Group research focuses on the design of new and improved reactions that can be used to make novel molecules, materials and medicines. Current emphasis is on transformations of reactive intermediates, particularly free radicals. Several useful types of reagents that release these species have been produced and tested. Cyclohexadiene-based reagents release radicals that are transformed into derivatives of cycloalkanes, indolones and ß- and γ-lactams.

Oxime oxalate amides release carbamoyl radicals that can be used to prepare ß-lactam rings. Bromoaryl alkyl linked oxazolines provide radical-ions that take part in cyclo-coupling reactions to provide a range of heterocyclic structures. The reactants, products and intermediates are studied by spectroscopic and computational methods to help in the formulation of explanatory theoretical tools.

SELECTED RECENT PUBLICATIONS

1. Evolution of functional cyclohexadiene-based synthetic reagents: the importance of becoming aromatic. J. C. Walton and A. Studer, Acc. Chem. Res. 2005, 38, 794-802.
2. Radical-carbanion cyclo-coupling in armed aromatics: overriding steric hindrance to ring closure. M. D. Roydhouse and J. C. Walton, Chem. Commun. 2005, 4453-4455.
3. Kinetic and theoretical study of 4-exo ring closures of carbamoyl radicals onto C=C and C=N bonds. G. A. DiLabio, E. M. Scanlan and J. C. Walton, Org. Lett. 2005, 7, 155-158.
4. O-H Bond dissociation enthalpies in oximes: order restored. D. Pratt, J. A. Blake, P. Mulder, J. C. Walton, H. -G. Korth and K. U. Ingold. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 10667-10675.
5. Silylated cyclohexadienes as new radical chain reducing reagents: Preparative and mechanistic aspects. A. Studer, S. Amrein, F. Schleth, T. Schulte and J. C. Walton, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 5726-5733.