Project description
Moving beyond enantioselectivity in fluorination reactions
Fluorine is a central element in the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries as a result of its unique features as a substituent. While past research efforts have placed a heavy focus on achieving high levels of enantioselectivity (that is, the ratio of a compound to its mirror image) in fluorination reactions, other types of selectivity (chemoselectivity, diastereoselectivity, site selectivity, regioselectivity) are of equal importance and represent further challenges in the field. The EU-funded project REGIOFLU addresses these other types of selectivity in the context of fluorination reactions. By bridging this gap, scientists hope to develop a more unified strategy to solving broader selectivity challenges in organic synthesis, which would translate to a more diverse set of imaging tools for biological studies and a better handle for diagnostics in the clinic.
Objective
The challenge of performing reactions with catalyst control over regioselectivity has not been met with a general solution. Here, we approach this longstanding problem in the field by addressing the specific question of how to regioselectively install fluorine - a key element in the agrochemical and pharmaceutical industries. By combining the charge-modulating properties of hydrogen bond donors with a phase transfer event, we propose that it will be possible to use simple fluoride salts in regioselective fluorination reactions. Using hydrogen bonding as an activation mode for cheap inorganic salts, we will address new challenges in site selectivity through catalyst design and an extensive interrogation of the potential energy landscape of the reactions. This research will demand catalysts that can control the charge density on a nucleophile and will require computational studies that enable the prediction of regioselectivity on the basis of a nucleophilicity index. To apply the lessons of these studies in the context of asymmetric catalysis, new high performance catalysts will be developed that are capable of kinetic resolution and enantioconvergent allylic fluorination. The ultimate test of the regioselective fluorination methods will be in the synthesis of novel PET tracers, where both time and operational simplicity are critical to achieving a high specific activity. Regioselective hydrogen bonding phase transfer catalysis will strongly influence the broader landscape of catalysis and yield mechanistic insight into a novel synthetic process while providing valuable biological probes from abundant feedstock chemicals. The interdisciplinary aim of this proposal is to connect computational chemists, synthetic organic chemists, radiochemists, and PET imaging specialists in a framework that allows the production of new tools to expedite clinical breakthroughs.
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.
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine radiology nuclear medicine
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry halogens
- natural sciences chemical sciences catalysis
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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.
-
H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme -
H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
See all projects funded under this programme
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 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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-2019
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
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.
OX1 2JD Oxford
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.