Characterization and Application of Reactive Subvalent Nitrogen Compounds
Presented by Prof. David Powers, Texas A&M University
Abstract:
Subvalent species are at the heart of bond-making and -breaking in group transfer catalysis. The exquisite reactivity of intermediates capable of functionalizing C–H bonds renders these transient intermediates 1) challenging to observe or characterize and 2) difficult to harness for selective intermolecular C–H functionalization, such as during oxidative hydrocarbon upgrading. This talk will discuss progress towards the aerobic and electrochemical synthesis of strong hypervalent iodine-based oxidants relevant to C¬–H amination, the development of new inorganic photochemical methods that enable direct structural characterization of reactive M–N fragments, and progress towards new synthetically valuable nitrene synthons.
Bio:
Prof. Powers was born in Allentown, PA and pursued undergraduate education at Franklin and Marshall College where he performed undergraduate research with Prof. Phyllis Leber. He earned a Ph.D. from Harvard University with Prof. Tobias Ritter and pursued postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University with Prof. Daniel Nocera. He joined the Texas A&M faculty in 2015 and his research program has been recognized by an NSF CAREER award, a DOE Early Career Award, and NIH MIRA, and a 2020 Sloan Fellowship.
Hosted by Jonathan Owen
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