Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

The metal carbyne-mediated alkyne metathesis reaction represents a unique and efficient synthetic strategy for selectively forming C-C bonds, and it has proven to be particularly powerful in the construction of pharmaceuticals, polymers and biologically relevant molecules. Current strategies in place primarily employ tungsten or molybdenum catalysts. Unfortunately, these strategies suffer from a variety of drawbacks which have so far limited the technique. In this context, the focus of this proposal is the development of entirely new classes of ruthenium carbyne catalysts which are (a) efficient and selective alkyne metathesis initiators, and (b) offer improvements over currently available catalyst systems. Our decision to focus on ruthenium stems from the outstanding properties observed for, and widespread applications of, analogous ruthenium carbene catalysts in alkene metathesis reactions (the most prolific contributors to the development of the alkene metathesis reaction were co-recipients of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2005). In order to achieve these goals, we will be exploring (a) the role of multifunctional, hemilabile tridentate ligands in ruthenium carbyne chemistry, and (b) charge effects on stability and function of ruthenium carbyne complexes. Once we have developed and understood the function of our catalyst targets, we will then evaluate the catalytic performance of these new complexes as alkyne metathesis catalysts so that we may assess and compare their general utility.