Major: Chemistry Research Department: Biochemistry Graduation Date: May 2021
Abstract: Carbon-carbon sigma bond formation is essential for organic synthesis; for this reason, the repertoire of alkyl-alkyl cross-coupling reactions is constantly expanded to accommodate more efficient, cost-effective, and selective syntheses. Recently, a method of C-C bond formation enabled by tosylhydrazones and aryl boronic acids was discovered to be selective, functional-group tolerant, and metal-free. However, the scope of the reaction under the given conditions is limited to aryl boronic acids and does not work well with sterically hindered tosylhydrazones. Thus, we have optimized a reaction enabled by hydrazones and boronic acids that is more general and can be used on a wider variety of substrates. Additionally, the product of this cross-coupling under our conditions does not undergo proto-deboronation, leaving a pinacol ester at the site of C-C bond formation which is capable of undergoing further reactions. Email: [email protected]
What does research mean to you? For me, research is about committing myself to learning and creativity. There’s no such thing as stagnation in research; we constantly push boundaries so that we can learn more and add to a growing body of knowledge that can be used to improve every aspect of life. Subjects like biology and chemistry requires a very specific type of problem-solving ability; I love that research puts that ability to the test. Overall, research has made me more confident in my ability to think about chemistry-related problems, and it showed me how necessary creativity is to solve these problems. Tell us about your journey. I joined the Sibert lab at UTD my sophomore year. At that point, I knew I wanted to do research related purely to chemistry, but I didn’t have any idea of what I really wanted to study. I learned a lot of basic lab skills there, but I only discovered what kind of research I really wanted to do when I went to Southwestern. Research in the Qin lab at UTSW was far more intense but I enjoyed it immensely. The experience did a lot to help me feel confident in my skills and ability to commit to full-time research. How did the pandemic affect me? Unfortunately, because synthesis is mostly hands-on work, I couldn’t really do any more research when labs started closing. I wrapped up my work as best as I could and my PI kept me updated on how the project was going after labs started re-opening, but the experience was cut a little short. It was jarring to go from full-time research to nothing. I still miss it!
Where am I now? I’ll be staying at UTD in the chemistry program for graduate education but I’m still considering where I’ll be headed next after that. I’m still deciding the specifics!
Advice for Future Green Fellows
The whole experience was amazing. Take advantage of every opportunity you get, go to seminars and talks, ask every question you have (and you’ll have lots). Research can be trying and frustrating and difficult, but eventually you learn that this is what makes research worthwhile. You’ll make mistakes and feel like you’ve failed, but realize that mistakes are normal and expected and almost nothing works the way you want it to on the first try. Enjoy the process!