Michael Young
University of Toledo, OH·Chemistry·Early-career
Alkenes are simple molecules containing a carbon–carbon double bond. They are cheap starting materials made from both petroleum and bio-based sources.
- Fields
Chemistry
- Topics
olefin functionalization
alkene difunctionalization
transient directing groups
- Grants
- 1 known grant, through Jun 2027
What they work on
- Develop regioselective arylation of free amine-tethered internal alkenes with aryl halides, using transient directing groups (temporary guiding groups for the catalyst) and changes in reaction conditions to control which carbon is functionalized.
- Use simple, abundant reaction additives such as carbon dioxide to control the regiochemistry of alkene reactions, meaning which carbon atom receives each new fragment, so that fewer product mixtures form.
- Develop 1,2-difunctionalization reactions of activated alkenes that form a carbon–carbon bond and a carbon–oxygen or carbon–nitrogen bond across the double bond in a single step.
- Carry out mechanistic studies of the new alkene reactions to guide optimization and apply them to the rapid diversification of amine-containing compounds.
More about the research
Chemists turn them into valuable products by adding new pieces of molecule across the double bond. These reactions often give mixtures of products, though, or need extra wasteful steps to steer them to the right spot. This project aims to control where new groups attach to alkenes, using simple, abundant reaction additives such as carbon dioxide. The goal is a more efficient route to building blocks for drugs, fine chemicals and new materials.
Why it matters
Faster, more selective ways to modify amine-containing molecules could help pharmaceutical and agrochemical companies build compound libraries, the large collections they screen for new drugs and crop-protection agents. Using abundant additives such as carbon dioxide and avoiding extra synthetic steps may cut waste in making fine chemicals and materials from both petrochemical and bio-based alkenes.
Known grants
From NIH and NSF research grants. Labs often have other funding we can't see.
Closest labs
Aaron Aponick
University of Georgia, GA·Chemistry
Identify Pd(II)-StackPhos catalysts, palladium paired with a chiral imidazole-based biaryl ligand, that give high mirror-image selectivity in alkene 1,2-difunctionalization for both syn- and anti-addition.
Xiaodong Shi
University of Maryland, MD·Chemistry
Optimize triazole-ruthenium carbene (TA-Ru) catalysts, whose triazole ligands improve heat stability, for olefin metathesis reactions that previous catalysts handled poorly, including high-temperature transformations.
Tomislav Rovis
Columbia University, NY·Chemistry
Develop reactions that build nitrogen-containing rings (heterocycles) directly from simple feedstocks such as alkenes and alkanes, forming carbon–carbon and carbon–nitrogen bonds in one step without later manipulation.
The school
University of Toledo: 10 labs on PI Pages, $73M a year on research, 120 research doctorates a year.
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