Metal Complexes as Catalysts in Organic Synthesis

Catalysis by metal complexes plays a prominent role in synthetic organic chemistry. We are interested in the synthesis of new metal complexes with catalytic activity and in developing new metal promoted reactions. In one example, we are collaborating with Professor’s Spencer Williams and Richard O’Hair to investigate metal complexes that catalyse azide-alkyne cycloaddition reactions (a type of ‘click’ reaction). We are also developing new metal mediated reactions for the synthesis of organic molecules such as thioamides.

Figure 1.
The Cu(I) complex of the ‘click’ ligand tris(benzyltriazolylmethyl)amine (TBTA).