A new ortho-allylation of phenols, enabled by alumina and inspired by antibiotic cannabinoids
Jakob
Magolan
Department
of
Chemistry
and
Chemical
Biology
McMaster
University
Wednesday,
January
15,
2019
2:30
p.m.
C2-361
(Reading
Room)
Abstract:
Our lab works in two parallel research areas: pre-clinical drug discovery and synthetic methods development. These two areas intersected recently with the development of an alumina-promoted ortho-selective allylation of phenols. Our initial discovery of this unusual reaction occurred in the course of medicinal chemistry efforts aiming to synthesize new cannabinoid-like compounds as antibiotic-drug candidates. In this seminar, I will explain how three motivating factors 1) our search for new chemistry at alumina surfaces, 2) our search for new antibiotics, and 3) Canada’s legalization of recreational cannabis, all contributed to the discovery and development of a new synthetic methodology with much potential utility.