Michael A. Kerr Professor B.Sc. (Waterloo) Ph.D. (University of Hawaii at Manoa) Office: Rm 219, Lab Rm 213, 217, 218, 311 Phone (Office): 661-2111 ext 86354 Phone (Lab): 661-2111 ext 86335
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Chemical Synthesis
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Awards:
• Premier's Research Excellence Award
• Occupational Health and Safety Recognition Award
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Current Research Programs:
In my research group we are engaged in the development of new synthetic methods which will be of interest to the chemical community and the application of these methods to the synthesis of natural and unnatural products of biological and medicinal interest. We have gained expertise in 1) the use of ultra-high pressures to promote useful chemical reactions, 2) the Diels-Alder reactions of unusual dienophiles, 3) the synthesis and chemical reactivity of heterocyclic systems, particularly indoles, 4) the chemical synthesis of complex target molecules, particularly alkaloids, 5) the use of donor/acceptor cyclopropanes in organic synthesis and 6) the development of new cycloadditions.
Selected Publications:
Total Synthesis of (+)-Isatisine A. Avedis Karadeolian; Michael A. Kerr. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 1133-1135.
Synthesis of Tetrahydropyrans from Propargyl Alcohols and 1,1-Cyclopropanediesters: A One-Pot Ring-Opening/Conia-Ene Protocol. Andrew B. Leduc; Terry P. Lebold; Michael A. Kerr. J. Org. Chem. 2009, 74, 8414-8416.
Heterocycles From Cyclopropanes: Applications in Natural Products Synthesis. Cheryl A. Carson; Michael A. Kerr. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2009, 38, 3051-3060.
Stereodivergent Synthesis of Fused Bicyclo Pyrazolidines: Access to Pyrazolines and Pyrrolidines. Terry P. Lebold; Michael A. Kerr. Org. Lett. 2009, 11, 4354-4357.
A Zn(II) Catalyzed Synthesis of Piperidines from Propargyl Amines and Cyclopropanes. Terry P. Lebold; Andrew B. Leduc; Michael A. Kerr. Org. Lett. 2009, 11, 3770-3772.
