Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation:Toward Organic Molecules of Interest (Cyclic and Strained) – ATHOMICS

Carbo- and heterocycles are encountered in the structure of numerous drugs. Although aromatic (hetero)cycles have long been considered as privileged structures, three- and four-membered carbo- and heterocycles are eliciting an increasing interest in medicinal chemistry. Their restricted conformation, resulting in a well-defined spatial arrangement of the substituents, can lead to high affinities and selectivities toward biological targets. Moreover, the incorporation of those structures offers the opportunity to tune the pharmacokinetic properties. In this context, the goal of the ATHOMICS project is to develop asymmetric transfer hydrogenation reactions, catalyzed by transition metal complexes, of new classes of unsaturated substrates to efficiently access diversely substituted cyclopropanes, cyclobutanes, oxetanes and azetidines, incorporating stereogenic centers, which constitute building blocks of strong interest in organic synthesis and in medicinal chemistry.