Dr. Howard Alper conducts basic research for the synthesis of compounds of value to the pharmaceutical, petrochemical, and commodity chemical industries. His research group also investigates hydroformylation, ring-expansion carbonylation reactions, as well as stereospecific and highly enantioselective cycloaddition reactions of heterocumulenes. He also explores the activity and recyclability of dendrimer-metal complexes as catalysts, including biomimetic based systems. Recyclable transition metal catalysis using ionic liquids is also pursued by his research group.
Selected publications
- Sha, F.; Alper, H. Ligand and Additive-Controlled Pd-Catalyzed Aminocarbonylation of Alkynes with Aminophenols: Highly Chemo- and Regioselective Synthesis of alpha, beta-Unsaturated Amides. ACS Catalysis 2019, 7, 2220.
- Xu, T.; Sha, F.; Alper, H. Highly Ligand-Controlled Regioselective Pd-Catalyzed Aminocarbonylation of Styrenes with Aminophenols. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2016, 138, 6629.
- Xuan, J.; Zeng, Z.J.; Feng, Q.H.; Deng, J.R.; Chen, L.Q.; Xiao, W.J.; Alper, H. Redox-Neutral alpha-Allylation of Amines by Combining Palladium Catalysis and Visible-Light Photoredox Catalysis. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015, 54, 1625.
- Xu, T.; Alper, H. Pd-Catalyzed Chemoselective Carbonylation of Aminophenols With Iodoarenes: Alkoxycarbonylation vs. Aminocarbonylation. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2014, 136, 16974.