The main objective of our research work is the development of new methodologies that allow us to access new chemical entities (NCE= new chemical entities; structural skeletons capable of interacting with a therapeutic target). The generation of NCEs is currently one of the most important constraints in the drug discovery process. In this context, our research activity addresses the application of new methodologies recently incorporated into the arsenal of tools of organic chemistry to the preparation of new chemical structures of interest. The rise of organocatalysis and photoredox catalysis in the last decade has been extraordinary, due among other things to the operational simplicity of both methodologies, and to the incorporation of new ways of activating molecules through different mechanisms that allow new transformations to be carried out very efficiently. Both techniques are being studied in our working group. Specifically, we implemented enantioselective desymmetrisation processes using the intramolecular aza-Michael reaction. This gives us access to a new family of disubstituted piperidines, skeletons that are considered privileged structures given the wide range of biological activities they induce. Also within the framework of organocatalysis, we designed new organocatalytic tandem processes where one of the individual processes in an intramolecular aza-Michael reaction. This allows us to obtain new families of polycyclic nitrogenous systems with simultaneous generation of several stereocentres.

The combination of organocatalytic processes with dipolar cycloadditions is also being studied in our group. On the basis of iminic activation, organocatalytic nucleophilic addition on ortho-substituted cinnamaldehydes with a trifluorovinyl unit will give rise to the corresponding conjugated addition product, capable of undergoing an intramolecular (3+2) nitrone reaction. This process will allow us to generate quaternary centres containing a trifluoromethyl unit. The generation of such stereocentres is a major synthetic challenge, only partially solved by conjugated additions.

Finally, we intend to enter the field of photo-redox catalysis. Given our previous experience with fluorinated substrates, and the wide variety of fluoroalkyl radicals generated by this methodology, we intend to extend the generation of this type of radicals to difluorobromo propargyl systems and imidoyl halides. Therefore, the feasibility of these intermediates will be studied, as well as a preliminary evaluation of their reactivity, in insertion reactions on various unsaturated systems. As an application of this methodology, the synthesis of fluorinated gamma amino acids will be carried out.

Investigation activities