Transition Metal-Catalyzed Olefin Functionalization

Abstract: Given our current knowledge, organic chemists have the ability -granted unlimited time and resources –to make almost any organic scaffold. Thus the fundamental motivations in modern chemistry have shifted to the development of efficient processes that accelerate synthesis and reduce associated waste. Research in the Hull group focuses on the development and mechanistic evaluation of transition metal-catalyzed methodologies with the direct goal of reducing the time and waste associated with the synthesis of biologically active molecules. A common goal of all of our research is to strategically design new methodologies that either utilize or override the inherent reactivity of simple functionalities to generate desirable products. We aim to reduce multi-step sequences into single transformation on easily accessible starting materials to form complex products. Additionally, we seek to develop methodologies that allow access to a wide variety of derivatives from common synthetic intermediates, facilitating diversity orientated synthesis and accelerating structureactivity-relationship studies. Despite the prevalence of C–N bonds in pharmaceuticals, their selective incorporation into organic compounds is often both time-and resource-consuming. The selective addition of nitrogen to a C=C multiple bond would allow for the single step installation of diverse functionalities from readily available starting materials. Given this potential versatility and utility, the development of intermolecular, regio-, chemo-, and stereoselective hydro-, oxidative, carbo-, and boryl olefin amination reactions represents an unmet need in synthetic chemistry.

Biography: Dr. Kami L. Hull received her B.A. in Chemistry from Macalester College (2003) and her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan (2009) under Prof. Melanie Sanford, where she earned multiple honors including the ACS Division of Organic Chemistry Fellowship and the Roche Award for Excellence in Organic Chemistry. She then pursued postdoctoral research as an NIH Fellow with Prof. Barry M. Trost at Stanford University (2009–2012). Dr. Hull began her independent career at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in 2012 and, since 2018, has been an Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research explores the development and mechanistic study of transition-metal-catalyzed reactions. Her recognitions include the NSF CAREER, Sloan, Amgen, and Novartis Young Investigator Awards, and selection to C&EN’s Talented Twelve.