Developing organic catalysts

This project aimed to develop new reactions based on the selectivity of the reaction of π-allyl transition metal complexes with nucleophiles, novel asymmetric reactions based on superbase organocatalysis for novel C-C bond formation reactions, and research collaboration between Hong Kong and mainland chemists.

The development of effective catalysts for organic chemistry, especially for drug discovery and material science, was of fundamental importance both in basic research and industrial applications. In view of the importance of ligand designs in developing new catalysts or their precursors for optimising activity and selectivity, the team planned to develop a series of new reactions based on the selectivity of π-allyl transition metal complexes with nucleophiles, and also explored novel asymmetric reactions based on superbase organocatalysis on the basis of their previous works. These newly developed methodologies were applied to total syntheses of structurally complex and biologically significant natural products, drug discovery, and materials chemistry.