Project description
Sulfur chemistry finally sees the light
Synthetic chemists face numerous roadblocks in moving their chemical creations from design to production since disassembling and reassembling building blocks requires breaking stubborn chemical bonds. Sulfur is an important component of many commercially relevant compounds, including pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals, but incorporating it currently requires many synthetic steps and challenges. Sulfur radicals, having at least one unpaired electron, are highly reactive. The EU-funded LOBSTER project is intent on developing relatively simple pathways to their generation using visible light as a source of energy. Integration with other approaches could enable the direct addition of sulfur to compounds in a single step without the use of transition metal catalysts.
Objective
Sulfur-containing molecules are widespread as medicines, agrochemicals and organic materials. Their preparation could be greatly facilitated by implementing sulfur-radicals, which are a class of very versatile synthetic intermediates. However, to date, difficulties associated to their generation and controlling their reactivity have severely limited their use and exploitation in synthetic settings.
Here we propose the development of two conceptually novel and general ways to prepare sulfur-radicals using visible-light. These processes will capitalize on recent developments in the host group that has disclosed two novel organocatalytic ways for the generation of nitrogen-radicals.
This proposal seeks to substantially expand this photochemical approach by developing methods for the generation and use of sulfur-radical. The power of this approach will be demonstrated by fast generation of 3D molecules containing atoms of sulfur. These methods will be then integrated with other reaction platforms that, taking advantage of visible-light as source of energy, will engage the sulfur-radical in new reactivity modes, to allow novel and powerful multicomponent thio-functionalization reactions. Furthermore, we will harness these activation modes to enable the direct thiolation of aromatic compounds in a single step without the use of transition metal catalysts.
Through the use of this strategy, the rapid construction of many relevant and complex –sulfur-containing molecules will be possible.
The development of such an innovative and ambitious project at the University of Manchester will be facilitated by generating, transferring, sharing and disseminating knowledge, and will enhance my career development following the training plan envisioned.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences chemical sciences catalysis
- natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry aromatic compounds
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2018
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
M13 9PL Manchester
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.