"The action ""IRIDOX"" looked at the development of new synthetic organic methodologies using iridium catalysis, in conjunction with other techniques, to develop the synthesis of small biologically relevant heterocycles.
Heterocycles, small organic molecules that feature both carbon and other atoms (normally nitrogen or oxygen) in a ring, are incredibly important structural motifs for the development of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. These types of structures can be found in almost all commercially available drugs and herbicides. Therefore, it is of considerable importance for chemists to develop methods to construct and prepare such target molecules, allowing the more rapid synthesis of such targets.
This project aims to assist this goal by developing new methods to prepare piperidines (an important class of heterocycle) from cheap and commercially available precursors using a metal-catalyst (nominally iridium, but later it was found that related metals such as rhodium and ruthenium were also competent for such transformations, and in some cases, found to be superior. The development of chemical methodologies to prepare such synthetic targets is of great importance for society as it will enable the faster and more efficient synthesis of pharmaceuticals and allow the development of new medicines to treat diseases and medical issues.
The project completed its goal by developing 5 new methodologies (work packages) that enable the synthesis of a number of different desirable heterocycles, each of these methods use either iridium/rhodium/ruthenium catalysts or catalyst free. Each of the 5 methodologies developed represents an important step towards more efficient drug synthesis. Additionally, each work package relies a one carbon equivalent and hydrogen and uses either methanol, formaldehyde, or formic acid as the key sources. Each of these three chemicals are cheap and abundant feedstock chemicals, thus increasing the environmentally friendly nature of each of these transformations."
