RUI: leveraging coinage metals for carbon-nitrogen and carbon-phosphorous bond formation

Professor Anna Wenzel at Scripps College received a $250,000 Project Grant award dated September 1, 2025, through the National Science Foundation's Division of Chemistry under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049). The project, titled "Leveraging Coinage Metals for Carbon-Nitrogen and Carbon-Phosphorous Bond Formation," will develop novel catalytic systems using copper and silver transition-metal complexes to facilitate hydroamination and hydrophosphorylation reactions of alkenes. The research aims to create safe, readily available, and robust catalytic protocols for asymmetric carbon-nitrogen and carbon-phosphorous bond formation, addressing critical needs in the pharmaceutical and agrichemical industries where amine production is projected to reach $26.7 billion by 2030.

The project deliverables include the design and development of chiral catalytic complexes for anti-Markovnikov hydroamination reactions and subsequent preparation of organophosphorus compounds through hydrophosphorylation and hydrophosphinylation. Beyond research outcomes, the grant incorporates a comprehensive undergraduate research training component with inquiry-based learning strategies and mentorship assessment to prepare future STEM professionals. The award period extends through August 31, 2027, with performance occurring at Scripps College in Claremont, California.

Abstract

With the support of the chemical catalysis program in the division of chemistry, professor anna wenzel of scripps college is studying transition-metal complexes to catalyze reactions in alkenes, addressing the needs of the pharmaceutical and agrichemical industries. The hydroamination of alkenes is one of the most important synthetic targets, as IT can provide an economical route to the amines used in life-sciences industries. With amine production predicted to grow to USD $26.7 billion by 2030, the catalysts proposed in this project are designed to address the recognized need for safe, readily available, and robust systems for use in drug and materials design. This project is well-positioned to address student training in stem by building essential skills. With the support of the chemical catalysis program in the division of chemistry, professor anna wenzel of scripps college is studying the use of coinage metals, copper and silver, for the development of catalytic systems for the addition of n-h and p-h to olefins. The use of copper and silver in the intermolecular asymmetric hydroamination of alkenes, particularly in the anti-markovnikov sense, remains underdeveloped and will provide a wealth of fundamental information. Chiral complexes will be designed to develop asymmetric variants of these reactions. These protocols will then be used for the analogous preparation of organophosphorus compounds via the hydrophosphorylation and hydrophosphinylation of alkenes. Through a robust training program for undergraduate researchers, this project will fulfill the NSF's strategic plan of advancing science and educating future stem professionals. IT will assess the efficacy of the inquiry-based learning strategies employed in professor wenzel?s laboratory to identify methods that best achieve this goal. In addition, professor wenzel?s effective use of mentorship to prevent post-baccalaureate attrition from the sciences will continue to be implemented. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.