Time and Location: LT2, Chemistry Building, 21st June, 2PM - 3PM.
Speaker: Dr. Santanu Mukherjee, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
Title: "Breaking Symmetry: Challenges & Opportunities" - 21st June"
Abstract: Human minds are fascinated by symmetrical objects, and we admire the challenges in constructing symmetrical architectures whenever we find one around us. In contrast to the physical world, we live in, creating symmetry in the molecular world is a relatively simple task. It is the daunting asymmetry in molecules that often challenges the chemists.
Breaking symmetry to generate asymmetry, commonly termed as desymmetrization, is a remarkably powerful strategy for building molecular complexity. Successful implementation of this strategy holds the potential to forge multiple stereogenic centers in a single step. In fact, stereocenters can also be created away from the reaction site.
During the past few years, we have developed a number of organocatalytic enantioselective desymmetrization reactions1 from formal C(sp2)‒H alkylations2 and alkenylation3 to the de novo construction of arenes4 and heteroarenes.5 The topic of this talk will be primarily confined to these enantioselective desymmetrization reactions and their applications for the synthesis of complex targets.6