SMBioCom – SSNP

SMBioCom research activity is dedicated to carrying out pure academic research and knowledge transfer and scientific consulting to the chemical and pharmaceutical industries in the local area. In the last few years we have worked to develop organic synthetic methods directed towards: i) obtaining new inhibitors of FASN and CPT1 enzymes, ii) new syntheses of generic drugs in collaboration with Pharma companies, iii) synthesis of bioactive peptides, iv) new metal-catalyzed C–H activation reactions for the construction of heterocycles and v) synthesis of nitrogen-based and 1,3-dicarbonyl ligands for complexation with lanthanides with applications in quantum computing. SMBioCom is recognized by the Generalitat de Catalunya (2017 SGR474) and also forms part of the Biomedical Research Center in the Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition Network

On the other hand, SSNP team research activity revolves around the development of wide-ranging, efficient stereoselective processes based on the reactivity of metal enolates and their application to the synthesis of natural products.

In particular, the high nucleophilicity of titanium(IV) enolates from chiral ketones has been fundamental to the design of new, highly stereoselective Michael and aldol reactions. Additionally, the discovery of their biradical nature has enabled us to use these enolates in radical processes. Essentially, the nucleophilic and the radical nature of titanium(IV) enolates are two aspects of the same species which can be used, without distinction, for the stereoselective construction of carbon-carbon and carbon-oxygen bonds and the design of new approaches to the total synthesis of biologically active compounds.

We are also interested in the use of structurally simple nickel(II) complexes for the development of new direct and asymmetric carbon–carbon bond forming reaction catalyzed by air-stable chiral nickel(II) complexes.