Virtual Lecture: Searching for Selective Catalytic Reactions in Complex Molecular Environments

Lecture held on: May 26, 2021

Presenter

Prof. Scott J. Miller – Irénée du Pont Professor of Chemistry, Yale University, CT, USA

In this lecture, Prof. Scott J. Miller discussed recent developments in his efforts to develop catalysts for asymmetric reactions, in particular for the preparation of densely functionalized, stereochemically complex structures. Over time, Prof. Scott J. Miller’s foci has been on enantioselectivity, site selectivity and chemoselectivity. He studied issues of enantioselectivity as a prelude to the extrapolation of catalysis concepts to more complex molecular settings where multiple issues are presented in a singular substrate. Moreover, Prof. Miller continuously examined an interplay between screening of catalyst libraries and more hypothesis driven experiments that emerge from screening results. Mechanistic paradigms, and their associated ambiguities – especially in light of catalyst or substrate conformational dynamics figured strongly in the lecture.