Development of novel p

Background and Research Hypothesis.
Nitrogen-containing molecules are widespread among high-value materials like therapeutic agents, agrochemicals and food-additives. A substantial fraction of these molecules contains an N-alkyl bond, which makes the development of methods for the efficient assembly of sp3 C-N bonds integral to both academic and industrial synthesis. Despite the formation of sp3 C-N bonds is generally approached (and also taught) as a classical example of SN2 reactivity between an alkyl halide and an amine, it is still an ongoing challenge in chemistry. In fact, while this reaction is effective in the coupling of primary or activated alkyl halides and non-hindered amines, it is unfeasible in the case of sterically hindered electrophiles and/or non-nucleophilic N-nucleophiles.
The chemistry that will be developed here aims at inventing a synthetic platform enabling the general and efficient coupling of alkyl halides and nitrogen nucleophiles that are not suitable for classical SN2 reactions.

The approach.
We will study the merge of the group's recent understanding on halogen-atom transfer with copper catalysis to simultaneously convert the alkyl-halide building blocks into the corresponding carbon radicals and then form the key C-N bonds with the nucleophilic partners. We will evaluate a broad range of commercial building blocks that underpin the structures of high-value blockbuster drugs.
Once the methodology has been established we will attempt its utilization to achieve complex radical cascade reactions that take simple linear precursors and assemble complex 3D structures. This part will be of high relevance to the pharmaceutical sector that is aware of the importance of preparing highly saturated drug candidates as they have higher chances of biological activity.
The research project will require the utilization of an array of analytical techniques to understand and quantify the reaction outcomes and also to perform mechanistic studies. This will include NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy.

Novel physical sciences content.
This project will provide a novel approach to expediate the construction of high-value materials using cheap and sustainable catalysts and reagents. The novel approach used and the mechanistic studies that will be performed will provide additional understanding in the fields of catalysis, synthetic chemistry and radical chemistry.