Description du sujet de thèse

Saturated nitrogen-containing heterocycles are ubiquitous structural motifs in natural products and bioactive compounds. Due to their prevalence, the development of new methods enabling streamlined and efficient access to these motifs is of paramount importance. In this respect, catalytic strategies targeting the C-H functionalization of nitrogenous heterocycles represent an ideal means of obtaining a wide variety of analogues from a readily available heterocyclic precursor. With this in mind, direct functionalization of the C-H bond that is in the α-position of the nitrogen atom is now a well-established strategy due to: 1) the possibility of using the nitrogen protecting group as a transition metal directing group 2) The hydride-donor character of this C-H bond, which facilitates intermolecular C-H insertions and hydrogen atom transfers (HATs). In comparison, C-H bonds far from the nitrogen atom lack these directing/activating effects, making their direct functionalization much more arduous and, consequently, catalytic methods enabling such transformations are rare. In this context, this project aims to develop photocatalytic methods for the selective functionalization of C-H bonds in the β and γ positions within saturated nitrogen heterocycles in order to provide efficient access to a library of high-value heterocyclic compounds that are difficult to obtain with traditional synthetic methods.

Contexte de travail

The Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles is a CNRS research unit focusing on chemistry and biology. Since 2015, it has been part of the Université Paris-Saclay, which brings together research and teaching establishments in the south of Paris. ICSN is located on the Gif-sur-Yvette campus and has a staff of around 150, including 80 permanent employees spread over 3 buildings. Within the “Organic Synthesis and Catalytic Methods” Department, the new recruit will join the “Organometallic Catalysis and Synthesis of Functional Molecules” team, made up of 2 researchers and 2 CDD/doctoral students. He/she will report to the team manager. He/she will work directly with the team leader, and in collaboration with other team members.