Final Report Summary - CASAA (Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of amines and amides)
This ERC StG led to the development of powerful new approaches for the synthesis of chiral amines, particularly saturated N-heteroycles which are among the most important scaffolds for modern drug development. They key innovations include the development of "SnAP" and "SLAP" reagents, which have already been commercialised and proven to be very popular for drug development and medicinal chemistry. In order to provide access to saturated N-heterocycles in enantiomerically pure form, a new class of catalysts for selective acylation was developed. Taken together, this work provides a powerful platform for the preparation of these valuable structures. In both cases, innovative chemistry with unique and unexpected reaction mechanisms that have inspired further investigations in both our lab and others around the world.