Ni(COD)(CPDO-(OMe)Ph)

The Engle lab strives to invent novel catalytic alkene and alkyne functionalization methods to expedite organic synthesis. These transformations offer a powerful platform for conversion of simple, abundant, and planar starting materials into densely functionalized, stereochemically complex products in a single step. To this end, the Engle lab has developed various substrate directivity strategies in which native functional groups can be temporarily masked with auxiliaries that are capable of reversibly binding the metal catalyst, thereby enhancing kinetic reactivity, suppressing unwanted side reactions, and facilitating high selectivity. The Engle lab works with us to make synthetically enabling directing groups, catalysts, and ligands readily available to the synthetic community for reaction discovery and small-molecule synthesis.