Electronic Effects of Bidentate ,-Ligands on the Elementary Steps of Au(I)/Au(III) Reactions Relevant to Cross-Coupling Chemistry.

Oxidant-free Au(I)/Au(III)-catalyzed cross-coupling has been recently enabled by the use of bidentate ,-ligands. To further develop these ,-ligands, computational studies were performed to understand their effects on the oxidative addition of aryl iodide electrophiles with Au(I). Using this mechanistic understanding, six new electron-rich ,-ligands were synthesized.

Ultrafast Au(III)-Mediated Arylation of Cysteine.

Through mechanistic work and rational design, we have developed the fastest organometallic abiotic Cys bioconjugation. As a result, the developed organometallic Au(III) bioconjugation reagents enable selective labeling of Cys moieties down to picomolar concentrations and allow for the rapid construction of complex heterostructures from peptides, proteins, and oligonucleotides. This work showcases how organometallic chemistry can be interfaced with biomolecules and lead to a range of reactivities that are largely unmatched by classical organic chemistry tools.

Pd(II)-Mediated C-H Activation for Cysteine Bioconjugation.

Selective bioconjugation remains a significant challenge for the synthetic chemist due to the stringent reaction conditions required by biomolecules coupled with their high degree of functionality. The current trailblazer of transition-metal mediated bioconjugation chemistry involves the use of Pd(II) complexes prepared via an oxidative addition process. Herein, the preparation of Pd(II) complexes for cysteine bioconjugation via a facile C-H activation process is reported.