New Strategies for Controlling Selectivity of Catalytic Reactions

The aim of this project is to synthesize organic molecules that contain heteroatoms such as fluorine and nitrogen in a selective manner by using catalytic methods. The vast majority of currently approved drugs are nitrogen-containing organic molecules (>75%). Furthermore,  fluorine has also become an essential functional group in current modern pharmaceuticals.

These heteroatom-functionalized molecules are also ubiquitous in other functional materials. Specifically in this project, we will develop novel methods that make these molecules efficiently. Obtaining these heteroatom-functionalized molecules selectively is a major aspect of our research.

Thus, we aim at minimizing the formation of byproducts, and at designing catalytic routes that give a full control of where the heteroatom will be positioned. The mechanisms by which these functionalized molecules are formed will also be investigated.

This enables to further improve the catalysts’ performance as well as to discover new and sustainable chemical reactions.

The results obtained will be presented in different national and international conferences, as well as published in per-reviewed scientific journals.