New techniques for the formation of enantiopure heterocycles

Chemistry is a dynamic subject that is at the centre of many different scientific advances. Organic chemistry is concerned with the reactivity of carbon in all its different forms and can be viewed as the chemistry taking place within living things. Chemists are constantly looking for new ways of designing and building molecules (synthetic chemistry is molecular architecture) and this proposal describes a short and powerful new way of making valuable molecules using a new type of approach. The molecules at the heart of this proposal are cyclic compounds (called heterocyclic compounds), which are widespread materials with a variety of useful properties. They are present in many natural products and are central to the drug discovery process: clearly, there is significant interest in new ways of preparing them. Industry is constantly searching for new approaches to heterocyclic compounds and especially efficient new routes. New and smarter ways of making these important compounds is a useful goal because it enables reactions to be run faster, cleaner and with less waste- this is a good thing for industry and for the environment.