Asymmetric Catalysis and High-Pressure Organic Synthesis

Team leader: dr hab. Piotr Kwiatkowski

Team leader’s e-mail address: pkwiat@chem.uw.edu.pl

Brief description of the research topic:

The research in our group focuses on the methodology of stereocontrolled organic synthesis, with particular emphasis on enantioselective reactions with the use of chiral organocatalysts and transition metal complexes. We are looking for effective catalytic systems that enable us to conduct new and difficult asymmetrical organic reactions. These include processes where a quaternary stereogenic center is generated. Our interests include various types of additions / cycloadditions to the carbonyl and imine group, conjugate additions with the application of various Michael acceptors and cascade-type reactions. In addition, we are working on new solutions for asymmetric synthesis of fluoroorganic compounds, important from the point of view of biomedical chemistry – mainly chiral trifluoromethyl derivatives. Another important direction of our research is the application of high-pressure technique in organic synthesis, in order to synthesize compounds that are difficult to obtain by classical methods. We are particularly interested in the influence of pressure (up to 10 kbar) on the course of catalytic processes, including enantioselective reactions. The methodologies developed by us are used in the syntheses of selected building blocks, including biologically active compounds and their analogues.