Abstract: This seminar will describe our investigations into how organic radical ions–typically thought of as fleeting intermediates–can be tamed and exploited as a new family of organocatalysts and small molecule reagents. We identified selective generation of such species as a key hurdle stymying development of these systems. To address this problem, we have leveraged electrochemistry to develop new synthetic transformations driven by organic radical ions.

Abstract: Transition metal catalysis has proven to be a powerful approach for rapidly constructing complex molecules through C–C bond forming reactions. However, unprotected amine and alcohol groups often make for poor substrates for these types of reactions. Our group has worked on developing new strategies to allow unprotected oxidatively-sensitive functional groups to be used directly in C–H activation and alkene functionalization reactions without the need for complex protecting/deprotecting strategies.

Abstract: The goal of the Hill group is to develop new reactions to obtain pyrethroids, small molecules used to combat vectors for malaria (e.g., Anopheles gambiae). We are particularly interested in identifying new small molecule pyrethroids with enhanced photostability, reduced off target toxicological properties to beneficial pollinators (honey bees), and reduced insect resistance profiles.

Abstract: Advanced methods in next-generation sequencing and proteogenomics have revealed thousands of previously invisible human protein-coding genes, increasing the known size of the human proteome by at least 10%. This previously unannotated proteomic “dark matter” includes small open reading frames (smORFs) encoding polypeptides of fewer than 100 amino acids, and alternative open reading frames (alt-ORFs) encoding proteins 100 amino acids or larger.