2021-2022 Faculty Research Grants

Lisa Ahlberg (Chemistry)

Investigation of 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition Reactions and Mechanisms: Synthesis of 5-Membered Ring Heterocycle for Potential Disease Treatments. 

Several heterocyclic families of organic compounds can by synthesized by a 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition reaction pathway.  Our lab is particularly interested in these heterocycles that can serve as medicines against several problems, examples include bacterial infections and Alzheimer’s disease.  We have observed that several enzymes can be targeted with compounds that contain the isooxazoline moiety that is formed by this reaction.  Making new compounds that contain this moiety not only satisfies our chemical curiosity about the 1,3-dipolar addition, but also creates new possible medicines in the process.  This overarching project gives students an opportunity to participate in different approaches to research, whether practical needs for new medicinal compounds or mechanistic studies of cycloaddition chemistry.