Project Grant 2400110

This $575,000 project grant awarded by the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Division of Chemistry (CFDA 47.049 - Mathematical and Physical Sciences) will support a research effort led by Professor George O'Doherty at Northeastern University to develop novel synthetic methods for the asymmetric synthesis of oligosaccharide structures. The project aims to enable the efficient, de novo construction of both natural and unnatural oligosaccharide motifs, which have important applications in biology and medicine but remain challenging to synthesize. Key to this effort is the exploration of a recently discovered bimetallic boron/palladium-catalyzed glycosylation reaction that mimics the activity of natural glycosyltransferase enzymes. By advancing this synthetic methodology, the research is expected to fundamentally change how oligosaccharides are prepared, ultimately facilitating the application of carbohydrate chemistry to address real-world scientific and medical challenges. The project will engage a diverse team of undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers, with a focus on sustainable, "green chemistry" approaches. No sub-awards are planned under this grant, which will be performed primarily at Northeastern University's facilities in Boston, MA.