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

Qian, Hua, et al. “Platinum-catalyzed intramolecular hydroalkoxylation of gamma- and delta-hydroxy olefins to form cyclic ethers..” Journal of the American Chemical Society, vol. 126, no. 31, Aug. 2004, pp. 9536–37. Epmc, doi:10.1021/ja0477773. Full Text

Liu, Cong, et al. “Platinum-Catalyzed Intramolecular Alkylation of Indoles with Unactivated Olefins [J. Am. Chem. Soc.2004,126, 3700−3701]..” Journal of the American Chemical Society, vol. 126, no. 33, American Chemical Society (ACS), Aug. 2004, pp. 10493–10493. Crossref, doi:10.1021/ja0470362. Full Text

Perch, Nicholas S., and Ross A. Widenhoefer. “Mechanism of palladium-catalyzed diene cyclization/hydrosilylation: direct observation of intramolecular carbometalation..” Journal of the American Chemical Society, vol. 126, no. 20, May 2004, pp. 6332–46. Epmc, doi:10.1021/ja049806f. Full Text

Wang, X., and R. A. Widenhoefer. “Platinum-Catalyzed Intermolecular Hydroamination of Unactivated Olefins with Carboxamides.” Organometallics, vol. 23, no. 8, Apr. 2004, pp. 1649–51. Scopus, doi:10.1021/om0498549. Full Text

Liu, Cong, et al. “Platinum-catalyzed intramolecular alkylation of indoles with unactivated olefins..” Journal of the American Chemical Society, vol. 126, no. 12, Mar. 2004, pp. 3700–01. Epmc, doi:10.1021/ja031814t. Full Text

Wang, Xiang, and Ross A. Widenhoefer. “Palladium(II)- and platinum(II)-catalyzed addition of stabilized carbon nucleophiles to ethylene and propylene..” Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England), no. 6, Mar. 2004, pp. 660–61. Epmc, doi:10.1039/b316734h. Full Text

Han, Xiaoqing, and Ross A. Widenhoefer. “Palladium-catalyzed oxidative alkoxylation of alpha-alkenyl beta-diketones to form functionalized furans..” The Journal of Organic Chemistry, vol. 69, no. 5, Mar. 2004, pp. 1738–40. Epmc, doi:10.1021/jo035576w. Full Text

Widenhoefer, R. A. “Palladium-catalyzed alkylation of unactivated olefins.” Pure and Applied Chemistry, vol. 76, no. 3, Jan. 2004, pp. 671–78. Scopus, doi:10.1351/pac200476030671. Full Text

Liu, C., and R. A. Widenhoefer. “Palladium-Catalyzed Cyclization/Carboalkoxylation of Alkenyl Indoles,.” J. Am. Chem. Soc., vol. 126, 2004, pp. 10246–47.

Han, X., et al. “"Palladium-Catalyzed Intramolecular Hydroalkylation of Alkenyl - β - Keto Esters, -Aryl Ketones, and Alkyl Ketones in the presence of Me3SiCl or HCI".” Chem. Eur J., vol. 10, 2004, pp. 6332–42.

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