Project Summary/Abstract
The generation of chemical space and its translation into new functions is one of the main goals of
synthetic chemistry. The BN/CC isosterism (i.e., replacement of a carbon-carbon bond with a boron-nitrogen
bond) has emerged as a viable strategy to increase the chemical space of compounds relevant to biomedical
research.
We seek to develop enabling tools that are provided by the new expanded chemical space through
BN/CC isosterism of arenes:
a) In the field of synthetic organic chemistry, we aim to 1) explore novel reactivity and selectivity that
are unattainable by using “conventional” non-boron-containing organic compounds, and 2) discover and
exploit new mechanistic principles for synthesis/catalysis, both as a consequence of the unique electronic
structure created by BN heterocycles. When addressed, synthetic chemists will enjoy · new ligands that
support metal-catalyzed reactions with distinct reactivity/selectivity, and · a versatile 4C+1N+1B synthon for
synthesis.
b) In the field of chemical biology, we aim to utilize BN-indole and its corresponding amino acid BN-
tryptophan to 1) create novel BN-alloproteins in both bacterial and mammalian cells, 2) develop a novel
bioconjugation platform that is rapid, catalyst-free, chemoselective, and orthogonal to existing
bioconjugation methods, 3) develop a novel isosteric intrinsic fluorophore for characterizing protein
interactions.
Completion of the proposed aims will yield new fundamental knowledge related to boron in the context
of synthetic organic and biological chemistry. It will generate new synthetic methods and research tools for
the investigation of biological processes and inspire the design and development of new boron-containing
molecules for biomedical applications.