MECHANISM AND KINETICS OF INDIUM-PROMOTED COUPLINGS EN ROUTE TO COPE REARRANGEMENT: OBSERVANCE OF HIGH REGIOSELECTIVITY

Kwame Frimpong ’08

Research Advisor: Professor Thomas Mitzel PhD (Chemistry)

Understanding the flow of electrons during synthetic reactions is important in chemistry to aid in constructing models that predict product formation. Two of the more interesting reactions studied in organic chemistry are nucleophilic additions and Cope Rearrangements. Indium metal has been shown to promote the formation of C–C bonds under aqueous conditions with good stereo- and regioselectivity. This presentation will aim to address the effect of solvent and variable reaction conditions on indium promoted reactions of allyl bromides to aldehyde functional groups.

This presentation will also introduce efforts in utilizing Au catalysts in indium-promoted couplings en route to Cope rearrangement.