# Halogenase Inspired Chemical Catalysis and Methods

> **NIH NIH R15** · UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO · 2024 · $458,584

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Chiral amino functionalized molecules are common motifs in a variety of bioactive molecules. They are also
important chiral building blocks in organic synthesis such as the chiral ligand frameworks that are the pillars in
several fields of asymmetric catalysis. The functional importance of these molecules renders their synthesis
continuously in high demand. Catalytic processes that can directly utilize abundant chemical feedstocks to
achieve the synthesis of these functional molecules are ideal. However, significant challenges remain for the
development of such catalytic reactions. The main objective of this program is to develop new classes of
catalytic and asymmetric alkene difunctionalizations and other processes that will meet the demands of these
challenges and expedite access to chiral amino functionalized motifs. Specifically, this proposal will introduce
chiral hypervalent iodine and halonium catalysis as platforms to resolve the regiochemical and enantioselective
challenges often encountered in these reactions. Our preliminary data and proposed studies will enable us to:
1) utilize chiral hypervalent iodine catalysis to achieve asymmetric induction for practical olefin oxyamination
and explore this class of catalysts as a new element for regiochemical control; and 2) initiate the use of a non-
covalent interaction (NCI) – halogen bonding for catalysis development and chemical reaction engineering. Our
proposal is innovative based on common and classic intermediates that are comprehensive to undergraduate
students to introduce several means of new strategies for regiochemical control and engage an uncommon
NCI for catalysis development. These methods use only simple and ubiquitous bifunctional reagents such as
amide, urea, carbamate, alcohols, etc as the functionalization reagents. Importantly, our strategy will enable a
straightforward route for the asymmetric synthesis of chiral amino functionalized motifs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10875838
- **Project number:** 2R15GM139156-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO
- **Principal Investigator:** Wei Li
- **Activity code:** R15 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $458,584
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2027-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10875838

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10875838, Halogenase Inspired Chemical Catalysis and Methods (2R15GM139156-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-02 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10875838. Licensed CC0.

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