Postdoctoral Fellowship: MPS-Ascend: Controlling Radical Trifluoromethylation from Abundant CF3 Sources via Tandem Catalysis

Deiaa Harraz is awarded an NSF Mathematical and Physical Sciences Ascending Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (NSF MPS-Ascend) to conduct a program of research and activities related to broadening participation in STEM. This fellowship to Dr. Harraz supports the research project entitled “Postdoctoral Fellowship: MPS-Ascend: Controlling radical trifluoromethylation from abundant CF3 sources via tandem catalysis” under the mentorship of a sponsoring scientist. The host institution for the fellowship is Harvard University, and the sponsoring scientist is Dr. Daniel G. Nocera. The objective of the proposed research is to develop a new approach to trifluoromethylation chemistry to provide more cost-effective trifluoromethylation routes desirable for the large-scale synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds needed for the manufacture of commonly prescribed drugs in the United States. The research will interface radical cross-coupling catalysis with electro-photochemical catalysis for the generation of CF3 radicals from the abundant and inexpensive trifluoroacetic acid to achieve regioselective C(sp3) trifluoromethylation. Successful implementation of this work will enable novel and more cost-effective routes for the manufacture of trifluoromethyl containing compounds, with a focus on pharmaceutical compounds. The PI intends to increase the participation of undergraduate students in research by launching a graduate application mentorship program to assist prospective applicants with preparing their application materials for Chemistry PhD programs. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.