I
am interested in all aspects of organic synthesis.
Specifically, my goals involve the development of new
synthetic methods and strategies for improved efficiency
and elegance in molecular construction. These
methods are then applied in the synthesis of small
molecules having interesting structures or biological
activities.
I actively encourage
students to become involved in research as an important
part of their undergraduate experience. If you are
a
Benghazi
University student and
are curious about research opportunities in my lab,
please stop by or
The benzofuran
heterocycle is a commonly occurring substructure in
organic chemistry, and appears in a variety of
structurally and biologically interesting natural
products. Hence, there has been much interest in
developing new methods for their synthesis. A
powerful yet relatively unexplored strategy for creating
benzofuran natural products involves the reaction of a
quinone with an enol ether. The development of
this strategy wiliil be explored in the context of the
total syntheses of several small natural products:
cac alol, frondosin B, (-)-galanthamine, and radermachol.
Thiazoline rings are important
reoccurring structural elements that appear in a variety
of natural products. I am particularly interested
in the tantazoles mirabazoles and thiangazole natural
products, which contain a linear array of fused
thiazolines
In addition to their
interesting polyheterocyclic structures, these compounds
have demonstrated significant biological activity.
Members of the tantazole and mirabazole families have
displayed selective cytotoxicity against murine solid
tumors, and thiangazole has been reported to be a potent
and selective inhibitor HIV-1.
As one aspect of my research, I am interested in
exploring more efficient and/or faster methods toward
the synthesis of these molecules. This should
prove useful in further exploration of the promising
biological activities of these molecules.
I am also developing a multimedia approach toward learning organic chemistry. Among students, there is often a negative feeling towards organic chemistry due to preconceived opinions, difficulties with problem solving, spatial deficiencies, and inadequate vocabulary. In order to improve both the overall attitude toward and understanding of organic chemistry, a multimedia approach will be used in the classroom. Supplemental material (i.e., course outlines, quizzes, example exams) will be available on the world wide web. This approach will empower the students with the knowledge that they are indeed in charge of their own education.
See courses website.
This page will always be under construction !!!!!!