Environmentally Friendly Organic Synthesis Using Bismuth(III) and Iron Compounds

With increasing environmental concerns, the need for green organic synthesis has assumed significant importance. This talk will begin with an introduction to bismuth compounds, and then focus on the utility of bismuth(III) compounds as Green Catalysts for organic synthesis. Bismuth compounds are attractive catalysts for use in organic synthesis because they are remarkably nontoxic, easy to handle, inexpensive and relatively insensitive to small amounts of moisture. The applications of bismuth(III) compounds as catalysts for a variety of organic transformations including protection-deprotection chemistry, and C-C bond formation reactions, in particular allylations, will be illustrated. More recently we have also explored the use of iron(III) based Lewis acids. Some of this chemistry will also be discussed briefly.

Please let Katy Brooke know if you would like to meet with Dr Ram Mohan for a one-to-one discussion either before or after his seminar on Thursday 10^th September.