In our group, we focus on the development of new methodologies for organic reaction toward to process chemistry and greener alternative synthesis (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Research outline
To date, we have developed oxime reagent which can use alternatives of explosive MSH reagent (mesitylenesulfonyl hydroxylamine) and achieved some reactions for transformation of functional group by using this reagent in the presence of catalytic amount of Brønsted acid. For examples, this reagent could be transformed from aldehyde to nitrile and from ketone to amide via Beckmann rearrangement. De-acetylative amination is also possible (Figure 2). These methods could be applied to synthesize pharmaceutical compounds (Figure 3). Recently, we begin to tackle to synthesize new designer catalysts.
Figure 2. Catalytic transformation of functional groups using oxime reagents
Figure 3. Application for synthesis of pharmaceuticals using oxime reagents
