Prof. David Nagib, Ohio State University

Title:  Harnessing Radical and Carbene Polarity

 Abstract: Radical and carbene chemistry can afford opposite or orthogonal reactivity to classic two-electron pathways. By developing radical chaperone strategies that merge open (1e-) and closed shell (2e-) processes, we have harnessed this complementary reactivity and imparted new types of chemo-, regio-, and stereo- selectivity for remote, double, or reversed C-H and C-O functionalizations of alcohols, amines, and carbonyls. These carbene and radical chaperone strategies are continually being developed to streamline the synthesis of complex, medicinally relevant molecules and heterocycles. This seminar will highlight our newest, most exciting chemistry and the mosaic of champions behind these discoveries.

Biosketch: David grew up near Philadelphia, PA as the eldest of four siblings in an Egyptian family with a strong love for teaching and education. He earned his B.Sc. at Boston College in 2006, studying peptide-catalyzed desymmetrization with Prof. Scott Miller. In 2011, he earned his PhD at Princeton University, developing medicinally relevant trifluoromethylations via photoredox catalysis with Prof. David MacMillan. And as an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, he developed oxidative gold mechanisms for C-H activation with Prof. F. Dean Toste. In 2014, David joined the faculty of The Ohio State University. He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2020 and Professor in 2022. He is currently the inaugural Harold and Betty Miller Professor of Organic Chemistry, as well as the College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry. His team’s research on radical- and carbene- mediated C-H and C-O functionalization has been recognized with awards by the ACS, NIH, NSF, Lilly, Merck, Pfizer, and the Brown and Sloan Foundations. When not working alongside his awesome labmates, David enjoys running along the Scioto River, checking out Columbus‘ vibrant foodie scene, and planning future world travels with his wife and two young children.