Fenometal
Iron-Catalyzed Fundamental Organic Transformations
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Iron-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling
Cross-coupling reactions are among the most powerful tools chemists use to build complex molecules — from life-saving drugs to advanced materials — but they typically rely on rare and expensive metals like palladium. Our research is reimagining this chemistry using iron, one of the most abundant and sustainable elements on Earth.
By designing new molecular environments around iron, we are uncovering ways to control highly reactive intermediates and guide them toward forming precise carbon–carbon bonds. Recent work shows that iron can mediate these reactions through unique mechanisms involving short-lived radical species that are captured and directed at the metal center, enabling high selectivity and broad applicability.
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Iron-Catalyzed Alkene Metathesis
Alkene metathesis is a transformative reaction used to rearrange carbon–carbon double bonds, playing a central role in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, polymers, and complex natural products. Despite its importance, this chemistry has long depended on rare metals such as ruthenium and molybdenum.
Our work aims to bring this powerful reaction into a more sustainable future by developing iron-based catalysts. By combining experiments with advanced computational modeling, we have identified key intermediates and uncovered why current iron systems fail — revealing that catalyst deactivation pathways can outcompete productive chemistry. These insights provide a roadmap for designing next-generation catalysts that overcome these limitations.
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Iron-Catalyzed C–H Bond Activation
C–H bonds are among the most common yet least reactive bonds in organic molecules, making their selective transformation one of the “holy grails” of modern chemistry. Our research focuses on developing iron-based catalysts that can directly target and functionalize these bonds with high precision — turning simple molecules into valuable building blocks without the need for pre-functionalization.
By carefully controlling how molecules interact with the metal center, we aim to achieve selectivity even at remote positions within complex structures, opening new strategies for synthesizing pharmaceuticals and advanced materials. This work not only advances fundamental understanding of how to activate strong chemical bonds, but also paves the way for more efficient and sustainable chemical processes.
