William (BJ) Chain, University of Delaware

Aromatic Rings Can Do Unusual Things 

Host: Prof. Popp

Prof. William J. Chain 

Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry 

University of Delaware 

Electron rich aromatic systems are typically challenging substrates to functionalize selectively due to their relative high reactivity. We have developed chemistry on the phenol and aniline platforms that enable practical and controllable bond formations to access complex aromatics and a host of new carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds. Chemistries for the synthesis of polycyclic systems, biologically important structures, and complex synthetic building blocks enable a host of new synthetic efforts.