiated by the opening of small rings
5: In situ tethering strategies for the functionalization of olefins and alkynes
6: Digital organic chemistry (collaborative project)
ERC SeleCHEM
NCCR Catalysis
Stability Data of Benziodoxole Reagents
For a personal account about the background behind the discovery of benziodoxole reagents in our laboratory, see: Acc. Chem. Res. 2018, 51, 3212-3225. (DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.8b00468).