Secure and robust cloud computing for high-throughput forensic microsatellite sequence analysis and databasing.

Next-generation Sequencing (NGS) is a rapidly evolving technology with demonstrated benefits for forensic genetic applications, and the strategies to analyze and manage the massive NGS datasets are currently in development. Here, the computing, data storage, connectivity, and security resources of the Cloud were evaluated as a model for forensic laboratory systems that produce NGS data. A complete front-to-end Cloud system was developed to upload, process, and interpret raw NGS data using a web browser dashboard.

Room Temperature Catalyst System for the Hydroarylation of Olefins.

A simple protocol for the hydroarylation of olefins to yield diarylmethine products is described. A Friedel-Crafts-type synthetic strategy allows direct access to biorelevant products in high atom efficiency. A combination of substoichiometric amounts of TMSCl and ZnBr promotes a rapid hydroarylation process at ambient temperature.

Pd-Catalyzed Carboamination of Alkylidenecyclopropanes: Synthesis of Congested Pyrrolidines and Piperidines.

The synthesis of densely functionalized N-heterocycles is an ongoing challenge in chemical synthesis. Herein, we report an efficient method for the construction of pyrrolidine and piperidine scaffolds using a palladium-catalyzed carboamination of alkylidenecyclopropanes.

Ni-Catalyzed Enantioselective C-Acylation of α-Substituted Lactams.

A new strategy for catalytic enantioselective C-acylation to generate α-quaternary-substituted lactams is reported. Ni-catalyzed three-component coupling of lactam enolates, benzonitriles, and aryl halides produces β-imino lactams that then afford β-keto lactams by acid hydrolysis. Use of a readily available Mandyphos-type ligand and addition of LiBr enable the construction of quaternary stereocenters on α-substituted lactams to form β-keto lactams in up to 94% ee.