Dal – Novel Catalyst System For Safer Pharmaceutical Reactions
September 24th, 2012
Institution: Dalhousie University
Researcher: Dr. Mark Stradiotto
Funded $20,000 by GreenCentre Canada
GreenCentre Canada is supporting the development of a novel catalyst system with the potential to revolutionize many challenging and potentially valuable reactions in the pharmaceutical industry. These catalysts, invented by Professor Mark Stradiotto, Faculty of Science Killam Professor of Chemistry at Dalhousie University, have the ability to make what are known as indole structures in a more efficient and environmentally friendly manner. Indoles are often key structural components of commercial fragrances and are also being used widely as precursors for important pharmaceutical molecules. Compared to traditional catalysts used to make these indole structures, Dr. Stradiotto’s system is potentially safer, cheaper, less toxic, and more efficient.
These ligands also have the potential to be used for a wide variety of other valuable synthetic chemical reactions that are often challenging with traditional systems. GreenCentre Canada is supporting the development of Dr. Stradiotto’s research with a Proof-of-Principle grant, in order to investigate the true competitive advantages of the technology’s capabilities as well as to expand its reaction scope.