Our group current research interests are the development of new synthetic methodologies, strategies and transition-metal catalyzed tandem processes for the rapid construction of biologically active heterocycles.

(1) Transition-metal Catalyzed Decarboxylative Cross-coupling Reaction

Transition-metal catalyzed decarboxylative cross-coupling reactions using simple carboxylic acids as coupling partners have emerged as a new type of C-C bond formation reaction. In these reactions, using readily available and stable carboxylic acids instead of organometallic reagents enabled the decarboxylative cross-coupling reactions to proceed with good selectivities and tolerance of functional groups (Scheme 1).

Scheme 1. Decarboxylative Cross-Coupling Reactions

(2) Synthesis of Heterocycles 

Heterocycles represent a larger group of organic compounds and play a significant role in life processed and in all aspects of pure and applied chemistry. Nitrogen-containing heterocycles are an component of not only some of the most interesting and biologically important natural products, such as alkaloids, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and antibiotics but include numerous potent pharmaceutical drugs and a large amount of synthetic organic compounds (Scheme 2).

Scheme 2. Application of Heterocycles