Radical approaches to the synthesis of biologically important heterocyclic compounds

The efficient preparation of medicinally and industrially important compounds using technically clean methods is an important challenge for modern synthetic chemists. Our interests focus on the synthesis of organic compounds using new radical reactions. Radical reactions offer some important advantages over more traditional synthetic methods and we are currently using new radical reactions in the enantioselective synthesis of medicinally important heterocycles. Target compounds of interest include the cannabinonid Δ9-THC and the anti-malarial agent quinine. We have a wide-ranging interest in radical reactions, so, apart from their use in the synthesis of small molecules, we are interested in polymerisation processes and natural oxidation reactions.