Tandem biocatalysis / chemocatalysis for novel heterocycle synthesis

The project aims to integrate and develop the idea of integrated biological and chemo-catalysis. The concurrent use of chemo- and bio-catalytic transformations to enable novel synthetic pathways were not previously possible. Tandem processes are a hallmark of atom-efficiency and can substantially reduce the environmental footprint of chemical processes - an axiom of sustainable synthesis for the future. The integrated approach will be driven by the complementarity of the two modes of catalysis - TM-catalysed processes such as C-H activation and photoredox chemistry offer a new approach to C-C bond formation using unactivated substrates, and biocatalysis brings tremendous power in terms of stereo-controlled functional group manipulation. Together, they offer a new way of building up molecular complexity whilst simplifying process complexity and cost.
The project will merge novel chemocatalytic and biocatalytic systems, aiming to create mutually compatible reaction regimes for both enzymes and TM-catalysis systems. A solution to this problem would have far-reaching significance to industrial/manufacturing chemistry, enabling synthetic routes to be dramatically streamlined and accelerated. We will define pairs of bio/chemo catalysts that can work in synergy, providing a modular approach to synthesis whereby valuable motifs (e.g. chiral secondary alcohols/amines, sulfoxides, all alkyl stereocentres etc.) are assembled with unprecedented speed and versatility.