Project description
New Fluorination pathways to improve pharmaceuticals and medical imaging
Strategically placing fluorine atoms in organic compounds can significantly alter their properties. Fluorinated molecules improve pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals and act as radiotracers in high-resolution medical imaging technologies, such as positron emission tomography. While nucleophilic fluoride (F-) sources are cheap and readily available, their reactivity is less controllable and useful than that of electrophilic fluorine F+ sources. The EU-funded SENF project is working on a concept that could revolutionise fluorination chemistry, effectively transmuting F- into F+ to expand the range of useful chemical reactions. The ultimate aim is to create new pathways to more potent bioactive molecules for use in pharmaceuticals and medical imaging technologies.
Objective
The incorporation of fluorine into organic compounds is extremely important for designing molecules with specific function. Fluorine is primed for improving the pharmacokinetic properties of drugs and agrochemicals, and is crucial for the life-changing imaging technique, Positron Emission Tomography (PET). Thus, selective fluorination is an area of significant interest in organic synthesis.
This research programme will develop a concept that promises to revolutionise fluorination chemistry. While nucleophilic fluoride (F-) sources are inexpensive and readily available, they have unfavourable reactivity compared to electrophilic fluorine sources (F+), which are typically expensive, wasteful and not suited to either large scale synthesis or PET. By transmuting F- into F+, we can get the best of both worlds! We will develop a concept based on umpolung (polarity reversal) to invent a number of novel synthetic methodologies or to expand useful reactions into new chemical space. The overall vision is to create new pathways to new bioactive molecules that are either more potent, have improved pharmacokinetics, or can be new radiochemical tracers.
Our strategy relies on the combination of catalysis and electrochemical oxidation to perform this thermodynamically demanding task. The use of electrochemistry is essential for this strategy, because it is necessary to be able to dial-in any oxidising potential with high control. New organo- and organometallic catalysts, heterogeneous electrocatalysts and fluoride sources will be developed as part of the studies, which will be of value to the fields of fluorination, homogeneous catalysis, synthesis and energy research. Medicinal, process and radio chemists will all benefit as their toolbox of methods will expand, thereby facilitating the discovery and manufacture of drugs and chemicals that improve the quality of human life around the globe.
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 electrocatalysis
- natural sciences chemical sciences electrochemistry electrolysis
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmacokinetics
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry halogens
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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.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
ERC-STG - Starting Grant
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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) ERC-2020-STG
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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.
BS8 1QU BRISTOL
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.