Brian specializes in physical bioorganic chemistry—where he is working to understand the fundamental principles underlying bioorganic structure and reactivity. Combining computational and experimental techniques, we aim to develop highly specific transformations, displaying unprecedented levels of control within living systems. Our endeavors are based on the elucidation and application of general strategies utilized by Nature for the precise control of molecular properties. At the forefront are stereoelectronic interactions, especially within transition states (TSs)—where the high energy and inherently delocalized electronic structure render these ephemeral species true stereoelectronic playgrounds.
Cycloaddition reactions have consumed the field of bioorthogonal chemistry, where highly selective reactions are utilized to study biological systems. In this arena...
Collaborative Efforts
From the development of HIV therapeutics to the electronic optimization of fluorogenic probes, collaboration is key...
Molecules adopt geometries to facilitate effective delocalization—the basis of stereoelectronic effects. Functional groups with high-energy filled orbitals…
The rarity of homolytic C–C scission results from the bond strength (~80 kcal/mol)...