# Iridium complexes for the activation and functionalization of carbon hydrogen-bonds in unactivated substrates

> **NIH NIH R35** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $385,398

## Abstract

Project Summary
 The goal of our proposed research program is the design of new catalytic methodology for the
synthesis of complex organic building blocks via site-selective activation of carbon-hydrogen
bonds in simple organic molecules. Our approach makes use of a class of dipyridylarylmethanes
as supporting ligands in iridium-catalyzed sp3 C-H borylation catalysis. This family of ligands was
recently identified in our laboratory and is designed to borrow features of previous diimine and
pentamethylcyclopentadienyl ligands for the same transformation while offering the advantage of
modular synthetic routes for their preparation. Our initial studies on this ligand class identified one
of the best catalysts for sp3 C-H borylation yet known, which has led us to design a research
program that takes advantage of the improved functional group tolerance of this system to expand
the scope of suitable substrates. Our proposed work will address challenges presented by the
need for selectivity in sp3 C-H borylation, and in so doing will provide access to functionalized
alkylboronic ester products with functional groups that were previously inaccessible through C-H
activation. Further applications to the synthesis of linker molecules and biologically relevant cyclic
boronate esters are proposed. We will also explore applications of dipyridylarylmethane ligands
to C-H silylation catalysis, a class of chemical reactions that is substantially underdeveloped by
comparison to C-H borylation.
 In total this program provides enabling technologies in the form of chemical methodology for
the synthesis of complex building blocks from simple precursors. These methods will empower
synthetic chemists in the synthesis of drug candidates and biological probes by providing tools to
address the necessary complexity of molecules that interface with biological systems.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10501978
- **Project number:** 1R35GM147697-01
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Nathan David Schley
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $385,398
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-07-01 → 2027-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10501978

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10501978, Iridium complexes for the activation and functionalization of carbon hydrogen-bonds in unactivated substrates (1R35GM147697-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10501978. Licensed CC0.

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