With the support of the Chemical Synthesis Program in the Division of Chemistry, Professor Jeremy May of the University of Houston is studying the development of new heavy metal-free chemical reactions to synthesize complicated molecular structures needed for advanced materials, pharmaceutical agents, and other carbon-based compounds. Most pharmaceutical remedies rely on carbon-based molecules, where greater complexity and three-dimensionality improve the pharmacological profile and selectivity for the disease target. However, desirable molecules with great complexity or with many oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur atoms are challenging to synthesize. This difficulty is due to side reactions and barriers to reactivity from the density of bonds in the construction. This project leverages a novel catalytic phenomenon to reduce those barriers while making densely functionalized molecules of relevance to the study and treatment of disease. The May group is also synthesizing a library of molecules having a special molecular motif that confers strong and beneficial biological effects in naturally occurring molecules, providing new lead compounds for disease treatment. These activities are complemented by educational days with local charter schools and high schools to increase enthusiasm and literacy in science. Enantioselective and diastereoselective methods for the installation of quaternary carbon centers are a long standing challenge in synthetic chemistry. Prof. May and his researc