Faculty Profiles

Ross A. Widenhoefer
Ross A. Widenhoefer
Professor of Chemistry
Office: 
124 Science Drive, 2101 French Science Center, Durham, NC 27708
Phone: 
(919) 660-1533
Fax: 
(919) 660-1605
ross.widenhoefer@duke.edu
Widenhoefer Research Group
Research Interests: 

Research in the Widenhoefer group is directed toward the development and mechanistic analysis of new organotransition metal-catalyzed transformations for application in the synthesis of functionalized organic molecules. In particular, our group has a long-standing interest in the functionalization of C–C multiple bonds with carbon and heteroatom nucleophiles catalyzed by electrophilic late transition metal complexes, with a recent focus on the synthetic and mechanistic aspect of gold(I) pi-activation catalysis. Current areas of inquiry include the following: 1) Gold(I) and Pt(II)-catalyzed hydroamination of alkenes an allenes. 2) Gold(I)-catalyzed dehydrative amination of underivatized allylic alcohols. 3) Synthesis and study of cationic, two-coordinate gold pi-complexes. 4) Evaluating the role of bis(gold) complexes in gold pi-activation catalysis. More detailed descriptions of these research projects can be found at our group web page.

Overview

Education:

Ph.D., University of Wisconsin at Madison 1994

B.A., Gustavus Adolphus College 1989

Research Areas:
Synthesis, Inorganic, Organic

Brooner, R. E. M., et al. “Mechanism of 1,3-hydrogen migration in a gold bicyclo[3.2.0]heptene complex: The role of brønsted acid in the gold-catalyzed cycloisomerization of 7-aryl-1,6-enynes.” Organometallics, vol. 33, no. 22, Nov. 2014, pp. 6466–73. Scopus, doi:10.1021/om500815k. Full Text

Lee, S. D., et al. “Enantioselective intramolecular hydroamination of unactivated alkenes catalyzed by mono- and bis(gold) phosphine complexes.” Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis, vol. 356, no. 14–15, Wiley-VCH Verlag, Oct. 2014, pp. 3187–92. Scopus, doi:10.1002/adsc.201400268. Full Text

Harris, Robert J., et al. “Kinetics and mechanism of the racemization of aryl allenes catalyzed by cationic gold(I) phosphine complexes..” Chemistry (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany), vol. 20, no. 38, Sept. 2014, pp. 12245–54. Epmc, doi:10.1002/chem.201402729. Full Text

Harris, Robert J., and Ross A. Widenhoefer. “Synthesis, structure, and reactivity of a gold carbenoid complex that lacks heteroatom stabilization..” Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English), vol. 53, no. 35, Aug. 2014, pp. 9369–71. Epmc, doi:10.1002/anie.201404882. Full Text

Brown, T. J., et al. “Synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of a cationic gold (I) π-(1,3-diene) complex generated via isomerization of a gold π-allene complex.” Journal of Organometallic Chemistry, vol. 758, May 2014, pp. 25–28. Scopus, doi:10.1016/j.jorganchem.2014.01.030. Full Text

Brooner, Rachel E. M., and Ross A. Widenhoefer. “Experimental evaluation of the electron donor ability of a gold phosphine fragment in a gold carbene complex..” Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England), vol. 50, no. 19, Mar. 2014, pp. 2420–23. Epmc, doi:10.1039/c3cc48869a. Full Text

Brown, T. J., et al. “Synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of a cationic gold (I) π-(1,3-diene) complex generated via isomerization of a gold π-allene complex.” Journal of Organometallic Chemistry, vol. 758, 2014, pp. 25–28.

Brooner, Rachel E. M., and Ross A. Widenhoefer. “Cationic, two-coordinate gold π complexes..” Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English), vol. 52, no. 45, Nov. 2013, pp. 11714–24. Epmc, doi:10.1002/anie.201303468. Full Text

Brooner, Rachel E. M., et al. “Synthesis and study of cationic, two-coordinate triphenylphosphine-gold-π complexes..” Chemistry (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany), vol. 19, no. 25, June 2013, pp. 8276–84. Epmc, doi:10.1002/chem.201204564. Full Text

Brooner, Rachel E. M., et al. “Direct observation of a cationic gold(I)-bicyclo[3.2.0]hept-1(7)-ene complex generated in the cycloisomerization of a 7-phenyl-1,6-enyne..” Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English), vol. 52, no. 24, June 2013, pp. 6259–61. Epmc, doi:10.1002/anie.201301640. Full Text

Pages

Bender, C. F., and R. A. Widenhoefer. “Intramolecular hydroamination of unactivated olefins with secondary alkylamines.” Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society, vol. 230, AMER CHEMICAL SOC, 2005, pp. U3226–U3226.

Han, X. Q., and R. A. Widenhoefer. “Asymmetric intramolecular alkylation of indoles with unactivated olefins..” Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society, vol. 229, AMER CHEMICAL SOC, 2005, pp. U367–U367.

Liu, C., et al. “Platinum-catalyzed intramolecular alkylation of indoles with unactivated olefins..” Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society, vol. 228, AMER CHEMICAL SOC, 2004, pp. U29–U29.

Goj, L. A., et al. “Effect of terminal substitution on the intramolecular carbometallation of 5-hexenyl palladium chelate complexes..” Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society, vol. 226, AMER CHEMICAL SOC, 2003, pp. U782–83.

Pei, T., et al. “Palladium-catalyzed addition of stabilized carbon nucleophiles to unactivated olefins..” Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society, vol. 224, AMER CHEMICAL SOC, 2002, pp. U694–U694.

Chakrapani, H., and R. A. Widenhoefer. “Rh-catalyzed cyclization/hydrosilylation of functionalized enynes..” Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society, vol. 224, AMER CHEMICAL SOC, 2002, pp. U167–U167.

Wang, X., et al. “Palladium-catalyzed ring-opening cyclization/hydrosilylation of 1-cyclopropyl-1,6-heptadienes to form (E)-1-butenyl cyclopentanes..” Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society, vol. 223, AMER CHEMICAL SOC, 2002, pp. B178–B178.

Pei, T., and R. A. Widenhoefer. “Palladium-catalyzed intramolecular addition of 1,3-diones to unactivated olefins..” Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society, vol. 223, AMER CHEMICAL SOC, 2002, pp. B234–B234.

Widenhoefer, R. A., et al. “Platinum-catalyzed cyclization/hydrosilylation of functionalized diynes..” Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society, vol. 222, AMER CHEMICAL SOC, 2001, pp. U142–U142.

Pei, T., and R. A. Widenhoefer. “Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric cyclization/hydrosilylation of functionalized 1,6-dienes employing benzhydryldimethylsilane..” Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society, vol. 222, AMER CHEMICAL SOC, 2001, pp. U81–U81.

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