Synthetic Design

This course focuses on organic reactions, their mechanisms, and their strategic applications in organic synthesis. Topics include stereochemistry, stereoselectivity, oxidations and reductions, olefinations, cuprate conjugate additions, olefin metathesis, transition-metal catalyzed cross couplings and related reactions, cycloadditions, electrocyclizations, sigmatropic rearrangements, enolate chemistry, aldol additions and related reactions, as well as organocatalysis. The material will be illustrated by numerous applications in multistep chemical synthesis, many of which are drawn from the instructor’s own research. Based on this course, students should be able to read the modern literature, develop independent research proposals in organic chemistry, and succeed in graduate school.

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